Love in the Civil War: George Custer and the Confederate Wedding
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- čas přidán 8. 08. 2024
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Script by THG
#history #thehistoryguy #CivilWar
Wonderful story. My wife and I have something along those lines as well. One of my ancestors served in the 69th New York and one of my wife’s in the 2nd South Carolina. These two units fought one another at Gettysburg, in the Wheat Field. A few years ago we visited Gettysburg and together walked the field where our ancestors fought one another. It was a very poignant moment for us. Another time while in Richmond we visited Deep Bottom where another of her ancestors was killed and buried in an unmarked grave. It affected her deeply and moved her to have a monument placed beside that of his widow back in SC.
That an amazing story.
Great story -- thanks for sharing 👍👍
Thank you for sharing your story. Gettysburg is food for thought. I visited back in 1990, I think it was. What amazed me was how tiny some of the separate battlefields were, like the area around Little Round Top. I don't remember now how many died there, but when I walked around there, it was like... wow. That many in this tiny spot, in just a few hours? That's brutal. And they were all Americans, they shouldn't have been enemies, they should have been brothers, like Custer and Lea.
That’s an amazing story. My GG grandfather also fought in the NY 69th.
Never a better tale to tell when trying to teach love, loyalty and compassion. Absolutely brilliant. Thank you
I once read that Union officers who were friends of Confederate General George Pickett sent him congratulations when his wife gave birth in 1864.
One thing that is forgot today is that these men love one another. It's hard to understand in our world where things are so much smaller and faster. I don't know for all of our technology that we are not worse off than these men were back then.
The gift was a an engraved commemorative platter
As a West Pointer, there’s nothing that could break the bonds between us as classmates.
As thanks for wiping out an entire Confederate division the prior year. He was voted Union mvp for 63.
Well he did help the Union more than the South at Gettysburg. Pickett's charge is one of the worst disasters for the Confederates who typically had superior generals than the Union. The exception to the rule was Pickett.
A fun story and one with a somewhat personal connection. My great grandfather was at the battle of Williamsburg and also in the 5th NC. He served in that regiment until his capture at Cedar Creek in 1864.
Mine served in Company K, South Carolina 8th Infantry, wounded at Malvern Hill.
Mine served company B 36th Georgia volunteer infantry captured at Vicksburg and taken to a camp in northern Tennessee.
What did they fight for? What was gained?
@@ozonedoc a pardon from the Union government
I hesitate to comment on every episode for fear of sounding insincere…however, episodes like this, overcome that fear…you Sir, spark such interest in me, that I do as I usually do, and leave this website, and dig deeper into the stories with which you tweak my curiosity. But alas, So much to learn, so little time…. Thank you once again.
Yes!
🙄
My favorite Custer story is of Lt. Custer riding his horse into the middle of the river during the James campaign to settle an discussion among the generals staff as to how deep the river was.
Shelby Foote's interview if I recall, and my favorite about Custer too
“It’s this deep.” Another version is that he waded out into the river.
_"This is how deep it is, General."_ At that moment he cleared up two important detail. One was the depth of the river, and far more importantly, that he was indeed the most demerited cadet at the academy.
@@YahooMurray I have always felt that Shelby Foote's voice was the absolute gold standard of how a southern gentleman should sound and speak.
Just as interesting is the fact that James Longstreet was best man at Ulysses S Grant's wedding in 1848.
Here is a military history nugget involving "The Battle of Greasy Grass."
The time period: 2008
The scene: The Visitors Center at Little Bighorn Battlefield.
The dramatis personae:
The old Vietnam vet Lakota Sioux Guy who works as the "Old Indian Warrior" to represent the Indian's side of things who actually is related by blood to a ranking participant of the battle.
My kid who is a Lieutenant commanding a Stryker Platoon on a pre-deployment to Iraq Staff Ride organized by the Brigade Major for all the lieutenants and captains, about 20 Officers.
