Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer

Definition

A United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. He is best known for his defeat at the Battle of Little Bighorn, also known as "Custer's Last Stand."

Analogy

Think of Custer as a football coach who led his team to many victories but is most remembered for one big loss in a crucial game.

Related terms

Battle of Little Bighorn: An armed engagement between combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army. The battle resulted in significant casualties for Custer's forces.

American Indian Wars: Conflicts between European governments and colonists, and later American settlers or the federal government, against various Native American tribes. These conflicts occurred within the United States from its earliest colonial times until 1924.

7th Cavalry Regiment: A United States army unit that has been active since just after the American Civil War. It was commanded by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer during the Battle of Little Bighorn.