This Week in Little Bighorn History

Thomas Joseph Callan

Thomas Joseph Callan (left) died in Yonkers, New York, on March 5, 1908, and was buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in East Orange, New Jersey. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions there. His obituary, which was printed in numerous newspapers across the country, stated a different reason for the award. The man deserved better.

Thomas Patrick Downing was born on March 6, 1856, in Limerick, Ireland. He was a Private in Company I who was killed with Custer’s Column during the battle.

John Foley died at Barnes Hospital in Washington, D.C., on March 6, 1926, and was buried in the Soldier’s Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight.

James Calhoun (left) married Margaret Emma Custer on March 7, 1872. Maggie Custer lost her husband, three brothers (GeorgeTom, and Boston) and a nephew, Autie Reed, during the battle.

Edwin Philip Eckerson was born on March 8, 1850, in Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory. He was a Second Lieutenant in Company L who was en route at the time of the battle, so he was not present.

Charles William Larned (left) was born in New York, New York, on March 9, 1850. He was an 1870 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was a Second Lieutenant in Company F who was on detached service, serving as an assistant professor of drawing at West Point, at the time of the battle.

Climbs the Bluff died of inflammation of the lungs on March 9, 1880, at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory, and was buried in the Indian Scout Cemetery. He was an Arikara Scout on detached service. At the time of the battle, he was carrying messages from the Yellowstone River Depot to the 7th Cavalry, so he did not participate in the battle.

James Boggs was born on March 10, 1846, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company H who was not present at the battle. He was on the 7th Cavalry roster at the time of the battle, but he had been discharged for medical reasons on May 15, 1876.

Morris Hedding Thompson (left) was born in Waukegan, Illinois, on March 10, 1852. He was a Private in Company E who was not present during the battle due to detached service at Fort Abraham Lincoln where he was in charge of the company garden.

Charles A. Windolph (right) died on March 11, 1950, in Lead, South Dakota, and was buried in the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis. He was the last white survivor of the battle. He was a Private in Company H who was wounded in the hilltop fight for which he was awarded the Purple Heart, and he helped get water for the wounded for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Merry Christmas!

Timothy Haley was born in County Cork, Ireland, on December 25, 1846. He was born on Christmas, and he died on New Year’s Eve (see last entry). He was a Private in Company H who participated in the hilltop fight during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Edwin Butler Wight was born in Casco, Maine, on December 25, 1849. He was a Private in Company B who was on detached service at Powder River, Montana, during the battle.

Thomas W. Coleman was born on December 25, 1850, in Troy, New York. He was a Private in Company B who with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Michael Christopher Caddle (left) was married on December 25, 1877, to Josephine Lee McIlhargey (right) the widow of Private Archibald McIlhargey who was killed during the battle.

William Millard Caldwell (right) married Blanche Miller on December 25, 1887, in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company B who was on detached service at Powder River, Montana, during the battle.

John Sivertsen (left) married Anna Olson on December 25, 1889, in Douglas County, Wisconsin. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Thomas Wilford Harrison (left) died on December 25, 1917, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania. He was a Sergeant for Company D who was in the hilltop fight.

Stephen Cowley (right) was born on December 26, 1846, in Sligo, Ireland. He was a Private in Company D who was not present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn due to detached service at Powder River, Montana, guarding the wagon train.

Max Hoehn (left) was born in Berlin, Germany, on December 26, 1854. He was a Private in Company L who stayed with the regimental papers at Powder River so he was not in the battle.

John Meyers died of consumption on December 26, 1877, at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory and was buried in the Custer National Cemetery in Montana. He was the Saddler for Company C who participated in the hilltop fight. He was later wounded in 1877 during Gen. Miles’ fight with Chief Joseph.

John J. Fay and John Fox both died in Washington, D.C., on December 26, 1932. Fay and Fox both were buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. Both were Privates in Company D. Fay participated in the valley and hilltop fights, and Fox was in the hilltop fight.

Frank Hunter died on December 27, 1899, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company F who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight during the battle.

Wilson McConnell died on December 27, 1906, in King, Wisconsin, and was buried in the Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight during the battle.

Peter Thompson (left) was born in Markinch, County Fife, Scotland, on December 28, 1843. He was Private in Company C who was wounded in the hilltop fight. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

Three of the men who served with the Seventh Cavalry in 1876 were killed during the Battle of Wounded Knee in South Dakota on December 29, 1890:

Richard Winick Corwine was a Private in Company A on detached service at Fort Abraham Lincoln during the battle. He was killed at Wounded Knee and buried in the Pine Ridge Cemetery, but he was reinterred in the Fort Riley Post Cemetery in September 1906.

Gustave Korn (left) was a Private in Company I and participated in the hilltop fight. He became the caretaker of Comanche, the only horse that survived the battle. He was killed at Wounded Knee and buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery, but he was reinterred in the Fort Riley Post Cemetery on December 17, 1892.

George Daniel Wallace (right) was a Second Lieutenant who commanded Company G during the battle and fought in the valley and hilltop fights. He died at Wounded Knee of bullet wounds to his head and abdomen and was buried on January 6, 1891, in Rose Hill Cemetery in Yorkville, South Carolina.

Crawford Selby (left) and Mary Elizabeth Beck divorced on December 30, 1874, after ten years of marriage. He was a Saddler with Company G who was killed during the retreat from the valley fight.

William Jackson (right) died at Cutbank Creek on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana on December 30, 1899, and was buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Browning, Montana.  He was a scout who participated in the valley fight.