The Old Indian Warrior is sitting on a stool at the museum watching the soldiers as they wander about. Finally my kid walks up to the Old Indian Warrior as says; " Hello . SIr."
Old Indian Warrior turns, looks him over slowly, and then raises his hand, palm out, bent at the elbow and replies in a deep sonorous voice, "How!"
Then quickly cracks a smile as says, "I'm just fucking with you."
"You guys are in the Army? Right?"
"I was in the Army once. I was in Vietnam."
My kid replies,"Wow!"
The Old Indian Warrior then tells a story.
One day his Sargent finds him as asks," Joe. You're an Indian? Right?"
"Yes"
" Go up to Battalion HQ and talk to the Major."
"What about?"
"I don't know Just go. They sent word down they were looking for an Indian."
Upon arrival, Old Joe the Indian Warrior finds the Major and a captured NVA Intelligence Officer who had been educated in the US at some California University and had developed an interest in Indigenous Native Americans but had never actually met a real Indian. As part of his cooperation with the Americans he asked if he could meet an Indian if they had any in the Battalion.
Old Joe the Indian Warrior introduces himself to the NVA Officer and the guy asks him in flawless English the following question.
"Why is a Red man over here fighting the Brown man for the White man?"
Old Joe the Indian Warrior now looks up and at the now spellbound group of young Army officers that have stopped and gathered to listen as says, "You know boys? He got me thinking on that the rest of the time I was there."
Love that story as much as the one just heard by The History Guy.
Lol 😄
That's a great story! Thank you!
Whatever that means...
You never know when you'll learn something new. "Dramatis personae" - The Latin phrase for ‘persons of the play’.(Oxford Reference)
Always enjoy these stories of lesser known history!
Great story that I have heard about my entire life. As I speak to my 97 year old Dad right now who grew up in Williamsburg, he is reminded about playing with other kids around that house where the wedding took place all during the late 1920's and 1930's. Our family has been in that same area since 1656.
Thanks for another great video THG. You should consider doing a piece on Custer’s West Point roommate and long time best friend Confederate Major General Thomas Rosser. He faced Custer’s unit more than once during the war and they even conducted a taunting correspondence with each other between combats. Rosser later served in the US Army during the Spanish American War.
It seems the more we are fascinated by historical figures, the more we malign them , loving them or hating them through our own contemporary ignorance. Thank you for sharing a human story of Autie.
A day doesn't seem complete without a tidbit of history from The History Guy.
Kind of the Walter Cronkite of the internet.
Thanks for sharing your passion.
A real tearjerker. Stories like this remind me of my family. My mother's side of the family were Confederates from Alabama. My father side where Damn Yankees from Kentucky. Two of my great gr. gr. grandparents fought against each other at the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee. My father was in the US Army during World War II. He was later stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia whre he met my mother in 1951. He often told me that even back then they thought of him as a Damn Yankee. I was born at Ft. Benning in 1956. Where we made our home in Columbus, Georgia. Not Bowling Green, Kentucky! Goes to show you who won that battle.
A southern girl in the 1960s told a northern girl she felt bad for growing up thinking damned Yankee was just one word. To which the northern girl replied, I just recently discovered Robert E. Lee was more than just a steamboat...
IIRC, in the early 90s; the President was from Arkansas, the VP from Tennessee, the Speaker of the House from Georgia and Majority Leader of the Senate from Texas.
I have heard about G Custers record at West-point on many occasions and whilst it is nothing to write home about at least he did graduate, even getting into West-Point then and now is something to be proud of, and despite his academic failings he was obviously a skilled horseman and cavalry officer, just a pity that he lost his last battle.
One of my ancestors was Lt. Col. T. C. Hardness of the Pennsylvania 81st regiment. I have one of his medals, one engraved on the back with the battles he’d been in: Peninsular, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and Appomattox.
