George Custer

George Custer  was born on December 5, 1835. Despite him graduating last in his class at West Point, he became the youngest brevet brigadier general in the Union army, somewhat due to the lack of available men.  He became known for his actions in the Civil War, where he was assigned to aid George McClellan, and his successes were said to be due both to his courage and audacity. Despite his successes he was known for being gallant, aggressive, and reckless
After the war ended, Custer returned to the rank of a captain and led several minor fights against Native Americans in Kansas.  Twice he was punished for leaving duty, once to visit his wife Elizabeth, and once when he left the field without searching for a missing unit that had been killed.
Later in 1874, he violated the Treaty of 1868 by taking troops up into the sacred Black Hills.  Later in 1876, the government ordered an attack on the Lakota, under the command of General Alfred Terry, using a three- pronged approach .  However, Custer decided to disregard Terry's orders and attack the Lakota before the other two prongs arrived, a show of the recklessness that he was famous four.  The result was a disaster as he and his 647  men were slaughtered by the 2,500 men of Crazy Horse.  his battle later became known as "Custer's Last Stand" and has been portrayed and reenacted may times in a heroic, sensationalized, and inaccurate manor.
Sources:
http://www.biography.com/people/george-custer-9264128#battle-at-little-bighorn
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/george-armstrong-custer-1.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/