Francis F. Thompson, post chaplain of the Grand Army of the Republic, Custer Post, shares a moment of prayer over the Oakwood Cemetery gravesite of an Army veteran with Custer Post patriotic instructor Charles "C.A." Cavender and Cavender's great-grandson, Tilford Gribble to commemorate Memorial Day, 1926. The young Tilford Gribble is solemnly placing an arrangement of roses at one of the headstones while Chaplain Thompson doffs his hat.  The men felt it important that the younger generations remember the sacrifices that were made in the name of freedom.  (Courtesy Tacoma Public Library)


Custer Post No. 6 was based in Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington.  The map at the bottom of the page shows the exact location.

It is believed, but not certain, that the namesake for this Post was Major General George Armstrong Custer (1839-1876), who was killed in action at Little Bighorn, Montana, on 25 June 1876.

The Post was organized 24 May 1879 and chartered 2 June 1881, with eleven charter members.   The Post is associated with Custer Corps No. 2, Woman's Relief Corps (WRC).

The following Post history is from the Roster of Custer Post No. 6, Department of Washington and Alaska, Grand Army of the Republic, 1907:

Custer Post No. 6, Department of Washington and Alaska, Grand Army of the Republic

Custer Post No. 6 was organized May 24, 1879, by Major F. W. Sparling, Provisional Commander.  Its charter was granted June 2nd, 1881.  There were eleven charter members.  Five are still alive – Robert Miller, William H. Rock, Phineas Foster and William Peel who are still members, and Anthony P. Carr who lives at Spanaway.  Winslow A. Ramsdell, Augustus E. Alden, Job Carr, Howard Carr, Daniel Bentley and Henry A. Bigelow are dead.

It has had three Department Commanders, and 26 Post Commanders.  Only one died in office, and 20 are still living.  It has 14 members who have been Post Commanders, and two who have been Department Commanders in other Departments.  Every rank from Private to Major General has been members.  It is the largest Post in the Department, having 285 members in good standing.  Every state in the Union, except Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina, is represented in its membership.  Southern, foreign and Northern copperhead papers during the war branded the soldiers of the Union Army as largely composed of foreign mercenaries who enlisted for the large bounties.  The following nativity shows the facts.  Of the 752 men who have been members, their birthplaces were as follows:

United States
639
Germany
33
Canada
23
Ireland
22
England 
14
Scotland 
8
Norway 
4
France 
3
Sweden 
2
Unknown 
4
Total 
752

The 752 members served 582 different organizations and participated in nearly every battle of the war.  More than 100 were in rebel prisons and over 200 were wounded.  This record, we think, cannot be duplicated by any Post.  The Post has two blocks in Oakwood Cemetery, where it has buried 73 soldiers not members.  It has a block where its past members are buried, and 13 members and two wives are buried there.  It has a block for soldiers’ widows and has buried five.  Every grave is marked with a marble stone.  In the past 27 years it has distributed to indigent soldiers, their wives and children nearly $100,000.  One hundred and sixteen of the members have died.  In Tacoma, the oldest member is Robert Miller, 87 years; the youngest Allen A. Bartow, who enlisted at 15 years of age, and is 58.  Every profession – lawyers, ministers and doctors – every trade – every class of mercantile life – is represented.  We can build a complete ship, steamboat or locomotive.  Only one of its members has been convicted of crime.  Members hold office under the United States, State, County and City, and not one has ever been removed for neglect of duty or cause.  Can a better record be shown by any other organizations of equal numbers?


