Tom Custer, Honor Twice Over

It is well known that General George A. Custer was one of the most successful and active generals of the American Civil War. However, in the many pages of Civil War history there lies another, equally courageous Custer. Thomas Ward “Tom” Custer was born March 15, 1845, the third child of Maria Kirkpatrick Custer and Emanuel Custer. Both he and his older brother of 6 years, George Armstrong “Autie” Custer were born in New Rumley, Ohio. The two were lifelong brothers in arms, both aspiring to military greatness. When the Civil War broke out on April 12, 1861, Tom enlisted in September 1861 in the 21st Ohio Infantry. The 21st was an extremely active regiment in the Western theater, and Tom is credited with serving in the Battle of Stones River. Noticed for his talent, he was appointed to the staff of Major General James Negley in 1863. During this period he also served on the staffs of Generals Grant and Palmer. In 1864 he was mustered out as a corporal on October 23rd. 

In late June 1863, George Custer was given command of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade of the Army of the Potomac, and on October 3, 1864, he had Tom made a second lieutenant and transferred to the 6th Michigan Cavalry. Tom was assigned aide-de-camp to George, who now commanded the 3rd Cavalry Division, and served as his closest subordinate. By April of 1865, Sheridan and Grant were hot on the trail of Lee’s hanging-on-by-a-thread Army of Northern Virginia. On April 3rd, Tom led a charge against the Confederate entrenchments at Namozine Church and, jumping over the barricade on horseback, grabbed the colors of the 2nd North Carolina Cavalry. He also took 14 prisoners. Three days later, on April 6th, Tom again charged Confederate lines, this time at Sayler’s Creek. He was shot in the cheek, but still managed to take what is believed to be the flag of the 2nd Virginia Reserves. Regardless of what flag it was, taking a regiment’s flag during the Civil War was the greatest dishonor an enemy could receive, and one of the greatest achievements an individual soldier could make. For these two actions, Tom was awarded two Medals of Honor, becoming the first of only 19 servicemen in history to hold such an honor. He was also brevetted Lt. Colonel. 

When the war ended, Tom followed George first to duty in Texas and then westward. On September 22, 1866, Tom was appointed first-lieutenant in the regular army’s new 7th Cavalry, while his brother was commissioned lieutenant colonel with field command. Tom participated in the Yellowstone Expedition of 1873 and the Black Hills Expedition of 1874.  He was instrumental in the capture of the Hunkpapa Lakota Chief Rain-In-The-Face. In 1875 Tom was made Captain of Company C.  

Thomas Ward Custer was killed in battle with the Lakota and Cheyenne on June 25, 1876, during the first day of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Probably attached to his brother’s staff that day, Tom’s body was discovered only feet away from George’s on Last Stand Hill. Against popular belief, most experts believe that Rain-In-The-Face did not vengefully cut Tom’s heart out. In 1877 he was exhumed from the battlefield and re-interred at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Kansas. 

Today, Tom is honored on the back of the Monroe County Michigan’s Civil War Fallen Monument as well as by the United States Army as a heroic and gallant soldier of America's greatest conflict. In the words of his older brother, “Tom should have been the General and I the Lieutenant.”