Mo-nah-se-tah

Monaseetah (Moniseetan Verch, c.1851 - 1922), was the mistress of Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 - June 25, 1876).

She was born in Texas although she was almost certainly Cheyenne by origin, and may have been among the Cheyenne bands at Sand Creek, who fled during and after the massacre there in 1864. She met Custer in about 1867, shortly after the American Civil War. Some researchers have postulated, albeit without any evidence, that she was in effect his captive, but others over the ages have decried this, pointing out that on 27 November 1868, she entered into a marriage ceremony with him, although he was actually bigamous as he had already married, on 9 February 1864, one Elizabeth Clift Bacon (1842–1933). In about 1869 Monaseetah gave Custer a son, Yellow Bird Custer, who was also born in Texas.

She is known to have secretly accompanied him on military manoevres and the couple would frequently ride out from camp together on early morning jaunts. But very little is known of her. After Custer was killed at the Little Big Horn on 25 June 1876, Monaseetah chose to live a quiet life, away from the hustle of the popular interest in her husband. She died in 1922.