NEW RUMLEY – The theme “The End of the Civil War and The Beginning of Reconstruction,” was observed Saturday during the Custer Celebration Day.

Events centered around the life of Gen. George Armstrong Custer, who born in the 26-year-old settlement town of New Rumley on Dec. 5, 1839.

He then came to an untimely death 36 1/2 years later near the Little Bighorn River in Montana. But during his lifetime he left a legacy that stories and movies have tried to tell.

At an early age an interest in the military was kindled by a New Rumley muster group when he pretended to participate, wearing a little uniform modeled after the New Rumley guards.

Custer attended school at age 6 in a one-room log cabin where he learned to read, write and factor, as much as any of the pupils. He was further schooled on the family farm, where they moved before he was a teen and was termed an apt student but not an enthusiastic farmer.

His formal education on the preparatory and collegiate levels were accomplished at the Boys and Young Mens Academy in Monroe, Mich., where he was sent at the start of his teens. At age 15, when the academy closed, he came back to Harrrison County and earned a teaching certificate.

With the assistance of Congressman John A. Bingham, he was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and went on to lead many successful battles, but met his match at Little Big Horn.

Custer’s story is outlined in actual photos in the covered kiosk on the site where he was born.

Leroy VanHorne, Custer Memorial Association treasurer, and master of ceremonies for the program conducted near the general’s 1932 monument, is a collector of books on the general, with 357 in his own library.

He told the group gathered on the spot where the Custer home once stood of a book called “Custer Was to Die.” In it, the author speculates $1,000 was paid to have Custer killed at his last battle. History does tell that he is the only one in the Little Big Horn battle with a 41-caliber Derringer slug in his body, according to VanHorne.

The book notes Custer was becoming so popular there were thoughts of him running for president. Some political backers did not want to see that happen.

On Saturday, Jewett Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3072 conducted the flag raising and infantry demonstrations were given by the Company G 29th Ohio Division from Carrollton, under the leadership of John Sheck, playing the part of a first lieutenant.

VahHorne noted Company B of the 30th Ohio Division, formed in Cadiz during the Civil War, with a local resident by the last name of Dickerson serving as captain, was present at the event as well.

Mandal Haas told about his replica of a cannon made in 2003 at Phoenix Iron Works that is identical to the first cannon used to open the Civil War battle. Weighing 2,400 pounds, it took a team of six horses to pull it.

“The easiest way to disable a cannon and keep it from being transported further along was to shoot the horses, so there would be no way to move it along. And no way to gauge the shot back then except by visually calculating the range,” Haas said.

John Barnett, leader of the 19th Ohio Light Artillery, demonstrated the preparations before firing the cannon, such as plunging a long steel rod far into the barrel to make sure it was cleared.

Bo Tucker, portraying a young member of the cavalry, pulled the lanyard after Andrew Stertzbach removed his glove-protected hand from the insert where the friction charge was placed.

Both Barnett and others nearby immediately placed their hands over their ears to ease the concussion from the noise.

As the young Civil War soldiers were marching across the Custer grounds to the monument, Cole Zigan of Carrollton noticed a World War II veteran and saluted a greeting. “I like to recognize the soldiers of present time and honor those of the past,” he said. It was noted that more soldiers were lost in the Civil War than all other battles combined.

The Company 29 division had a display of the gear a Civil War soldier would be carrying. This included a sleeping cap for cold nights, paper money because people were hoarding the gold coins used for cash, cigars, a metal cup, fork, newspaper, warm shirt and a blanket.

Becky Odom of the Ohio History Connection had a table of artifacts from the Civil War on display inside the kiosk that was part of the primitive education collection, with some being reproductions. There was a large bristled tooth brush, a tin of teeth cleansing powder, a comb, deck of cards, pencil, identification tag and a little bundled item that opened to have many types of cloth patches and a needle and thread wound on a metal spindle, called a housewife, as it was used for mending their only uniform.

Dwight W. Gamble had many pictures, framed documents and stories of Custer, as the man who was to become a general after leaving New Rumley, and William Hawk, his great-grandfather were great friends. Hawk’s son, Alva, was friend of Custer as well, he explained.

Gamble told how New Rumley was a gateway to the West back in Custer’s day with a stagecoach running from Steubenville to New Philadelphia, thus running through the small town.

Steve Ball and Lisa Williams sang the “Star-Spangled Banner.” In the afternoon, they gave a musical presentation of Stephen Foster and Civil War songs.

Steve Long, editor of the former Evening Chronicle in Uhrichsville and then editorial page editor of the Times-Reporter and an officer in the Army, spoke at the Custer Museum on the assassination of President Lincoln.

Dave Rose, Custer Association president, made the arrangements for the speakers, musicians, demonstrations and the appearance of Rick William as Custer.

Another program will be held in December, when the birthday of Custer is observed with a dinner.