And Custer was 36.
In June 1863 Custer became the youngest General in the US Army; he was 23.
Now that is funny! Lol
” ‘Patton was 60’
And Custer was 36.”
George Armstrong Custer pinned on his first star at the age of 23.
He graduated from USMA at West Point in the “Second” Class of 1861, last in order of merit. He’d already completed the standard four-year program, which had been expanded to five years as he arrived because political leaders had been panicked into believing US officers were not absorbing enough European military wisdom [sic].
Custer and a couple classmates were rushed into high rank because the US Federal Government had endured a number of reversals early in the American Civil War. For all that, he was sharp enough to survive, and a suffciently quick study, to attain a second star on merit by the end of the war. Therefore, any claims that he was hurried into a commission, thus casting aspersions on his competence, are uninformed.
Unlike many, Custer remained in uniform after the war ended, reverting to his permanent rank of Captain (O-3), becoming the most successful American Indian fighter in the Army, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (O-5). According to the protocols and courtesies of the day, offficers in the post-ACW Army were addressed by the highest temporary rank they’d attained in that century’s particular “big one”, so he was called “General” (Major General) by subordinates and colleagues.
He met his end along with some 260 other US troops on 25 June 1876 during yet another expedition against American Indians, at the age of 36 as correctly pointed out by the poster.
Bad days befall even the best.