Custer was born in New Rumley, Ohio, in December 1839, but from the age of 14 attended school in Monroe, Michigan, where his older half-sister had settled, and the town turned out to be the hometown of his future wife as well. This photo is Katz #21 in “Custer in Photographs,” taken by Matthew Brady on October 8, 1863, in Washington, DC., but has a nice Monroe connection, being copied and published by a Monroe photographer William H. Bowlsby, who had taken three different images of Custer as a Captain in 1863 (K-10, 11, and 12,) and was likely the Bowlsby who photographed Custer with his wife, in-laws, brother Tom and other members of his military family Christmas day 1864 at his headquarters near Winchester, Va. Further, by Katz’s account, Brady took this photograph the day after Custer’s return from Monroe, where he had spent a sick leave resulting from a minor wound and used the opportunity to ask for Elizabeth Bacon’s hand in marriage.

Custer arrived back in Washington on October 7 and before returning to the front the next day visited the Brady studio for photos # K-17 to K-22. In all these images he wears his hair long, but is clothed in a relatively sedate, regulation brigadier general’s frock coat. By the time he reaches Warrenton, Virginia, however, and is photographed with General Pleasonton on October 9, he has changed to his more flamboyant field uniform of jacket (likely velvet) with Austrian knots, or “galloons,” on his sleeves, with the wide collar of a sailor’s shirt visible, tall boots, etc.- pretty much his cavalier outfit, which would call attention to his conduct on the battlefield, but might be a bit much back in Monroe, Michigan, where he would have had  to impress Judge Bacon with his worthiness, or in civilian company while travelling.

The card is in excellent condition, with good edges and corners, no bends or wrinkles, and no spotting or soiling. The back mark is “BOWLSBY, / ARTIST, / Monroe, -  - - - Michigan.” William H. Bowlsby operated as a photographer in Monroe 1862 and 1863, then in Port Huron with an A.H. Bowlsby as Bowlsby and Company, and then back in Monroe on his own from 1864 to 1867. While in Monroe he and brother George W. took out a patent on a photographic printing frame, but George seems to have been more of an inventor than a photographer per se.

The card also has a wonderful, twentieth century, inscription: “General Custer/ Monroe, Mich/ Civil War. / Mother’s and Father’s photo of him./ Mrs. E.M. Chamberlain / Newberry Mich.” E.M. Chamberlain was a cashier in the Newberry State Bank about 1912. His wife was Mary Harriet Ingersoll Chamberlain (1867-1960,) and her parents were Richard Pelton Ingersoll and Harriett Antoinette Garwood Ingersoll. Richard Ingersoll (1827-1920) had served as a Captain in the 18^th Michigan Infantry from 1862 to 1865 and obviously took pride in the military accomplishments of a fellow Michigander, even if an adopted one.   [sr] [PH:L]

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