Harkness
Tomorrow being Pearl Harbor Day, 80th Anniversary of the surprise Japanese attack, remember those who died that day and were wounded. Never forget the brave, honorable, and courageous Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Army Air Corps, and Coast Guardsmen who served.
czcams.com/play/PLSnt4mJGJfGibUtzcMLD-RhxCcE5xURFq.html
William Sanders, I HEARTILY CONCUR. God bless and rest those over 2,000 souls of December 7th.😪😪😪
And US Merchant Marines as well.
And the Japanese too?...
It wasn't a surprise, Japanese code was already broken, Roosevelt has alot of blood on his hands, out to sea would have been harder targets
Custer and his life was the topic of my history reports in many of my history classes. My neighbor John S. Gray wrote a couple of books about Custers' 1876 Campaign.
Thank you from an old soldier and history teacher. I work every day to help my students understand the human side of war. Stories like this where close friends can end up on opposite sides of the battle and yet maintain that friendship are things that my students find difficult to grasp. What a bitter day it must have been when Colonel Lee learned of the death of his best man and friend General Custer.
Through all the blurred memories of a history of life long ago, it is refreshing to see the fresh perspective you bring into our current events.
For all the stories that have been sifted of their importance (and their color), General George Armstrong Custer's was one of those stories.
Thank you for your channel!
So well written.
Thanks,
S
One of the best civil war stories I've ever heard. Thanks history guy!!
One failure of many history teachings, in my opinion based on those I have received in the past, is the failure to help the student of said history recognize that there are humans on both sides of every conflict. Human beings just like you or I.
Great job, THG! Bravo!!!
I learned more about George Armstrong Custer the man in this video of yours than from all the reading I have done researching him in studying Civil War history. Bravo, sir!!! Thank you!
History Guy, thank you for pursuing this angle that people just really don't talk about.
So, they could keep incongruent opinions but not hold hate for the other? What might we know now if we held to that standard?
People have become too attached to their opinion and are unable, or unwilling, to separate it from themselves when interacting with others of differing views.
To be able to disagree, but not dislike, has been lost to a very large degree.
@@VosperCDN I'll counter with: "Not lost, certainly lacking."
I'll offer a wild guess that you're a bit North of my location. If you ever escape, you're welcome here.
This is another situation where we see military enemies respecting each other, even being friends. A reality I think we all too often forget as popular culture always portrays military enemies as awful people. But so many of THG's videos show how most military officers, anywhere from the Civil War to WWII, saw the battle as nothing personal, but a profession, each fighting on behalf of their nation, and seeing their enemies as the same. Respecting, even being friends with, and viewing as distinguished professionals, their enemy counterparts, despite it being their duty to battle them to the death. Sort of reminds me of various cartoon rivalries, especially Ralph Wolf/Sam Sheepdog, who's job was to fight each other, but off the clock they were very respectful of each other. Or perhaps Tom and Jerry, or even the student-versus-principal rivalry of Bart Simpson and Principal Skinner. On numerous occasions it's very clear that Bart and Skinner actually respect each other, at times have joined forces or even been friends, but their roles as mischievous kid and school principal requires their rivalry.
Custer was raping the women captives. So were all the soldiers.
You romanticize too much especially if you bring up WW2. Friends is far from the truth. The respected each other's abilities to kill each other for sure, but a Japanese soldier and and American Soldier we're not interested in getting to know each other and had hatred for each other. The other side killing your friends does that.
The Civil War was a different era with literal friends and family fighting against each other and a country trying to come together and heal, not take revenge. Yet even then atrocities took place on both sides against each other.
@@swirvinbirds1971 I'm not saying this was always the case, but there were examples of it. The Japanese and Americans were certainly more brutal towards one another, not even really regarding one another as human, probably due to race, while many Americans have German heritage so they don't feel as different. I wouldn't say many were friends (though there are stories of combatants later becoming friends after the war), but there are stories of chivalry, of officers who wished to behave as, be seen as, and see enemy officers as, gentleman rather than brutes. Especially earlier in the war.
