George Armstrong Custer Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ohio

Many people associate Custer with Michigan, where he spent much of his youth and met his wife, Libbie, but he was really from across the border in Ohio.

Answer: Autie

Custer's brother Boston is credited with inventing this name, most likely because of Custer's aversion to George and Boston's inability to pronounce Armstrong correctly.

Answer: False

Although this happened to some classes and was common at other military institutes, it didn't happen to Custer. He spent 4 long years at West Point before being commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant (admitted 1857 graduated 1861).

Answer: 1861

Again, due to accelerated graduation of cadets, Custer was able to achieve the early victories that made him the darling of the Union and precipitated his phenomenal rise to general.

Answer: Last

Academically, Custer wasn't the best of students. Actually, he was below average for his entire stay at West Point, and at one point came very close to being drummed out due to being AWOL from guard duty.

Answer: Cinnamon

Custer was indeed imbued with vanity for his personal appearance; in particular his long, flowing head of golden hair. He would religiously comb and then treat his hair with a cinnamon scented tonic. After the war, his troops' nickname for him was Iron Butt, apparantly due to Custer's penchant for extremely long horse marches.

Answer: Monroe

Custer had seen Libby around Monroe and determined to meet her and marry her, although when they first met at a dance, he was quite drunk, which nearly cost him his opportunity to wed the lovely daughter of a local judge.

Answer: 0

For the remainder of her life, Libby never commented on who or what may have been responsible for their life together being childless, but speculation runs the gamut of sterility in Custer to careful planning on Libby's part.

Answer: A white flag

It was General Sheridan who presented Custer with the signing table, although General Lee, out of respect and admiration, presented him with a white flag of surrender.

Answer: 24

Although it was a brevet promotion, Custer's rise to brigade and division commander was a phenomenon due mostly to his agressive leadership and disregard for personal or troop injuries. His successes were more lauded than his high troop mortality rates were criticised.

Answer: 4

His two brothers, Tom and Boston were with Custer at Little Big Horn and were among those killed. His sister, Margaret, became a widow when her husband, James Calhoun, died with the Custer brothers. Nevin, next younger than George, was the only survivor to have descendents. He also had half-siblings.

Answer: Awarded 2 Medals of Honor

Called the "bravest of the brave", Tom Custer was twice awarded his country's highest honor for bravery in action during the last days of the Civil War.

Answer: The Republican National Convention

It's been speculated that Grant was behind the push to achieve a huge success in the Indian Wars to help get him reelected, and wanted to announce that news at the convention. It's also known that Custer and Grant did not get along, and Grant may have additionally steered the fate that did befall Custer. Of course, there's also speculation that Custer himself had been convinced that he had a shot at the Presidency should he score a coup in the wars.

Answer: 5

In all, it was a bad day for Custer and those related to him. George, his brothers Tom and Boston, his brother-in-law James Calhoun and his nephew Autie Reed were killed in that battle. Boston and Autie were civilians.

Answer: West Point

Libbie Custer's reputation and campaigning had much to do with the removal of not only her husband's remains, but other troopers whose families wanted them reburied in plots of their choices. Many of the soldiers remains are still where they were initially buried in Montana.