After graduating from high school, Custer enrolled at West Point He passed the entrance exams, and became a cadet of the class of 1861. He was the 1, 966th person to graduate from the academy, but his class ranking was poor. He graduated last in his class of thirty-four.
Shortly after graduation, Custer failed in his duty as an officer of the guard. He was court-martialed. There was no punishment, because the army was in desperate need of officers. The Civil War had begun.
Custer joined his regiment on July 21, 1861. That day he took part in the Battle of Bull Run. He became a favorite with his commanders for his unlimited energy and his aggressive pursuit of the enemy. He was quickly promoted to Captain. By 1863, he had moved up in rank to Brigadier General.
It seemed Custer's units had a large amount of casualties. This was credited to fearlessness and aggression. He served in the Virginia and Gettysburg campaigns and his cavalry unit played a critical role in the retreat of Robert E. Lee's forces at Gettysburg. He also fought at Antietam, Chancellorsville, Peninsular, Bristoe, Mine Run, Yellow Tavern and Five Oaks. He was present at Appomattox Court House the day that Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Forces, and he was the one to receive the Confederate flag of truce. After the war, he was stripped of his rank and demoted to the rank of Captain.
On July 28, 1866, Custer was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the newly formed Seventh United States Cavalry On October 11, 1867, he was court-martialed. at Fort Leavenworth for being absent without leave. He had left his unit near Fort Wallace, Kansas on July 15, 1867, to go to Fort Hayes to visit his sick wife. He and his command had been ordered to take part in an engagement against "hostile Indians." He was found guilty of the charge and suspended from command with loss of pay for a period of one year.
In 1868, General Philip Sheridan re-called Custer to duty. In November of that year, Sheridan commanded Custer to attack the Cheyenne. Custer and the Seventh Cavalry happened upon a Cheyenne village on the banks of the Washita River in what is present day Oklahoma. It was the village of Black Kettle and his people. They had been the victims of the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864. Custer ordered the Seventh to attack at dawn. One hundred men, women and children were killed by the time the Battle of Washita was over.
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