@@quillmaurer6563 theres officers who also shot up murdered and raped women and children in their camps and forced them on to reservations. So chivalrous
frienemies
Please do a story on the Vajont Dam tragedy. This is a tremendous story. wave over 800 ft. tall. Over 2000 Italians lost their lives in this tragedy. This story has everything. Disaster, coverup, suicide...
Thank you. Such a senseless war, not that any are much better, but 'civil' wars have an especially senseless level, brother against brother; friend against friend.
Only a minute in and I already know this is going to be a good history guy episode because it just calmed my panic attack down. Thanks THG!
i like you series a lot and i learn very much keep it up
My favorite scene in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" is the funeral of Trooper John Smith. " I also commend to your keeping, Sir, the soul of Rome Clay, late Brigadier General, Confederate States Army. Known to his comrades here, Sir, as Trooper John Smith, United States Cavalry... a gallant soldier and a Christian gentleman. " It shows the respect that Captain Brittles, played by John Wayne, had for his former adversary in the Civil war and that Sgt. Tyree was once Captain Tyree, former confederate officer. Captain Brittles then allows Abbie Alshard, wife of his commanding officer to make a small confederate flag to be placed on the coffin of General Clay, showing further respect for the man. It shows that the war was truly over and that some members of the CSA were welcomed back to the USA.
I too am very fond of that very same scene. Love that movie!
THG mentions that love is the strongest of human emotions. I will counter that grief is the strongest. I will concede that grief is, however, a subset of love.
What you say there about love and grief being related is something I've pondered a good bit. If sadness and love are born from the same place in psychology. Thoughts inspired by once hearing a classical music piece I couldn't tell if was intended to be sad or romantic, realizing those music styles are quite similar - as are the emotions perhaps. I feel like that could be really interesting to explore in the "Inside Out" universe, perhaps a sequel where Riley falls in love, I suspect it would actually be the sadness character driving it.
grief is just love that has no place to go anymore
Love and grief go hand in hand. Anyone who loves someone will eventually know grief, either when they lose the one they love, or when they themselves are taken away from that loved one. Yet to go through life without loving or being loved, is far worse than any grief.
Really fine narrative, understated all the way. Excellent feel for the subject. This is history we need to know. Thank you. My uncle was a Second Lieutenant in the Michigan 7th Cavalry, and this account added to the family lore about Custer!
Good GAWD! Just how old are you!!!
Great story Lance. I had no idea.
Custer has always been my favorite from the Civil War. I did not know this story. Thanks!
One thing people continue to forget about the war between the States is that all of the participants were United States citizens. Although many chose sides, for whatever personal reasons, they were still neighbors, siblings and friends, thrown into the chaos.
To hear these stories only reinforces the above statements. Even though involved in conflict, there was still sympathy and compassion to be found.
Great story, Lance THG 👍🇺🇸
Great story as it shows how those that were actually involved in a shooting war had empathy for one another. I had ancestors who supported and fought for both sides of that war. I am SO thankful I was not born in that time and had to choose....
Although contrary to post modern revisionist dogma, I hold that the men and women of both sides were honorable but that such an armed Civil War not be undertaken again.
That said I'm afraid that in the present haste to either rewrite and/or "cancel" our past we're doomed to repeat it.
One thing of note was that veterans of both sides held reunions, broke bread and assembled not long after they had been drawing a "bead" on one another. And yet some continue to fight this war to this very day....
I especially like your opening statement.
Carry On.
2:13)The pistol is possibly a Remington chambered for the 1852 .22 caliber short.
12:07)1859,"Dixie" was written one winter's day in the original part of New York City where it was first sung.Written by Daniel Decatur Emmett from Mount Vernon, Ohio.
