The chaos of the Civil War served as the perfect theater for Custer’s specific brand of leadership. He was fearless, often leading cavalry charges from the very front, which earned him a reputation for invincibility. His flair for the dramatic, highlighted by his custom-made, velvet-adorned uniforms and long, flowing golden hair, made him a darling of the Northern press. By 1863, he had been promoted to brigadier general at age 23, the youngest in the Union Army. He was instrumental in pivotal engagements, most notably at Gettysburg, where his cavalry actions prevented Confederate forces from breaking the Union flank.