George Armstrong Custer

George Armstrong Custer may have graduated at the bottom of his class at West Point in 1861, but he proved better on the field than he did in the classroom. He fought during the American Civil War and established himself as a worthy leader. When he was just 23 years old, he got promoted to brigadier general of volunteers.

After the Civil War, he also fought in the American Indian Wars. Unfortunately, he did not survive that one and fell while leading the 7th Cavalry Regiment in 1876. He and the five companions with him died at Little Bighorn, and today, that place is known as “Custer’s Last Stand.”