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George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument

The George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument, also known as Sighting the Enemy, is a 1910 equestrian statue of General George Armstrong Custer in Monroe, Michigan. Sculpted by Edward Clark Potter, it shows Custer wearing his Civil War uniform, with his horse depicted in the conventional four-feet-on-the-ground pose. The statue was erected by the State of Michigan and dedicated by President William Howard Taft on June 4, 1910. It was later designated a Michigan Historic Site in 1992 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. A rededication ceremony took place in 1955.

Custer equestrian statue on a stone pedestal with CUSTER carved on the front
The Sighting the Enemy monument depicts George Armstrong Custer on horseback atop a stone pedestal.
© · CC BY 3.0
The Sighting the Enemy bronze equestrian monument of General Custer on a stone base with CUSTER carved on the front.
Sighting the Enemy, a bronze equestrian monument of General Custer, stands on a stone base outdoors in Monroe, Michigan.
September 2010 © · CC BY 3.0
George Armstrong Custer monument with a horse and rider atop a multi-tiered stone pedestal, with two people standing nearby.
The George Armstrong Custer monument in Monroe, Michigan, shown with two people standing at its base.
1912 © Gartner, Rudolph · Public domain
Seven uniformed men stand at attention before the Custer Monument in Monroe, Michigan, with a mounted figure atop the stone pedestal.
A group stands before the Custer Monument during a 7th Cavalry reunion in Monroe, Michigan.
© Unknown Photographer (Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument) · Public domain
William Howard Taft speaks from a raised platform at the unveiling of the George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument, with crowd and bunting below.
William Howard Taft addresses the crowd during the unveiling of the George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument in Monroe, Michigan, in 1910.
1910 © Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain

Identification

TitleGeorge Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument
TypeBronze equestrian statue
Alternative titleSighting the Enemy

Iconography and meaning

SubjectGeorge Armstrong Custer

Historical context

Commemorative focusCuster's successful actions and distinguished service during the American Civil War, rather than his defeat and death at the Battle of Little Bighorn
Historical settingCuster lived much of his childhood in Monroe, attended school there, and was later killed at the Battle of Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876

Creator

SculptorEdward Clark Potter

Discovery and provenance

Dedication byPresident William Howard Taft
Rededicated byMembers of the First Cavalry Division
Rededication dateSeptember 3, 1955
Dedication dateJune 4, 1910
Cost$24,000
Unveiled byElizabeth Bacon Custer
Dedicated byPresident William Howard Taft
UnveiledJune 4, 1910
Year created1910
Commissioned and erected byThe State of Michigan

Physical characteristics

Height14 feet (4.27 m)

Materials

MaterialBronze

Appearance

Depicted formGeorge Armstrong Custer on horseback wearing his Civil War uniform
Horse poseThe horse has all four feet on the ground, following sculptural convention

Location and ownership

Current locationSouthwest corner of Elm Avenue and North Monroe Street along the River Raisin in Monroe, Michigan
Original locationMiddle of the brick-paved intersection of First and Washington streets in front of the courthouse in Monroe, within the present-day Old Village Historic District
First relocationJune 20, 1923, to Soldiers and Sailors Park along the River Raisin
Second relocationAugust 1955, to the southwest corner of Elm Avenue and North Monroe Street
Current site significanceOne of Monroe's most important intersections and one of the city's most recognizable objects
Nearby historic districtsAcross Elm Street from the St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District and adjacent to the East Elm-North Macomb Street Historic District

History and restoration

Public reactionThe monument has attracted protests and opposition because of Custer's participation in total war against Native Americans
Likelihood of removalRemoval is considered unlikely because there is no local public support and no support from the city council
May 2021 resolutionThe United Tribes of Michigan unanimously approved a resolution calling for removal of the statue in Monroe, Michigan
First relocation settingTraffic was light in Monroe when first erected, but automobile traffic was increasing significantly
Condition before second relocationWorkers initially could not find the statue because it was covered in vegetation
Condition at first relocation siteIt remained in relative isolation and was eventually obscured by brush and uncared-for trees
Relocation reasonsElizabeth Custer argued the statue deserved a better location, and residents complained it was a traffic hazard as automobile traffic increased

Other

Associated personElizabeth Bacon Custer
Associated placeMonroe, Michigan
Associated riverRiver Raisin