Charter Members

Augustus E. AldenCo. E2nd Minnesota Infantry
Daniel BentleyCo. K58th Pennsylvania Infantry &

Bty. D4th U.S. Artillery
Henry A. BigelowCo. M9th Illinois Cavalry
Post Commander - 1882

Anthony P. CarrCo. B19th Indiana Infantry &

Co. H34th Indiana Infantry
Howard Carr (alias John Jackson)Co. I19th Massachusetts Infantry
Job CarrCo. I36th Indiana Infantry
Post Commander - 1881

Phineas FosterCo. D1st Maine Cavalry
Post Commander - 1890

Robert MillerCo. B1st Maryland Infantry
William PeelCo. C79th Pennsylvania Infantry
Winslow A. RamsdellCo. C11th Maine Infantry &

Co. H31st Maine Infantry
William H. RockCo. F3rd Vermont Infantry &

Co. B4th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery


Comrades

 

William J. Abernethy
Co. D
21st Iowa Infantry
Henry L. AchillesCo. K27th New York Infantry
Carl A. G. AdaeCos. E & K & F&S4th Ohio Cavalry
Henry N. AkinCo. G2nd Minnesota Cavalry
Florence I. AldenCo. I6th Minnesota Infantry &

Co. F1st Minnesota Heavy Artillery
Henry L. AldenCo. D8th Iowa Infantry
William AlexanderCo. A46th Iowa Infantry (100 days)
Charles AllisonCo. H91st Indiana Infantry
John A. AmesCo. C139th Illinois Infantry (100 days)
Charles H. Anderson
U.S. Navy


USS Princeton,


USS Susquehanna,


USS North Carolina,


USS Virginia &


USS Octorara
Henry AndersonCo. G1st Minnesota Heavy Artillery
George W. AndrewsCo. H8th Massachusetts Infantry &


U.S. Navy


USS Ohio,


USS Quaker City &


USS Princeton
William B. AndrewsCo. I1st Michigan Sharpshooters
Sylvenus ApplegateCo. E64th Ohio Infantry
Thomas ArmstrongCo. G10th New York Heavy Artillery
John Atkinson, Jr.Co. F35th Wisconsin Infantry
William L. C. AtkinsonCo. H12th Iowa Infantry
John AuldCo. A13th Wisconsin Infantry
Charles BagbyCo. B28th Illinois Infantry &

unassigned65th Illinois Infantry (Scotch Regiment)
Henry S. Bailey
(service not confirmed)
Otis B. BaileyCo. C4th Minnesota Infantry &

Co. D11th Minnesota Infantry
Robert S. BairdCo. E18th Illinois Infantry
Andrew J. BakerCo. E17th Iowa Infantry
Daniel S. BakerCo. K20th Maine Infantry &


U.S. Navy


USS North Carolina,


USS Clover,


USS New Hampshire &


USS Princeton
David Baker
(service not confirmed)
Jesse E. BakerCapt. Barker's Co.McClellan Dragoons, Illinois Cavalry,

Co. BMcClellan Dragoons, Illinois Cavalry &

Co. I12th Illinois Cavalry
Marquis F. BakerCo. K96th New York Infantry
Chester BaldwinCo. K46th Iowa Infantry (100 days)
Irvin R. BallCo. M15th Kansas Cavalry
Achilles W. BallardCo. B & F&S40th Iowa Infantry,

Co. B113th U.S. Colored Infantry (Old Organization) &

Co. D113th U.S. Colored Infantry (New Organization)
Daniel BanfordCo. L1st Ohio Heavy Artillery
A. Bardstone
15th Wisconsin Infantry (service not confirmed)
Byron BarlowCo. K1st Oregon Infantry
James BarlowCo. E45th New York Infantry,
Post Commander - 1883Co. E58th New York Infantry &


U.S. Marine Corps
George E. Barnes
Co. E
58th Indiana Infantry
James Barnes
1st Iowa Infantry (service not confirmed)
Allen B. BarneyCo. F26th Iowa Infantry &

Co. 132nd Battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps
Alfred BarrettCo. K10th Michigan Cavalry
Charles E. BartholomewCo. E1st Connecticut Cavalry
Clarence M. Barton
U.S. Marine Corps


USS Colorado
Allen A. BartowCo. F145th Ohio Infantry
Frank W. BashfordCo. F3rd Wisconsin Infantry &

