On June 28, 1863, George Armstrong Custer was promoted from captain to brigadier general and given command of the Michigan Brigade, made up of the 1st, 5th, 6th, and 7th Michigan cavalry regiments. He is depicted leading his men during the fighting against Major General "Jeb" Stuart's forces at Hanover on June 30, 1863. The uniform worn by Custer was described by Captain James H. Kidd, commander of Company E, 6th Michigan Cavalry, who is shown at the left holding binoculars. The men of Company E are armed with the Army Model 1860 Spencer rifle, a lever-action repeater that fired a .52 caliber rimfire cartridge, was accurate at 300 yards, and could be used by a well-trained soldier to fire seven aimed shots in 30 seconds. Recalling his first sight of Custer, Kidd wrote that he saw a figure only a few feet away whose appearance amazed him, and he quickly realized that the man was not carrying orders from a superior but was himself commanding the line.

Photo: Shane Oliver

Photo: Henry T. McLin

Photo: Beverly Pfingsten

Pennville, Pennsylvania · USA