About "...
that terrible day", Mrs.
Libbie Custer
It was the
day that would change George Armstrong Custer's life in both positive and
negative ways. It happened during
October of 1861. Custer was visiting his
life-long confidant and sister, Ann Reed, in Monroe, Michigan. Monroe treated young officers as heroes
unless proven otherwise. Custer proved
otherwise.
One
night, Custer and a male companion got drunk and caroused thorough town like
common drunks, shaming himself & his family.
His
appalled sister marched Custer into her bedroom and gave him the abstinence
lecture that changed his life. Custer
ended up promising before God to never touch another drop of intoxicating
beverage as long as he lived. From that
day forth, Custer never again touched alcohol, not even wine at formal dinner
parties.
Unfortunately
for Custer, his future father-in-law, Judge Daniel Bacon & his 19 year old
daughter Libbie, witnessed his last drunken walk about town.
Neither
father or daughter considered Custer marriage material based on that incident
alone. Further, unlike the Reed or
Custer families, the Bacons were part of the aristocratic class of Monroe
making the match unsuitable.
However,
Custer fell for Elizabeth at their first formal meeting and was persistent in
wooing her. Although she rebuffed his
first efforts, Custer was able to charm Libbie into falling in love with
him. But not her father.
Despite
Custer's promotion to Brigadier General, the judge continued to oppose the
relationship. It was not until Custer
gained fame for personal bravery that the judge finally relented. On February 9, 1864, Custer and Elizabeth
Clift Bacon finally married.
After
his death in 1876, Elizabeth fought to prevent him from becoming a scapegoat
for the Battle of Little Big Horn. She
wrote books and gave lecture tours that praised her husband. Elizabeth survived another 57 years before passing
away four days before her 91st birthday in 1933.