Co. I33rd Wisconsin Infantry
Frederick A. BatesCo. I7th Kansas Cavalry
Franz BaumanCo. G17th Missouri Infantry &

Co. 622nd Battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps
Robert W. BeallCo. F79th Illinois Infantry
Lorenzo D. Beary
Bty. I
3rd New York Light Artillery &


34th Independent New York Light Artillery
John BeemanCo. C72nd Illinois Infantry
Andrew L. BellCo. F13th Wisconsin Infantry
Ceylon L. BenjaminCo. D14th U.S. Infantry
Joseph Berryunassigned2nd Minnesota Infantry
Joel BeverCo. G113th Illinois Infantry
Andrew J. BickfordCo. D19th Wisconsin Infantry
William B. BidwellCo. K1st Wisconsin Cavalry &

Co. K39th Wisconsin Infantry (100 Days)
Charles V. BissellCo. A60th New York Infantry
Henry S. BixlerCo. C16th Pennsylvania Cavalry (161st Volunteers)
Peter BlackCo. H125th Illinois Infantry
William B. BlackwellF&S26th New York Infantry
Calvin H. BlanchardCo. D111th Pennsylvania Infantry
Matthew BlissCo. D7th Massachusetts Infantry
James M. BloomCo. D7th Illinois Cavalry
George H. BoardmanCo. F22nd Maine Infantry &
Post Commander - 1907Co. GMaine Coast Guard Infantry
Department Commander - 1908-09
0
Ezekiel W. BoggsCo. G2nd California Cavalry
Franklin BoothCo. I75th Indiana Infantry &

Co. I42nd Indiana Infantry
James F. BoothCo. A3rd Michigan Infantry (2nd organization)
David S. BortleCo. C49th Wisconsin Infantry
William H. BosticCo. H17th Wisconsin Infantry
Henry C. BostwickF&S9th Kansas Cavalry
John Bottoms
Co. C
21st Iowa Infantry &

Co. D
15th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps
Lewis L. BowersCo. D30th Indiana Infantry
William BoyesCo. B33rd Wisconsin Infantry &

Co. B11th Wisconsin Infantry
Charles H. BoyntonCo. M11th New York Cavalry
Charles T. BrackettCo. E71st Illinois Infantry
Benjamin N. Bradfield
1st Independent Wisconsin Light Artillery
James BradleyCos. L, H & G2nd California Cavalry
George W. BriggsCo. K3rd Iowa Infantry
Jesse BrightCo. K14th Wisconsin Infantry
William W. BrightmanCo. A83rd Pennsylvania Infantry &

Co. G121st Pennsylvania Infantry
John BrinkCo. D37th Illinois Infantry
Charles W. BrooksCo. H6th Minnesota Infantry
Charles Oliver Brown
Co. C3rd Ohio Cavalry
John C. BrownCo. D84th New York Infantry &

Cos. I & H5th New York Veteran Infantry
Roscoe G. BrownCo. H2nd Wisconsin Infantry
Post Commander - 1927


Thomas R. BrownCo. K37th Illinois Infantry
William H. BrownCo. E27th Michigan Infantry
August BrulotCo. L1st Iowa Cavalry
Lawrence M. BulhandCo. H111th New York Infantry
C. E. BullandCo. H16th Wisconsin Infantry (service not confirmed)
George W. BunnCo. C3rd Missouri State Militia Cavalry (2nd Organization)
Henry P. BurdickCo. E1st Minnesota Heavy Artillery
Post Commander - 1909
0
Department Commander - 1928-29


Robert BuresCo. G77th Pennsylvania Infantry
Joseph A. BurlingameCo. K2nd Maine Infantry &

Co. L1st Maine Heavy Artillery
Charles G. BurnettCo. L9th Rhode Island Infantry &