12:54)After Appomattox, militia units were slowly disbanded until the war's end in August 1866. BREVET Maj. General G.A.Custer was discharged a Major(O-4).Brevet Brigadier Gen. Benj. Harrison had a Colonel's commission.A brevet officer's pay was set by the man's enlisted or officer pay grade.
Yet Another Wonderful Story !
After all of the forensic studies were done at LBH showing what really happened, and that the Native Americans
interviewed by a reporter told the truth, I was dumbfounded. I was very disappointed by the officially sanctioned dishonesty of that time.
Regardless of your feelings about Custer, you have to admit he was a character.
He was not a good person, but he certainly was an interesting one.
@@jliller Couldn't agree more.
@@jliller Why? Because he was a Martinet? So was Patton. So was Rommel. What they were was ... effective.
@@HemlockRidge Custer was a good cavalry fighter in the Army of the Potomac and popular with his men. That's about the extent of the compliments I have for him.
We can start with him accruing almost enough demerits to get himself expelled from West Point - a elite establishment he had lobbied hard to get into in the first place. Someone who behaves that way deserves the utmost contempt.
He was also insufferably arrogant, and that arrogance ultimately got him and several hundred of his men killed.
To my understanding, he wasn't faithful to his wife.
And that's without criticizing his views on Native Americans, which were at least commonplace for his era.
@@jliller Can you prove he wasn't faithful to Libby? No, you can't. He was utterly enraptured with her to the point of receiving criticism for visiting her so often. Look, I have made a study of G.A. Custer. If you haven't, shut up.
I lived down the street from Custer's grandson in the 1960s in Indiana. When he died, he left me his books. They were very nice people.
This is a winner of an episode! Reminding us all, what we are capable of. Thank you HG!
I've been a viewer of this channel for quite some time and this has to be my favorite video so far, great topic and great story. Keep doing what you're doing!
-A fan in Louisiana
I have always had much respect for not only George Custer, but his family. He's not what Hollywood made him out to be and thus not the evil person many gullible people believe he was. He was a remarkable man and so we're others in his family. I've heard Native Americans talk well of him also. They understood Custer very well. Sometimes the reasons things happen are inevitable. The people involved are more the pawns of Fate and not the cause of the courses or events. Such was the case with Custer, his brothers, family, friends and enemies.
Remember that.
I'm half Lakota Sioux, I always seen George Custer and his brothers as brave highly decorated worriers, the movie Little Big Man with Dustin Hoffman that came out in the 1970's I think went a long way in portraying George Custer as an incompetent fool to poke fun at. His younger brother Thomas who died with him at the battle of Greasy Grass was a twice awarded Medal of Honor recipient from the Civil war. The Custer's came from a good, loving and warm family who enjoyed life, they were respectful and honorable people, something that is so missing in today's world.
@@oveidasinclair982 You are totally correct. I have been to the battlefield. I am a history buff and more. I talked to many tribal members. None insulted Custer. They knew what the politics of the time were. They knew him as a great enemy, but an honorable one. Hollywood has screwed Custer and his family for greed. For that person who mentioned George as someone who shoot deserters from the Army, that wasn't Custer's preference, it was the normal military doctrine. People are gullible and nine times of ten, dumb.
But Oveida, you're right.
Such a story was never brought up in my schools' history classes. Many soldiers in the Civil were former classmates and close friends.
Why should they be? They are just anecdotes and obviously in the limited time history classes have they stick to the larger important events.
@@nedludd7622 We all realize that the schools do not have time to teach much history, civics, or economics any more. But wouldn't in be good for the young to see that even with enough differences of opinions to cause a war, that the people of our country still could interact and have friendships and be respectful and humane across the battlefield lines. Especially today when, without a war, we cannot even be respectful to others if they hold a different view or politics.
Ulysses Grant and James Longstreet were friends before and after the war, with Grant, then president, appointing Longstreet as the ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
@@liamroggenkamp Lomgstreet was an oddball in the CSA, being a Republican.
