Elizabeth Custer believed the name changed over time to mean the soldiers themselves.

VOA: special.2010.03.07

ABBOTT: "Yes." COSTELLO: "I mean the fellow's name." ABBOTT: "Who." COSTELLO: "The guy on first." ABBOTT: "Who." COSTELLO: "The first baseman." ABBOTT: "Who." COSTELLO: "The first baseman." ABBOTT: "Who."

VOA: special.2009.03.09

The name came to mean several things.

VOA: special.2010.03.07