“By any objective standard George Armstrong Custer was one of the worst men ever to be commissioned an officer in the US Army”
But I will give him credit for Gettysburg, where his recklessness may have prevented the Southern Cavalry from getting behind the Union army, and cooperating with Picket’s Charge to split the Union army in half.
I always liked Custer after reading an account of a Civil War battle where he rode up to the command tent where the Generals were sitting around studying maps. The Union had won the upper hand in the battle and the Confederates were in full retreat. The Generals were hesitant and overcautious to follow up on the victory as Custer burst in screaming at them to keep fighting. They said something like they couldn’t find a place where the army could cross the river. Custer ran out jumped on his horse rode to the middle of the river outside the tent screaming and cursing at them saying right here is where we can cross. It was too late when they finally did realize he was right. I wish I was better on specifics but that scene always stuck with me.