@@RCAvhstape I find him to be a fascinating character. He fights in the Civil War for the Confederacy as a great general. Post war he, as you noted, became a Republican, endorsed Grant for president, became ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, converted to Catholicism, and ended up fighting white supremacists in the streets of New Orleans in the Battle of Liberty Place.
Thanks for another interesting story. A bit like a 19th century version of the "6 degrees of separation" game.
AS ALWAYS THE HISTORY GUY, AN EXCELLENT VIDEO.
If my memory is correct, Custer, also,had something to do with the recovery and burial of Confederate General Stephen Dodson Ramseur.
He was at Ramseur's bedside when Ramseur breathed his last.
It's been said that Ernest FRITZ Hollings, while a cadet at The Citadel. held the record for walking the the most tours. The joke was that he toured more than the USO!!😄😄😄🌞🌞🌞✌✌✌✌
I really enjoyed the story of General Custer learning things I never new about Custer. I enjoy your history story's keep it up.
I've heard of Shotgun Weddings; but, arranging an entire Civil War to expedite a marriage seems a trifle excessive.
I found all the photos of Custer, with his changing facial hair, really interesting.
I haven't heard anyone call it the, "Battle of the Greasy Grass," outside of the battlefield visitor's center. It was very good of you to do so.
Interesting that, at that point of the war, southern sympathizing civilians were from the sounds of it, leading not so harsh times. I can only imagine had it been later under the commands of Grant or Sherman, Bassett Hall might have been used as an HQ and then burned after they left. And Gimlet Lea would have been sent to Johnson's Island.
That said, Bassett Hall still stands in Colonial Williamsburg.
John Lea is buried in Teays Hill Cemetery in St. Albans, West Virginia.
"I can only imagine had it been later under the commands of Grant or Sherman, Bassett Hall might have been used as an HQ and then burned after they left."
Sherman's army rarely burned private residences, especially not when treated hospitably.
Grant's armies (under his direct or near-direct command) rarely burned anything.
Phil Sheridan in the Shenandoah might be another matter.
@@jliller Sheridan was actually under orders to make sure that Shenandoah could not be used to support another invasion of the north following Early's surprise campaign.
i still like the term little bighorn because of the connotations of chauvinism associated with the term little big man. it seems a fitting nickname for Custer.
Wow, I live three quarters of a mile from that cemetary, have family buried there.
@@clinthowe7629 That's pretty coincidental. The Little Bighorn River is so named because it is the tributary of the Bighorn River, which flows out of the Bighorn Mountains.
The titular bighorn is the bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) which is found in the area.
Also, per Wikipedia (with a good citation), the river's name in Apsáalooke translates to "Bighorn Sheep River" so the Little Bighorn name is even of Native American origin.
Excellent episode, wonderfully delivered!
Great video! Really enjoy all your oh so informative vids. History is of great interest to me and you certainly do your research! I enjoy learning something new about historical events and the people that were involved! Thank you!
I was born in Monroe, Michigan, and Custer is revered there as a local hero since much of his childhood was spent there. My dad lived for a while as a child on Custer Road (or went to Custer School, don't remember which, but think both existed), there's a huge statue of him next to the river running through town, etc. It's so interesting so see a "legend" fleshed out with more than the normal Little Big Horn information!
The council in Monroe has been debating whether to remove the Custer Statue because of his Indian activities. But the statue commemorates the Civil War Custer.
@@lindaterrell5535 I had someone tell me once that the way a horse is standing relates to how the rider died, and that Custer's horse in Monroe "lied" about that. But it may make more sense if it means he got through the Civil War alive and died later. It's not important enough to me to look it up, but I certainly agree that he tried to treat Natives badly and for the most part, failed. I tend to side with the Natives over the "invaders" even though I'm mostly (very small portion Native blood here) one of the Europeans who displaced the Natives.
