George Armstrong Custer was a Second Lieutenant when he graduated from WestPoint in 1861. Because of his daring, though by some accounts reckless, deeds during the Civil War, he quickly gained favor with his commanders and was given a succession of field or brevet promotions, such that by June 26, 1863 he had attained the brevet rank of Brigadier General of volunteers. In 1864 he was promoted to major General of volunteers. After the War he reverted to the permanent rank of Captain. He then entered the painstakingly slow promotion process that was customary in the small regular army. When he led the Seventh Cavalry into the Valley of the Little big Horn, he had attained the permanent rank of Lt. Colonel. As was customary at the time, he was affectionately referred to as the "General" by those who liked him in honor of his former brevet rank.

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