Co. D12th Rhode Island Infantry
George H. Burns

(service not confirmed)
James C. BurnsCo. D7th Wisconsin Infantry
T. F. or T. E. BurtCo. H1st Connecticut Infantry (service not confirmed)
Benjamin Bussey, Jr.F&S19th Maine Infantry
Lorenzo G. Butler
U.S. Navy


USS North Carolina &


USS Niagara
Wesley G. ButterfieldCo. H16th Wisconsin Infantry
William H. CalkinsCo. H14th Iowa Infantry,

F&S128th Indiana Infantry &

F&S12th Indiana Cavalry
Elisha S. CallendarCo. H66th Ohio Infantry
Alvin CalmesCo. A21st Illinois Infantry
James CammackCo. D48th Iowa Infantry (100 days) &

Co. E8th Iowa Cavalry
Charles Campbell
U.S. Navy


USS Cumberland,


USS St. Lawrence,


USS Ohio,


USS Genesee &


USS Princeton
James CampbellCo. K40th Wisconsin Infantry (100 days)
James F. Campbell14th BtyIndiana Light Artillery
James P. CampbellCo. D79th Illinois Infantry
John W. CardiffCo. B11th Iowa Infantry
Patrick CarneyCo. H1st Vermont Heavy Artillery
Jesse N. CarpenterCo. A11th Michigan Infantry (1st organization)
Thomas T. CarrollCo. A8th Wisconsin Infantry
Post Commander - 1886
0
William CarrollCo. H29th Wisconsin Infantry
Henry C. CarterCo. E3rd Maine Infantry
W. E. CarterCo. E3rd Maine (service not confirmed)
J. T. Carver
U.S. Navy (service not confirmed)
Frank W. CastleCo. G44th Iowa Infantry (100 days) &

Co. I2nd Iowa Cavalry
Josephus D. CaughranCo. H & F&S11th Iowa Infantry
Lewis W. CenterCos. F & B193rd New York Infantry
Harrison D. ChamberlainCo. D47th Wisconsin Infantry
John G. ChambersCo. G & F&S8th Illinois Cavalry
Albert ChandlerCo. C7th Kansas Cavalry
William V. ChaseCo. D33rd Wisconsin Infantry
H. H. CheathamCo. B3rd U.S. Light Artillery (service not confirmed)
Omar K. CheneyCo. M2nd Iowa Cavalry
William S. ChenowethCo. A150th Indiana Infantry
Abraham M. ChesneyCo. B89th Illinois Infantry &

Co. B59th Illinois Infantry
William C. ChesneyCo. K55th Illinois Infantry
Charles A. ChessmanCo. F17th Iowa Infantry &

Co. B47th Iowa Infantry (100 days)
Eli E. ChurchCo. I1st Indiana Heavy Artillery
Byron T. ClarkCo. F44th Iowa Infantry (100 days)
Eugene ClarkCos. I & A23rd Ohio Infantry
George W. ClarkCo. F10th Pennsylvania Infantry (3 months),

Co. L3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry &

Co. D16th Pennsylvania Cavalry (161st Volunteers)
Sidney ClarkCo. A92nd New York Infantry
Thomas R. Clary
(service not confirmed)
Frank ClendeninCo. A2nd Illinois Cavalry,

Co. C & F&S8th Illinois Cavalry &

Co. B & F&S147th Illinois Infantry (1 year)
Samuel K. CliffordCo. B3rd Iowa Infantry
Thaddeus Clinch
Co. GMaine Coast Guard Infantry
Greenberry CoffmanCo. M15th Missouri Cavalry
James H. CoffmanCo. I27th Iowa Infantry
Department Commander - 1921-22


Francis CokerCo. C2nd California Infantry
James CollinsCo. G44th Missouri Infantry
Andrew M. Colton
Co. G44th Missouri Infantry
Marcus D. L. ComptonCo. G48th Illinois Infantry
William A. ConeCo. B53rd Ohio Infantry
John D. CongerCo. C15th Illinois Infantry &