@@kendebusk2540
He didn’t treat the Native Americans any worse than his contemporaries. And better than a few. He used sign language effectively. The Crow thought he was pretty special. As for my ancestors, they’re Algonquin. Not a lot to do with their plains cousins.
G. A. Custer might have seemed a character but it sounds like he knew how to make and keep friends.
Especially the Red Men.
@@mochiebellina8190 Snarky comment, but actually, he was. But if he was commanded to attack, he did. With verve.
This episode is precisely what I come here for - a different angle on history. I joked when this channel launched with THG's original intro - "I have a degree in history and I love history" - that everyone following the channel had a degree in history, or close to it. That's probably not true but the point was that most subscribers had plenty of conventional history knowledge and had come here for something more. Such as this video 😉
I would think that while everyone does not have a degree in history that we all are interested in history.
@@thomasb1889 Yeah, that was my point. 😂
This was a most inspiring tale of George Custer! Thanks for bringing this to us!
Thank you History Guy. This was so interesting, humorous, and educational!
That was most inspiring story concerning Custer! Thanks for bring this to us!
Great recounting of a lesser known friendship that was conflicted like so many during the Civil War.
Each episode of forgotten history - well presented, researched and for the most part beneficial. Thank you.
Great episode! Thank you!
Thank you. George Custer and his siblings are my fourth cousins four times removed. We've traced our Kuster line back to Kaldenkichen, Germany. But our closest shared relative is Arnold Kuster born 1669. It made me sad when you said that the confederate soldier who I've seen in that photo with Custer was a relative of George Washington. I know that my first cousin 8 times removed Paul Custer, born 1720 married the second cousin of George Washington, who is Sarah Martha Ball born 1722. This whole Civil War thing makes me sad. I have British ancestry through Bixby and more. And I also have Scottish ancestry, Stuart, Ochiltree, Ross and more. But, I just recently found out, but you probably already know, that the Scots were helping the South during the Civil War which has been estimated to lengthen the war at least one to two years longer than it needed to be. It seems as if the British and the Scots were fighting each other again, only on this side of the pond.
My great grandfather, from West Tennessee, was a teenage soldier in the Union army. He lived long enough for my father to know him as a young teenager. My father himself was a WWII Army CIC Major in the South Pacific, who died in 2009 at the age of 93. I was a less than enthusiastic Vietnam war perimeter guard in the USAF, and I identified most with Custer's time at West Point. I wish all 3 of us could have watched this video together. We would have all liked it very much, each for our own very different reasons.
Another excellent episode. Thankyou THG.
Outstanding story. Never heard this one before. You never cease to surprise me!
Always enjoyable to watch! History was and is my favorite subject from school and since. To paraphrase “ Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to relive it”, a bad paraphrase I might add. Many thanx. Tom
Fascinating, as always. Thank you!
Friendship, love, and loyalty to one's own cause, all mingled with gentlemen's behavior. Something rare in a divided world of social media nowadays.
You never disappoint Lance , Thank you for making this wonderful episode.
always a pleasure to watch one of your videos. 👍
Excellent presentation!
As always Professor you keep my attention with a skillfully executed story about something worth learning!😀💛
Another great episode. I look forward to your installments.
A lot of officers were jealous of his brave acts then lied to diminished his great feats only he could have done. If he had not been a Gettysburg and led a devastating charge against Jeb Stuart , the northern artillery that was firing on Pickett's charge would have been neutralized and the line split. Our historians will never let that ever happen.
One of my favorite episodes. One of many. Thank you!!!
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing
You almost always put a little more to the story than I'd expected. Good of you to describe the battle as the Greasy Grass. Thank you.
A wonderful presentation.
Thank you for sharing your research
That was an utterly fascinating story, thank you for sharing it.
Really enjoyed that one! As a resident of Williamsburg,VA. I am constantly learning more about the history of my new home. Even the simple act of gardening here pulls up reminders of just how long people have lived here. Found a pottery shard yesterday while out pulling weeds.
what a great story. Thanks for retelling it.
