Boston Custer
Boston Custer, born October 31, 1850 in New Rumley, Ohio, was the younger brother of US Army General George Armstrong Custer. Like George and also his other brother Captain Thomas Custer, Boston Custer was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876. Unlike the other two Custer brothers, both distinguished military men, Boston Custer was a civilian traveling with the seventh cavalry and acting as a forager, guide and scout. Boston himself had been unable to officially join the Army due to poor health.
According to letters of the period, General Custer called Boston "Bos". George and Thomas would sometimes play practical jokes on Boston, and reportedly had even done so on their fateful expedition. Like his brothers, Boston was killed at the area known as Last Stand Hill. A marker currently stands where he fell. Though originally buried on the battlefield, Boston Custer was exhumed and currently lies buried at Woodland Cemetery in Monroe, Michigan, near the Monroe County Museum.
Boston Custer was portrayed by actor Patrick Johnston in the biopic Son of the Morning Star.
Bibliography
Letters from Boston Custer by Boston Custer and Tom O'Neil (editor) (Arrow and Trooper, 1993)
