George Armstrong Custer

George Armstrong Custer in Union uniform (World Book Encyclopedia, Volume 4)

A hero is someone with many different qualities like leadership, determination and intelligence. Only one in a million people would have such qualities. The person I am thinking of excels in all three of these qualities. George Armstrong Custer is my hero. Custer was born in New Rumley, Ohio. He not only fought for what was right by standing up for black people in the Civil War, but he also fought against Indians to keep America safe. After the Civil War, he and his wife went west. Once they went into a bar and saw the bar owner kicking someone out because he was black. Well, Custer stood up for that person and demanded that the bar owner let the black man in. He spent his life trying to help the people of America.

Custer showed a great deal of leadership skills in the Civil War. First off, he was a general and when it seemed that all was lost for the Union Army, he rallied his men and overcame the supposedly unstoppable Robert E. Lee. This, I think, required a great deal of leadership skill. When the young man first became a general, everyone laughed at him saying he would never amount to anything. But in his later years as a general, people trusted him with their lives. They would willingly follow him into battle even if the odds were against them. Custer was born with the talent to lead people. When he was just a boy, everyone in his school looked up to him. He might not have been the smartest kid or the strongest kid, but everyone still looked up to him. Why did they look up to him might you ask? Well, they probably looked up to him because he would always think of everyone. He would ask them what they thought they should do. Of course, later, he was to redefine the word smart, and he was to be the strongest and toughest man in the army. Throughout his lifetime, Custer, indeed, showed a great deal of leadership.

Picture of the Battle of Little Bighorn (http://www.lightrise.com/pics/3-14c_Re.jpg)

Second among his heroic qualities was Custer’s determination. As a boy, Custer always wanted to be a soldier. He would march around in his little soldier's uniform with his toy gun. He was determined to be a soldier. In the Battle of Little Big Horn, Custer only had 206 men against 2,000 Sioux warriors and he was determined to kill every last one of them. He also showed this talent in the Civil War. No matter how scared he was of Lee’s raiders, he stuck to it and defeated them. This is an important quality in a hero.

"During the past six months, though in most instances confronted by superior numbers, you have captured from the enemy in open battle 111 pieces of field artillery, 65 battle-flags, and upward of 10,000 prisoners of war, including seven general officers. Within the past ten days, and included in the above, you have captured 46 field-pieces of artillery, and 37 battle-flags. You have never lost a gun, never lost a color, and never been defeated; and, notwithstanding the numerous engagements in which you have borne a prominent part, including those memorable battles of the Shenandoah, you have captured every piece of artillery which the enemy has dared to open upon you."

Lastly, Custer showed intelligence. He would always pull pranks on his father and brothers. In first grade he could read and write better than his teacher. I don't know what you think, but I think that's impressive! When he was in the army and needed extra troops or ammunition packs, he sent out messages to all the generals. He wrote them in code in case the note was intercepted, so the enemy could not read it. This required intelligence.

George Armstrong Custer (http://www.civilwarartist.com/images/custer_image.jpg)

George Armstrong Custer is a true American hero. Whether it’s his leadership abilities, his strength and determination or his intelligence, he will always be a hero in my book.

George Armstrong Custer was born December 5th, 1839 and died in the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876. All 206 of his men died and the only thing that made it through was his trusted steed, Dandy.