Civil War Round Table of the District of Columbia
on November 14, 2017
at the Fort McNair Officers' Club, Washington, DC



About the Topic:
For many, General George Armstrong Custer is better known for his exploits and controversies after the Civil War, especially the Battle of the Little Big Horn. His career in the Union army was a success, however, due in large part to his bravery and his audacity.  Described as aggressive, gallant, reckless, and foolhardy, Custer has become one of the most celebrated and controversial figures of the Civil War.

On June 29, 1863, Custer was commissioned to brigadier general of volunteers and assigned to command a brigade in Kilpatrick’s division. In that position, he led his men at Gettysburg to prevent J.E.B. Stuart from attacking the Union rear.


Throughout the war, Custer continued to distinguish himself as fearless, aggressive, and ostentatious.  His personalized uniform, complete with a red neckerchief, could be somewhat alienating, but he was successful in gaining the respect of his men with his willingness to lead attacks from the front rather than the back.

“Come on You Wolverines” Custer leads the Michigan Cavalry Brigade,
Gettysburg - July 3, 1863, by Don Troiani, dated 1980 (used with permission)

During the Richmond campaign in 1864, Custer participated in the battle at Yellow Tavern, where J.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded.  He and his men were then transferred to the Shenandoah Valley, where he played a major role in the defeat of Jubal Early’s army at Third Winchester and at Cedar Creek. As Custer's final major act in the war, he led the division responsible for cutting off Robert E. Lee’s last avenue of escape at Appomattox.

In his presentation, Colonel Marc Thompson takes on this controversy, assessing General George Armstrong Custer: Combat Commander and Leader. Colonel Thompson’s presentation begins with a quick review of some of the major academic and professional military studies on combat leadership. Drawing from these studies, Colonel Thompson has offers an assessment methodology to evaluate combat command and leadership and uses this methodology to evaluate Custer’s performance at brigade and division-level command during several major combat actions between 1863 to 1865.

Sources:  Civil War Trust et al.

Always interested in U.S. History, Colonel Thompson’s focus was the Indian Wars, specifically the Battle of the Little Big Horn and the career of George Armstrong Custer. At the time of his first Pentagon tour (1984-1990), he was still very interested in the career of Custer but, being stationed close to our many Civil War battlefields, many on which Custer had fought, Colonel Thompson decided to visit them. His interest in Custer has never diminished, but his interest in the Civil War mushroomed.

Colonel Thompson is Past President and currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  He was also a proud members of the National Park Service’s Volunteers in Parks (VIP) for over 15 years.  While serving as a VIP, he regularly guided walking tours at the Chancellorsville Battlefield.

Colonel Thompson enjoys preparing and presenting Civil War lectures to various CWRTs, and when time permits, leading Civil War Battlefield tours in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. While a student at the NATO Defense College, he had the opportunity to lead a Civil War Staff Ride of the “Gettysburg Battlefield” for over 70 NATO officers.



Colonel Thompson graduated “cum laude” from the University of Puget Sound in 1976 with a B.A. in Political Science, and a Minor in German. He received his Masters of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma.



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