Customer Reviews

Tom Custer: Ride to Glory (Frontier Military Series)

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Let me begin by saying I wrote the book-so I am a little biased. This started as my Master's thesis in history and I found it impossible to stop writing. It was very difficult and took a great deal of time-some ten years. I met a great many wonderful people and had a great time. I tried to tell a story of a man with many faults, but whose love of family overcame his weaknesses. It is a tale of courage, love, and sadness. Sadness for a great many people whose lives were destroyed by war. Is it the greatest book of all time, no, of course not. But I am proud of it and hope that it brings enjoyment to all who read it.

More than 200 men died in the coulees along the Little Big Horn River on June 25, 1876. One was George Armstrong Custer. Another was the only man at that time who had won two Congressional Medals of Honor, both for service in the American Civil War. That soldier was Thomas Ward Custer, the general's younger brother.
Much has been written about the general, about his youth and flamboyance during the Civil War, as well as about his controversial career in the West as an Indian fighter. In most of those stories, we learn that George wasn't the only Custer riding with the Seventh Cavalry. He had two brothers with him, both Tom and Boston, as well as some cousins and in-laws, some along more or less as tourists. Tom himself has never been written about in a book length treatment until now. The reason for that is simple enough. Although he was the first man to win two Medals of Honor, as far as history itself is concerned he was not a history maker. He was, as it were, along for the ride.
It was quite a ride, starting with his enlistment in the Army at the age of sixteen in 1861. He served for a while in the west, but was soon transferred to the east at his older brother's request. From then on, their careers were closely linked. Again at the general's request, after the Civil War ended Tom went over to the Seventh Cavalry, and ten years later he rode with it to the great Indian encampment where his life ended.
Tom was brave enough to win medals, but he was no saint. Alcohol got the best of him more than once, and he reputedly sired a boy out of wedlock. The author does a good job with the slim resources available to describe this soldier's life, but, perhaps because he was such a minor player in events and because those resources are so scarce, he has a harder time putting the flesh back on his bones (although the removal of that flesh by the victorious Sioux is spelled out in graphic detail). For those of you interested in all aspects of the Custer myth, this book offers you one more coulee to explore.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. This should be made into a movie. We have heard so much about George Custer, but not much about Thomas Ward Custer, two-time Medal of Honor winner of the Civil War. I believe only 19 people hold the honor of receiving two Medal of Honors in the same war time.
Tom Custer is not mentioned much at all in the books written about his brother George and the Battle of the Little Big Horn. But he was with his brother George throughout most of his Military Career and he died at the Battle of the Little Big Horn along with his brothers George, Boston, nephew Arthur "Autie" Reed and Brother-in-law James Calhoun. What a terrible tragedy all the way around.
This book tells about the human side of Tom and George Custer, and their relationship as brothers and family members. Just a great read.
I still say that a movie should be made about Thomas Ward Custer.

Very interesting book, i learned a lot about him that i did not know. He was a very interesting man. History should not always sugar coat everything.

I loved this book. I've read quite a few Custer books, and there was not much written about Tom. I was thrilled to discover this book was out there, and I hastened to purchase it. Tho I have a lot of other Custer books I haven't read yet, I tore into this immediately.

I was impressed by the amount of research author Carl F. Day put into it. It showed. The book is one I wished someone with the thoroughness of Carl Day had written long ago.

There is a lot more to Tom Custer than I had previously imagined. I knew some things that were in all the other books, but the bulk of Day's work was very new to me.

I think Mr. Day made Tom as human as possible. I know when I was done with the book, I felt real sadness at the loss of this - what I see now was - an incredible man.

You don't need a dictionary by your side with this. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. It's a real page-turner.

Thank you, Mr. Day, for giving Tom Custer your time and talent.