Burleigh County, North Dakota (trfnews.i234.me) – At Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, just south of Mandan, history echoes through the reconstructed walls of George Armstrong Custer’s final home before his infamous last stand. The flamboyant and controversial military figure left a lasting mark on North Dakota and American history.
Custer, who achieved the rank of major general during the Civil War, was present at the surrender at Appomattox, witnessing Generals Lee and Grant sign the terms that ended the conflict. Renowned for his daring battlefield tactics, he was assigned in 1873 to lead the Seventh Cavalry at Fort Lincoln, with about 700 troops under his command.
The large home at Fort Lincoln, now a replica of the original that was dismantled by locals for building materials, was shared by Custer, his wife Libby, and several servants. Servants earned $20 per month, while soldiers were paid just $11. Libby, from a wealthy Michigan family, helped maintain an elegant lifestyle—fine food shipped from Chicago, and a refined household far from the eastern cities.
Custer spent two and a half years in North Dakota, tasked with protecting crews constructing the railroad heading west. He became known locally for his hunting trips, pursuing buffalo and grizzly bears, and was even the proud owner of dozens of hound dogs.
The Custers’ bedroom was on the main floor, while servants and frequent guests stayed upstairs. It was from this very home that Custer launched his final campaign in May 1876, at age 36, beginning the march toward the Little Bighorn River in Montana.
On June 25, 1876, in what would become one of the most storied battles in U.S. history, Custer and around 260 troops were killed in a clash with an overwhelming force—estimated at 5,000 to 10,000 Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. It was not only a military loss but a personal tragedy for the Custer family. Among the dead were:
-
Thomas Custer, Custer’s younger brother and fellow cavalryman
-
Boston Custer, another brother who served as a civilian scout
-
James Calhoun, Custer’s brother-in-law
-
Autie Reed, Custer’s 18-year-old nephew
While Custer’s body was reportedly found unmutilated, shot in the chest and temple, the news of his defeat at Little Bighorn shocked the world and signaled a grim turning point. In its wake, U.S. forces intensified efforts to push Native Americans onto reservations, forever altering life on the Plains.
Dozens of books and firsthand accounts provide differing perspectives on Custer’s Last Stand, but his time in North Dakota remains a significant part of the story, one that began in the rolling hills near Mandan and ended in the dusty fields of Montana.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.