The Other Custer

THE OTHER CUSTER

Terry Alexander

THOMAS WARD CUSTER WAS born in New Rumley, Ohio on March 15th, 1845, the third son of Emanuel and Marie Custer. Six years the junior of his older brother, George. When the Civil war broke out, he hurried to the enlistment office to join, even though he was only fifteen—the legal age to enlist in the military, at that time, was sixteen. His father promptly stopped his plans to join the army, but when he turned sixteen, he was again at the same office ready to take the oath. He joined the 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served with distinction at the Battle of Stones River on December 31st, 1862, The Battle of Chickamauga from September 18th to 20th, 1863, and the Battle of Chattanooga from November 23rd to 25th, 1863. He was mustered out as a Corporal in October 1864, and later commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in Company B of the 6th Michigan Cavalry, serving with his brother, George.

He was the nation’s first two-time Medal of Honor winner, winning the first at the Battle of Namozine Church on April 3rd, 1865, when he captured the regimental battle flag of the 2nd North Carolina Cavalry. The second came on April 6th, 1865, at the Battle of Saylers Creek, when he captured the battle flag of General Richard Ewell’s Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, from the Second Virginia Reserve Battalion. He was shot in the face at close range by the flagbearer and suffered soft tissue damage to his cheek, extending to his right ear.

After the war he was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant of the 7th Cavalry, in November 1867, he was posted at Fort Riley, Kansas. During his time in Kansas, he was posted at Fort Hays, Fort Wallace and Fort Harker. Tom didn’t believe in civilian authority, which caused problems with Wild Bill Hickok, who, at the time, was the Marshal of Hays City, Kansas. He would come to town with his men on liberty. They would drink and carouse as soldiers often do. After being warned by Wild Bill to rein in his activities, Tom returned to Hays City on liberty ready to tear the town apart. He rode his horse into a billiard parlor and tried to prod his mount into jumping on a pool table. Wild Bill came into the billiard parlor and ordered Tom to leave. Tom made a final attempt to get his horse to jump on the pool table, and Wild Bill shot the animal in the head. Other reports had Tom Custer shooting the animal before being pistol whipped by Wild Bill and being hauled off to jail. Tom was fined one hundred dollars and sent back to the fort.

On November 27, 1868, the 7th Cavalry attacked the southern camp of Cheyenne Chief Black Kettle on the Washita River. The Chief and his wife, Medicine Woman were killed in the attack, while trying to escape the carnage. Accounts varied on the number of Cheyenne warriors killed in the battle. George Custer reported that over 100 warriors were killed in the battle. The surviving Cheyenne placed the number at 50. Tom Custer was wounded in the hand at the Battle of the Washita. Fifty-three Cheyenne women were taken prisoner and taken back to Camp Supply in Oklahoma Territory. Among them were Mo-Nah-Se-tah. Many historians claim that George Custer had an ongoing relationship with her that resulted in the birth of a child with light hair. A constant rumor stated George contracted gonorrhea while at West Point which rendered him sterile. Several people stated that Tom Custer was the baby’s father.

The Seventh was reassigned to Fort Dakota in 1873. Tom participated in the Yellowstone Expedition later that year and fought in the Battle of Honsinger Bluff. He was also a part of the Black Hills Expedition of 1874.

In 1875, Tom was appointed a Captain and given command of Company C of the 7th Cavalry. That same year he participated in the arrest of Chief Rain-in-the-Face at the Standing Rock Agency Trading Post for the murder of Army veterinarian, John Honsinger.

Rain-in-the-Face was a Sioux Chief convicted of the murder of an Army veterinarian in 1875. While in confinement, he was alleged to have been tortured and abused by Tom Custer and other members of the 7th Cavalry Regiment.

During his confinement, it was alleged that Chief Rain-in-the-Face was mistreated and abused by Tom Custer and other members of the Seventh Cavalry. One report stated Tom ordered his men to hold the chief while he beat him with his fists and when he would drop to the floor, Tom would kick him savagely. The mistreatment continued during the trial where the Chief was found guilty and sentenced to hang. He managed to escape before the sentence could be carried out—a rumor circulated that the Chief was released by someone sympathetic to his plight. He later rejoined his band. He took a vow to kill Tom Custer and eat his heart for the suffering he made him endure. Chief Rain-in-the-Face was born in 1835 near the forks of the Cheyenne River. He died on September 15th, 1905 at the Standing Rock Reservation.

In 1875, the Seventh Calvary was posted at Fort Lincoln. Tom served as an aide de camp to his brother, George, during the 1876 Little Bighorn Campaign. He met his end with his brothers, George and Boston, brother-in-law Lieutenant James Baldwin and nephew Harry A. Reed along with two hundred and sixty-eight men of the Seventh Cavalry on June 25th, 1876 in what became known as Custer’s Last Stand. Tom’s body was badly mutilated. He was scalped, his head crushed and beaten to less than an inch thick. He was disemboweled, and some rumors stated his eyes were gouged out, tongue ripped from his mouth and castrated. Tom was only recognizable by the tattoos on his forearms, an American Flag with the initials T.W.C. on one and an eagle on the other.

Captain Tom Custer died on Last Stand Hill in the company of his brothers George and Boston, his brother-in-law James Baldwin, and his nephew, Harry A. Reed. At the time of the battle, he was commander of the regiment's Company "C."

When interviewed about the battle years later, Chief Rain-in-the- Face denied that he personally mutilated Tom Custer’s body or that he cut open his chest and ate his heart. Tom was originally buried on the battlefield along with the rest of the men. His body, and several others were exhumed the following year. He was reburied in Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery. A stone memorial marks the place where his body was found and buried.

Moving Robe Woman, a Cheyenne woman, claimed to have been the one who killed George Custer during the battle. Her brother, One Eagle, was killed during the first attack on the camp. Moving Robe Woman said she braided her hair, painted her face crimson, and rode into battle carrying her brother’s weapons. Fast Eagle, a Sioux warrior, claimed to have held George Custer’s arms while she stabbed him in the back. None of the official reports documented knife wounds on Custer’s body.

—Terry Alexander is a western, science fiction and horror writer with a vast number of publishing credits to his name. He’s also a connoisseur of all things related to the Hollywood Western. He and his wife, Phyllis, live on a small farm near Porum, Oklahoma.