Elizabeth Custer: Lifelong Loyalty

Libby Custer: Loyalty for a Lifetime

[EDITOR’S NOTE (Unrelated, but related, material): This post seems timely. It comes on the heels of Michigan’s NCAA basketball championship win. Elizabeth Custer was a true Michigan native. Her husband, George Armstrong Custer, might be called a “favorite son” of Michigan. He first gained real notoriety as a Brigadier General leading three Michigan volunteer regiments in dramatic fashion at Gettysburg. He likely altered the battle’s outcome.

Like other colleges in today’s messed-up sports world, Michigan recruited professional athletes from across the world to play for its franchise. Custer, too, was actually from elsewhere (Ohio, in fact.) Regardless, he led from the front, yelling his famous, “Come on, you Wolverines!”]

Born April 8, 1842 in Monroe, Michigan, Elizabeth “Libby” Bacon was destined to become the well known wife of the infamous George Armstrong Custer. Much has been written about her, and she has been portrayed in multiple movies about her husband. She is far better known than the average military wife, so only highlights will be touched on here.

Less might be commonly known about Libby’s background and childhood than about her later life. She was one of four children born to her parents, Daniel and Sophia Bacon. However, Libby was the only one to live past childhood. Two siblings died as infants, and her brother, three years older than Libby, died at the age of eight. As the only surviving child Libby was doted on.

Tragedy, or odd illnesses, seemed to plague the family. When Libby was 12 years old her mother died “of an illness with which doctors were not acquainted.” Her brother had died of an unknown illness too. Libby later referred to herself as an orphan, as her father died in 1866 when Libby was 24 years old.

By that time, though, Libby was married. She had as much stability as one might have when married to a military officer – particularly one with Custer’s exuberance and recklessness. However, their 12-year marriage never seemed to lose its luster for them, and Libby never lost her loyalty to her husband and his image.

The two apparently first met when young George Custer was a schoolboy who had gone to live with his older sister in Monroe. The account is almost legendary. One day, as George was walking home from school he wandered past the Bacon house. Out in the yard, Libby saw him and blurted, “Hello, you Custer boy!” then was overcome with shyness and ran into her house.

Not much more seems to have been recorded regarding interaction between the two until Custer had gone on to West Point and was a captain on leave during America’s Civil War. He met her at a Thanksgiving part during that time and became infatuated with her. His pursuit began in earnest, but it didn’t lack for obstacles.

It is said that in her dying breaths, Libby’s mother charged Judge Bacon with caring diligently for their only daughter. He did so faithfully, sending her off to Boyd’s academy, a seminary for young ladies. She finished at the top of her class.

After working at a variety of jobs, businesses and professions, Bacon had become a judge in his 30’s. He had also apparently done well with real estate investments. He wanted his daughter to marry accordingly, at a level on par with her social class and status. Custer, on the other hand, came from a family of commoners. His father was a farmer and blacksmith.

However, Libby seemed unimpressed by her many other suitors. After meeting her late in 1862, Custer began courting her in earnest.

Custer had hardly helped his own cause, however. In 1861, he and a fellow classmate had overindulged in alcohol while in Monroe. They more or less stumbled past the Bacons’ house, raucously singing or otherwise carrying on. Needless to say, Judge Bacon was not favorably impressed.

Bacon forbid his daughter from having contact with Custer. Custer’s sister took him aside, lectured him, and elicited a temperance pledge from him that night – one he apparently honored the rest of his life [see Songs of the Seventh: Garryowen 3/10/26].

True to form, George was undaunted by opposition. He charged ahead anyway. First he used a sneak attack. He and Libby relayed and received notes through a mutual friend. However, by mid-1863 Custer had been promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. It undoubtedly helped his cause. He made multiple personal appeals to Judge Bacon. Seeing Libby’s mutual affection, Bacon assented. The two were married February 9, 1864.

Libby became more or less the consummate military wife. Not that her hands grew hard with laundry and housekeeping. The couple employed a cook and housekeeper much of the time after the Civil War. However, Libby made their home a gathering place for other officers and their wives at remote and lonely posts.

One source notes that on the morning of Custer’s last battle (Sunday, June 25, 1876) a group of wives gathered at her house to sing hymns. It was their habit.

On the morning of July 6, 1876 after Libby had been told of her husband’s death, she accompanied the entourage to the houses of the other wives at the post. She appeared stalwart in her efforts to show strength and comfort to other new widows.

George Custer had detractors throughout his Civil War career and beyond. Some were simply jealous of his rapid rise, both in rank and recognition. Others had personal reasons, justified or not. That’s a topic and a debate for another time. It serves as background, though, for ongoing rancor after the Little Bighorn.

Many during and after Custer’s life and death took either “pro-Custer” or “anti-Custer” stances. That alone may have motivated Libby. Or, she simply adored her husband and wanted to promote his memory in a positive light. Regardless, she remained loyal to the end. She spent the rest of her life promoting and polishing her husband’s image.

It may be that Libby Custer was driven economically as well as by desire to promote her husband’s image. Records indicate that in 1875 and early 1876 he had played the stock market aggressively and apparently racked up much debt. It also appears the couple had lived somewhat lavishly at times.

Libby must have inherited something of an estate from her father, but ten years later it was not sufficient, if any remained. Her widow’s pension of $30/month was left her strained, although it was apparently increased to $50/month in 1882. Writing paid off for her, though and she was in demand for public lectures. With no heirs, she left an estate of $100,000 in 1933.

In addition to writing, Libby Custer was also in demand for speaking engagements. Historian Thom Hatch lists Elizabeth Custer’s publications, including her three books Boots and Saddles, Tenting on the Plains and Following the Guidon. Her shorter pieces appeared in magazines and pamphlets as late as 1927.

Just as in her youth, Elizabeth Custer remained attractive and likely had many suitors after becoming a widow. She never remarried, however, and died a widow at the age of 90 in 1933. She remained devoted to the memory of her husband, who had met his final glory at the Little Bighorn.