Who graduated 34th and last out of his class at West Point and went on to become one of the youngest generals in the US army?

George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1857, where he graduated last in his class in 1861. With the outbreak of the Civil War, Custer was called to serve with the Union Army.

Custer entered West Point as a cadet on July 1, 1857, to become a member of the class of 1862. His class numbered seventy-nine cadets embarking on a five year course of study. With the outbreak of the American Civil War, the course was shortened to four years so that Custer and his class graduated on June 24, 1861. He was 34th in a class of 34 graduates: 23 classmates had dropped out for academic reasons while 22 classmates had resigned to join the Confederacy.

Despite having no direct command experience, Custer became one of the youngest generals in the Union Army at age 23. Custer lost no time in implanting his aggressive character on his brigade, part of the division of Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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31 Comments

John Watson

Aggressive? No, I think the word they're looking for is reckless.

Ed Bona

Yet he is the most famous of them all. Everyone knows who Custer was.

Bill Coe

A brevet was a warrant giving a commissioned officer a higher rank title as a reward for gallantry or meritorious conduct, but without conferring the authority, precedence, or pay of real rank. The actual highest rank he obtained was Lieutenant Colonel, the rank he held when he was killed in "battle".

Mskathy

Mskathy, *narcissistic*

Carroll Price

Consumed by a massive ego.

Effren Hernandez

Ed Bona, He became infamous for his atrocities and the way he met his demise!

Kathy Wheeler Gwyn

He destroyed Native American tribes. Is that what made him great. Coming from a descendent of the Cherokee.

Lynne Zeman

His aggressiveness can be attributed to naïveté - the folly of youth.

Marcella Kosse

Got it. John Watson, I believe Custer was both aggressive and reckless.

John W Shreve

williamrlaughlin, Yes, there were several breveted officers in the Civil War. When Custer achieved his, he was still the youngest general, breveted or otherwise, in the Union Army. He was a hero, leading his forces into victory many times. He had a falling out with Grant after the war and wound up fighting Indians. He did not hate Indians but was still part of the shameful efforts to take everything they had that was worth having.

donpenick

he was a distant cousin.

Dale Ballinger

Loser all the way around.

steveobs

Ed Bona, you are confusing Famous with Infamous.

jaijam

Ed Taber, for every action there is a reaction.

Larry Jones

johnespo, It is NOT terrific trivia and in fact ERRONEOUS commentary, as Custer was only ever a "brevet" brigadier general during the Civil War. His true rank was Lieutenant Colonel, which was his rank when he died at Little Big Horn. Also, his division commander, BG Judson Kilpatrick, was known as "Kill cavalry" Kilpatrick, because of his brutal and often illegal tactics towards the enemy. I suggest you study up on your truthful historical facts before you go embarrassing yourself again. I am a retired Army veteran who has done a lot of historical military reading on my own, so I know whereof I speak. Once again, due to your redundancy, you fail creative writing.