Just wow! I grew up from Junior High in Yorktown and a student of history and never heard that tale. Great vid. Keep at it!
Very interesting as usual ... Superb work Sir
This was a real good one, THG! I enjoyed this immensely!
It would have been so awesome to have a history teacher like this when I was in high school.
I did. Mr. Wilson. Ex Marine. He took us on a field trip to Gettysburg.
An absolutely riveting story. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I remember seeing an historical marker, next to a small pond, on the road between Yorktown and Williamsburg. It indicated that George Armstrong Custer had pass by that location on his recon approach to Williamsburg. I was shocked. That guy seemed to have been EVERYWHERE....at EVERY BATTLE...of the Civil War (and Indian wars)!
Very cool.
Excellent in depth history lesson.
Thank you for sharing this story of young
Mr Custer. It was nice to hear a different
side of him.
History is so fascinating anyway, and the narrator makes it even better!
Absolutely riveting story..very interesting history lesson Sir!
Another sweet G. A. Custer story takes place at Belle Grove plantation, the site of the Battle of Cedar Creek in Middletown Va.
The Union army were camped at the house while General Sheridan attended meetings in Winchester.
The General was late getting back and actually had stopped to rest about halfway back.
Shortly before dawn the Union troops were surprised by Confederates moving north to take Winchester.
Winchester changed hands over 70 times during the war.( I always envisioned a French bedroom comedy with various people popping in and out of multiple doors. )
Anyway, the surprised Union troops broke and ran under the cannon bombardment that suddenly awakened them.
There was fierce fighting but without General Sheridan to lead them, the Union retreated at speed.
At the end of the lane leading to Belle Grove, Confederate Major General Stephen Ramseur was grievously injured.
He was carried to the house where he was put to bed in the nursery but the outlook was bleak.
Meanwhile, Gen. Sheridan was also awakened by the cannons.
Realizing that his troops must be under attack, he leapt on his horse to rush the last 5 miles down the valley and as able to stop his men’s retreat.
Regathering at Kernstown they pushed back down the Valley Pike and retook Belle Grove.
Upon re-entering the house they found General Ramseur. He had been too injured to be moved went the Confederates retreated.
Custer was one of the Union officers. He and Ramseur had been dear friends at West Point and had been best men at each other’s weddings.
Custer was distraught finding his friend dying and sat with him until he passed that night.
That was the best thing I knew of Custer for many years.
He was also involved with the hanging of 5 of Mosby’s raiders in Front Royal. (One was just a local youth who had ridden out to see some fun).
I also once saw a bumper sticker on a Native American’s car that read “ Custer wore Arrow shirts”. 😂
Belle Grove is now part of the National Historic Trust. They along with the Park Service and Battlefield Foundation run the whole area as a historic site.
There were re enactments with large cavalry charges in October.
Very occasionally, they were given permission to re enact the predawn cannons.
Wow.
Was that loud, with the horizon lighting up from the gun flashes.
Edgar Allen Poe once stayed there too. I once met a descendant of General Ramseur, who had brought her young family to see where he had died.
I absolutely love history. I really enjoy the way you tell the stories.
Thoroughly enjoyed this!! I’ve always had a fascination with the civil war but it’s more about the era of the times, the people and their everyday life and relationships. But I get most of my information because some part of the civil war has been recorded down
Wow! All the 'connections' and all the 'promotions'.. Crazy is, Crazy does!.. I'd read the (Historian Ambrose's) book where Custer's life/culture were compared to that of Crazy Horse. Never heard any of this or the 'relative connections' though! Thank you for a satisfying and informative 'history lesson'!
completely changed my mind on the bearing and character of General Custer. Thank you History Guy, sir
May the fountain of History always flow and may I always partake of its waters.Thank You History Guy.
Thank you for hanging your military kitty picture again!! I missed him🐈🐈⬛