Custer, Montana Custer, Montana Custer is a census-designated place (CDP) in Yellowstone County, Montana, United States. The population was 145 at the 2000 census. This community bears the name of U.S. Army General George Armstrong Custer who was defeated and killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn, which took place nearby in 1876. Custer is located at (46.128870, -107.556302). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Custer has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps. As of the census of 2000,
Battle of the Little Bighorn Sitting Bull's ranks for the summer buffalo hunt. The agents did not take into account the many thousands of these "reservation Indians" who had unofficially left the reservation to join their "uncooperative non-reservation cousins led by Sitting Bull". Thus, Custer unknowingly faced thousands of Indians, including the 800 non-reservation "hostiles". All Army plans were based on the incorrect numbers. Although Custer was severely criticized after the battle for not having accepted reinforcements and for dividing his forces, it must be understood that he had accepted the same official government estimates of hostiles in the area which Terry and Gibbon had