The George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument, also called Sighting the Enemy, is a statue of General George Armstrong Custer in Monroe, Michigan. The statue was created by sculptor Edward Clark Potter. It was named a Michigan Historic Site on June 15, 1992, and added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 9, 1994.

Background

George Custer was not born in Monroe, but he spent much of his early childhood there with family members and attended local schools. During his youth, he met Elizabeth Bacon, who later became his wife in 1864. Custer left Monroe to study at the United States Military Academy and later fought in the Civil War. His hard work and achievements during the war, along with the Union's need for officers, led to his promotion to major general and made him a well-known military leader. After the Civil War, he participated in the Indian Wars in the West. However, his earlier successes were made less important by his major defeat and death at the Battle of the Little Big Horn on June 25, 1876.

To honor him, a 14-foot (4.27 m) bronze statue of Custer on horseback, created by Edward Clark Potter, was unveiled in Monroe in June 1910 by President William Howard Taft and Elizabeth Bacon Custer. The statue recognizes his accomplishments during the Civil War and does not focus on his later defeat in 1876.

Location

Since the statue was placed in Monroe 100 years ago, it has been moved to three different locations. It was first placed in the middle of the brick-paved intersection of First and Washington streets, in front of the courthouse. This area is now part of the Old Village Historic District. Elizabeth Custer, the wife of General George Armstrong Custer, believed the statue needed a better location. Some people said the statue was dangerous for cars and people in the middle of the road. At first, traffic in Monroe was not heavy, but car traffic was growing. On June 20, 1923, the statue was moved to Soldiers and Sailors Park near the River Raisin. There, it stood alone but became hidden by overgrown bushes and trees.

Because of public protests, the city moved the statue again in August 1955. When workers arrived to move it, they could not find it because of the overgrown plants. The statue was then placed at its current location on the southwest corner of Elm Avenue and North Monroe Street, near the River Raisin. This is one of the busiest intersections in the city, and the statue is brightly lit at night. Today, the George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument is one of Monroe’s most well-known landmarks. It is located across Elm Street from the St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District and next to the East Elm-North Macomb Street Historic District.

Monument

Supporters of the statue say it honors Custer's important service to the Union during the Civil War, not his defeat at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The statue shows Custer wearing his Civil War uniform. As is common in sculptures, the horse has all four feet on the ground because Custer was not killed during that time. The historical marker next to the statue includes the following text: