Thomas Custer

Thomas Ward Custer (15 March 1845 – 25 June 1876) was a Lieutenant-Colonel , Lieutenant, and Captain of the US Army during the American Civil War and Indian Wars. The brother of George Armstrong Custer, he died alongside him at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876.

Biography

Thomas Custer was born on 15 March 1845 in New Rumley, Ohio, the brother of George Armstrong Custer. In September 1861, he enlisted in the US Army at the age of 16 and was mustered out in October 1864 as a corporal after fighting in the South during the American Civil War; he was the first of 19 American soldiers to win two Medals of Honor for valor in combat.

He would serve in his brother's 2nd Michigan Cavalry untl the end of the war, and he was promoted to First Lieutenant in the US 7th Cavalry Regiment in 1866, and later Captain in 1875, again serving alongside his brother. Custer allegedly married Cheyenne woman Mo-nah-se-tah in 1868 after her father, Chief Little Rock, was killed in the Battle of the Washita River, and he supposedly fathered a child with her.

Thomas Custer served as an aide-de-camp to his brother during the Great Sioux War in 1876, with another man taking over command of C Company for him. Custer was killed alongside his brother in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in a last stand against the Sioux warriors, and the youngest Custer brother Boston would also be killed in the massacre. Tom was found about 6–10 feet away from George in the circle on the knoll at the very top of "Last Stand Hill". Tom Custer was scalped and so horrifically mutilated that he was only identified by his initials that were tattooed on what remained of one of his arms, which were T.W.C (which stood for Thomas Ward Custer).

Gallery

Tom Custer in 1876.

Tom Custer is in the center dressed in his outfit that he wore at the Little Bighorn except for the missing red tie like his brother George was wearing.

Tom Custer holding up George Armstrong Custer circa 1876.

Tom Custer at the Little Bighorn.

Tom Custer colorized.

Tom Custer circa 1875,

Tom Custer and Lt. W.W. Cooke in 1876.

Tom Custer's dead body in the buckskin jacket.

Tom with his rifle.

Tom Custer with his brother George.

Tom Custer at the Little Bighorn.

Tom Custer in 1875.

Tom Custer on the left.

Tom Custer at an officer's call.

Tom Custer in 1876 at the Little Bighorn.

Tom Custer being killed at the Little Bighorn.

A wounded Tom Custer at the Little Bighorn.

Tom Custer at Firt Lincoln.

Lt. Tom Custer.