Cos. A & H12th Illinois Cavalry
James L. ConnCo. G137th Pennsylvania Infantry
John N. ConnaCo. I66th U.S. Colored Infantry (service not confirmed)
J. P. Conner

(service not confirmed)
Charles M. CookCo. A1st Vermont Infantry &

Cos. B & E1st Vermont Cavalry
Charles H. CottleCo. B18th Wisconsin Infantry &

Co. D6th U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry
Frederick S. CottleCo. E39th Illinois Infantry
Olive CounterCo. C131st New York Infantry
George W. CowanCos. C & B50th New York Engineers
Aaron H. H. CowgarCo. C39th Iowa Infantry
Henry V. Creamer
16th Independent Ohio Light Artillery
Homer CrockerCo. G38th Wisconsin Infantry
John M. CromanCo. K14th Michigan Infantry
Stephen M. CrossmanCo. I18th Wisconsin Infantry
Frederick A. Cummings
Co. B
2nd Massachusetts Infantry &


9th Independent Massachusetts Light Artillery
J. H. CummingsCo. D13th New York Infantry (service not confirmed)
Nathan CunninghamCo. D130th Indiana Infantry
William CunningtonCo. M11th New York Cavalry
George W. CurfmanCo. F3rd Iowa Cavalry
Edmund N. Curl
Brigade Band (3rd Brigade, 2nd/4th Divisions, 15th-17th Army Corps), U.S. Volunteers
Hiram T. CurlCo. A10th Iowa Infantry &

Co. B5th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps
Albert I. CutlerCo. M16th Illinois Cavalry
Clarence A. DanforthCo. A19th Wisconsin Infantry
Leander W. DanielsCo. D60th New York Infantry
James DavidsonCo. A31st Wisconsin Infantry
Alonzo H. DavisF&S36th Illinois Infantry &

Co. A132nd Illinois Infantry (100 days)
George F. DavisCo. A12th New Hampshire Infantry
William E. DawsonCo. G7th Iowa Infantry
John H. DealCo. D114th Pennsylvania Infantry
John S. DeardorffCo. E12th Indiana Infantry (1 year) &

Co. B44th Indiana Infantry
Dennis DeFordCo. G179th New York Infantry
John Q. A. DeHuffCo. B3rd Iowa Cavalry
Loring G. DelanoCo. A5th Minnesota Infantry
Richard W. Derickson

15th U.S. Infantry
J. Diball
(service not confirmed)
Peter DieckmanCo. E4th New York Heavy Artillery
George A. DillsCo. A10th Illinois Infantry (3 months) &

Co. K134th Illinois Infantry (100 days)
William DoblerCo. E10th Illinois Cavalry
Maurice M. DodgeCo. D40th Wisconsin Infantry (100 days)
Patrick H. DolanCo. G2nd Louisiana Infantry
David S. DoneyCo. B8th Illinois Cavalry &

Co. D3rd Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps
William H. Doolittle
9th Independent Wisconsin Light Artillery
Eli E. DoppsCo. E149th Illinois Infantry (1 year)
Post Commander - 1914
0
David DowdenCo. B12th Wisconsin Infantry
Post Commander - 1902
0
Francis E. DrakeCo. F4th Minnesota Infantry
Bartholdt J. DreesenCo. H40th New York Infantry
William DreusickeCos. F & C & F&S9th Wisconsin Infantry
John C. DrydenCo. K91st Illinois Infantry
Cornelius DuffyCo. I13th New York Heavy Artillery
James H. DuncanCo. H7th Maryland Infantry
George T. DunnCo. B21st Iowa Infantry
Henry W. Dunning
6th Independent Wisconsin Light Artillery
Albert S. Durkee
Co. A125th New York Infantry
George DyeCo. E1st Minnesota Infantry
James S. DyerCo. L14th New York Heavy Artillery
Daniel EatonCo. I13th Michigan Infantry
Charles H. EbertCo. I70th Ohio Infantry
Charles S. EichholtzCo. D92nd Illinois Infantry
Ferdinand A. ElderCo. E7th Minnesota Infantry
Samuel B. Elder
3rd Independent Minnesota Light Artillery
Abraham ElliottCo. A10th Iowa Infantry
Isaiah Ellwood
Co. H15th Illinois Infantry
Horton S. EmersonCo. E156th Illinois Infantry
Caleb EvansCo. H129th Illinois Infantry
Daniel W. EvansCos. B & K42nd Ohio Infantry &

