Henry Armstrong Reed

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Henry Armstrong Reed (April 27, 1858 – June 25, 1876) was the nephew of George Armstrong Custer. He was killed with several of his uncles at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

[edit] Life

Henry A. Reed was born in Monroe, Michigan, to David and Lydia Ann Reed. He was the favorite nephew of George Armstrong Custer and was often called "Autie" after his uncle.

In the Little Bighorn campaign, Reed rode with his uncle's U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment as a beef herder with the pack train. When the battle was about to begin, Custer's orderly John Burkman suggested that Reed stay with the pack train, to which Reed replied, "You're mad because you can't go along" and gave Burkman a playful kick before riding off. Burkman had been ordered to stay behind by Custer.

Reed was killed in the Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876, with his natural uncles, George, Tom and Boston, and James C. Calhoun (an uncle-in-law who was married to his aunt, Margaret Custer). He was interred in Woodland Cemetery in Monroe, Michigan.