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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Second Lieutenant · U.S. Army

Thomas Ward Custer

Second Lieutenant Thomas Ward Custer, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 6, 1865 at Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 6, 1865Double recipient

Second Lieutenant Thomas Ward Custer was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 6, 1865 at Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company B, 6th Michigan Cavalry. Custer was 20 years old.

59 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 22, 1865. He later rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Custer is one of the few people to receive the Medal of Honor twice; see his other award (April 2, 1865).

Custer was born on March 15, 1845 in New Rumley, Harrison County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Monroe, Monroe County, Michigan. Custer died on June 25, 1876, at the age of 31. He is buried at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Custer is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 112 credited to Michigan.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Second Award: Second Lt. Custer leaped his horse over the enemy's works and captured two stands of colors, having his horse shot from under him and receiving a severe wound.

First Award

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

How he died

Cause and manner of death: Wikidata.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Great Sioux War of 1876.

Places

  • Born: Ohio — map
  • Died: Montana — map
  • Buried: Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Michigan →

Timeline

  1. March 15, 1845
    Born in New Rumley, Harrison County, Ohio
  2. April 6, 1865
    Act of valor — Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia
    Age 20. Company B, 6th Michigan Cavalry
  3. May 22, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. June 25, 1876
    Died
    Age 31.
  5. Resting place
    Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery
    Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Biography

Thomas Ward Custer (March 15, 1845 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and two-time recipient of the Medal of Honor for bravery during the American Civil War. A younger brother of George Armstrong Custer, he served as his aide at the Battle of Little Bighorn against the Lakota and Cheyenne in the Montana Territory. The two of them, along with their younger brother, Boston Custer, were killed in the overwhelming defeat of United States forces.

From the Wikipedia article “Thomas Custer”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Second Medal of Honor

Thomas Ward Custer Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865

Also honored for actions on April 6, 1865

JB John Francis Benjamin Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 OB Orrin Bennett Private · Army Civil War · 1865 HB Hugh Patterson Boon Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 Lewis Francis Brest Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AB Andrew Bringle Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 IC Ivers S. Calkin First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JC John Chapman Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AC Albert Adams Clapp First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 TC Trustrim Connell Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 FC Francis Marion Cunningham First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 TD Thomas Davis Private · Army Civil War · 1865 WD Warren C. Dockum Private · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 60 recipients for April 6, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from Michigan

AM Alexander U. McHale Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 CH Charles Maynard Holton First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Conrad Noll Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 John Hack Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Patrick Irwin First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Frank Dwight Baldwin Captain · Army Civil War · 1864
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.