Co. E96th Ohio Infantry
 John J. EvansCo. K1st Minnesota Infantry
W. T. Falls
(service not confirmed)
William FanninCo. H33rd Wisconsin Infantry
Alexander S. FarquharsonCo. A43rd Massachusetts Infantry (Militia) &


Signal Corps, U.S. Volunteers
Frederick W. Farr
Co. K2nd Minnesota Cavalry
Frank A. Fassett
Co. E20th Michigan Infantry
Angelo V. FawcettCo. E7th Illinois Infantry
Jacob FelixCo. I15th Illinois Infantry &


U.S. Navy


USS Benton
Thomas Ferdon
U.S. Navy


USS Clara Dolsen,


USS Fairy,


Fleet Surgeon Pinkney &


USS Silver Cloud
James W. FergusonCo. I14th Wisconsin Infantry
James M FerrisCo. E3rd Michigan Infantry (1st organization) &

Co. E5th Michigan Infantry
Hosea FinchCo. H174th Ohio Infantry
John FisherCo. G18th New York Infantry
Robert Y. FlinnCo, C16th Indiana Infantry &

Co. I11th Indiana Cavalry
John Flood
U.S. Navy


USS Sabine,


USS North Carolina,


USS Clara Dolsen,


USS Black Hawk,


USS Tempest &


USS Benton
William F. FlurerCo. E37th Illinois Infantry &

Co. A2nd U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry
David Foley
Co. C
10th Minnesota Infantry
William J. Forbes
Co. K
86th Indiana Infantry
George W. Forney
Co. I
8th Indiana Infantry
Thomas Forrest
Cos. B & C
134th New York Infantry
Ed. H. Foster
Co. C1st Maine Infantry (service not confirmed)
John S. M. Foster
Co. M
15th New York Heavy Artillery &

Co. G
176th New York Infantry
Thomas F. Fouts
Co. H
1st Iowa Cavalry &

Co. L
8th Iowa Cavalry
James N. Foye
Co. A
46th Iowa Infantry (100 days) &

Co. D
5th Iowa Cavalry
David Franklin

U.S. Navy


USS North Carolina &


USS Dawn
Richard J. Frayne
Co. F
22nd Kentucky Infantry &

Cos. A, C & I
17th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps
George W. Freeburger
Co. F
16th Illinois Infantry &


U.S. Navy


USS Benton
Adam Freudenstein
Co. K
6th Missouri Infantry
Josiah W. Fries
Co. H
11th Pennsylvania Infantry
Post Commander - 1901


John A. Fritts
Cos. E & F
1st Colorado Territory Cavalry
Christian Fuhrberg
Cos. H & D
9th Wisconsin Infantry
Henry B. Fuller
Co. C
140th Indiana Infantry
Post Commander - 1918


Charles Funk
Co. B
49th New York Infantry









Abbreviations used above: "Bty." is short for "Battery".  "Co." is short for "Company".  "F&S" is short for "Field and Staff". 

Note: This is not a complete cumulative roster of the Comrades (members) of this Post.  As additional Comrades are identified, they will be added.

If you find someone on this list who would qualify you for membership in one of our Camps or Auxiliaries, we have the documentation of his honorable service to the Union on file.

Membership inquiries can be directed to join@suvpnw.org and we will help you.