"How Few Remain"

The book that imagines Custer the way I see him is "How Few Remain" by Harry Turtledove. In this masterpiece of alternative history, we imagine what it would be like if the South had won the war with the help of England and France. The North allies with Germany and a second war breaks out in the 1880's. Various historical characters make an appearance. For example Abe Lincoln survives and becomes a Socialist as the Republican party is discredited for losing the war. Lincoln travels the west making speech's as the second war breaks out.

One of the main subplots takes place in Montana where Union forces are led by General Custer and Theodore Roosevelt win one of the few victories by the Union in the Second Civil War. Custer is a blustery vain old war horse but he leads from the front and is victorious and emerges a hero. It is a sublime imagining of what might have been. Many historical personages make cameo appearances and this is the first book in a long series by Turtledove. I must warn you though that the series peters out by the third or fourth book even though he slogs on to what would be the end of World War Two with a death grip between the North and the South with Mormon rebellions and the occupation of Canada thrown in for good measure. But this book is a great read as a stand alone and you will not regret purchasing it. It is one of the finest alternative history novels ever written. I mean it's not literature, just a hell of a good read.

He died with his boots on.

George Armstrong Custer has long been one of the most controversial figures in American military history. Famously last in his class at West Point he was a hero of the "War to Set Men Free." Serving as a young protege to such luminaries and miscreants as George McClellan and
Alfred Pleasonton, Custer was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers at the tender age of twenty three. At East Cavalry Field, Custer led a mounted charge of the 1st Michigan Cavalry, . which he lead from the front losing more than 200 troopers in the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg.Finally coming under the command of Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan in 1864, Custer was involved in most of the battles in the eastern theatre of the war, destroying Jubal Early's army and accepting the flag of truce at Appoxmatix. Promoted brevet Major General he amassed a stellar career as a fighting officer.

He was vain and theatrical but that was the style of the time. Although his soldiers mocked his costumes they respected that he lead from the front unlike many other officers of the time. Perhaps he was too stupid to be afraid, but there is no doubt he was a man of courage. The fact is he was a warrior. And warriors kill people. Warriors like Gengkis Khan, Saladin, El Cid, Richard the Lionhearted, Charles Martel, Gustas Alpohus, Napleon, Wellington, Andrew Jackson, Nathan Beford Forrest, Robert E. Lee, US Grant, Black Jack Pershing, Douglas MacArthur, and George Patton. Some were more brutal than others. But they were in the business of killing the enemy. As Patton once said "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." Poltical attitudes come and go and standards of behavior change over time but the fundemental rules still apply.

"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.