David W. Lewis died on December 30, 1914, at the Government Hospital for the Insane in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery at Section 17, Site 18504. He was a Private in Company B who was confined at Fort Barrancas, Florida, at the time of the battle.

William Henry Miller died in San Antonio, Texas, on December 30, 1914, and was buried in the National Cemetery there. He was the Blacksmith for Company E who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

William R. Oman was born on December 31, 1843, in Hamilton County, Indiana. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

Timothy Haley died on December 31, 1913, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company H who participated in the hilltop fight.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Hiram Wallace Sager was born on November 27, 1850, in Westport, New York. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

The Battle on the Washita was on November 27, 1868.

Morris Hedding Thompson (left) died on November 27, 1911, in Cloverdale, California, and was buried in the Cloverdale Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company E who was not present at the battle. Like Martin Personeus, he was a cook who was on detached service at Fort Abraham Lincoln, charged with tending the company garden.

George B. Herendeen (left) was born on November 28, 1846, in Parkman Township, Geauga County, Ohio. He was a civilian scout who participated in the battle in the timber and on the hilltop. According to Gregory Michno, Herendeen was largely responsible for assertions of Marcus Reno‘s cowardice:

Of all the witnesses called [at the Reno Court of Inquiry], only two were critical of Reno’s conduct in the valley. Civilian interpreter Frederic F. Girard, whom Reno had once fired, said he thought Reno could have held out in the timber as long as the ammunition lasted. (Left unsaid was that at the rate they had been firing, that would not likely have been more than another half-hour.) Civilian scout George Herendeen also disliked Reno. He said that when Bloody Knife was killed and another soldier hit, “Reno gave the order to dismount, and the soldiers had just struck the ground when he gave the order to mount, and then everything left the timber on a run.” Herendeen said the incident “demoralized him [Reno] a good deal,” but when pressed by court recorder Lieutenant Jesse M. Lee, Herendeen stated, “I am not saying that he is a coward at all.”

. . . An examination of the court record shows that 20 of the 23 eyewitnesses who testified to Reno’s conduct had neutral or favorable observations. Only three were unfavorable—and none of those damning. Yet scarcely mentioned is [Dr. Henry] Porter’s account of Reno’s statement, “We have got to get out of here—we have got to charge them!” Instead, Herendeen’s claim that Reno ordered a dismount and an immediate mount appears often in print. It seems incredible. One man claims Reno issued conflicting orders while extracting his command from a desperate situation, and it snowballs into an avalanche of cowardice and treachery.

Misrepresented ‘Monster’ Major Marcus Reno” by Gregory Michno

John R. Steinker committed suicide by poisoning on November 28, 1876, at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory, and was originally buried in the cemetery there. He was later reinterred at Custer National Cemetery on the Crow Agency, Montana. He was a Farrier with Company K who participated in the hilltop fight.

Henry Petring (left) was born in Germany on November 29, 1853. He was a Private in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights, during which he was wounded in an eye and hip.

James Ballard Pym was murdered on November 29, 1893, in Miles City, Montana, and was buried in the Custer County Cemetery in Miles City. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight where he was wounded in the right ankle. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

John Noonan committed suicide on November 30, 1878, at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory and was originally buried in the cemetery there. He was later reinterred at Custer National Cemetery on the Crow Agency, Montana. He was a Corporal in Company L who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Powder River, Montana, where he was charged with guarding the cattle herd.

Thomas W. Coleman died in Sawtelle, California, on November 30, 1921, and was buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

William G. Abrams was born on December 1, 1840, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was a Private in Company L who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight during the battle.

Henry Edward Haack was born in York County, Pennsylvania, on December 3, 1838. He was a Private in Company H who participated in the hilltop fight.

William H. Baker was born on December 3, 1848, in Golconda, Illinois. He was a Private in Company E who was killed with Custer’s Column during the battle.

Thomas James Stowers, (left) who claimed to be a Sole Survivor of the battle, was born on December 3, 1848, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Frank Berwald (right) was born on December 3, 1852, in Posen, Poland. He was a Private in Company E who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Frank Volkenstine, who was also known as Frank Bowers, died on December 3, 1919, in Detroit, Michigan. He was a Private in Company M who was not present at the battle because he had been dishonorably discharged on May 31, 1876, in Fort Wayne, Michigan.

John Francis Donohue (left in 1921) died in Butte, Montana, on December 3, 1924, and was buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery in that city. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight during the battle.

Peter Thompson (right) died on December 3, 1928, in Hot Springs, South Dakota, and was buried in the Masonic Section of West Cemetery, in Lead, South Dakota. He was a Private in Company C who was wounded in the hilltop fight. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Thomas Patrick Downing was born on March 6, 1856, in Limerick, Ireland. He was a Private in Company I who was killed with Custer’s Column during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

John Foley died at Barnes Hospital in Washington, D.C., on March 6, 1926, and was buried in the Soldier’s Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight.

James Calhoun (left) married Margaret Emma Custer on March 7, 1872. Maggie Custer lost her husband, three brothers (GeorgeTom, and Boston) and a nephew, Autie Reed, during the battle.

Edwin Philip Eckerson was born on March 8, 1850, in Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory. He was a Second Lieutenant in Company L who was en route at the time of the battle, so he was not present.

Edwin Eldridge, who was also known as Edwin Grant, died on March 8, 1916, in Chicago, Illinois, and was buried in Elm Lawn Cemetery in Elmhurst, Illinois. He was a Private in Company A, but he was not at the battle because he had been discharged from Fort Abraham Lincoln for medical reasons.

Charles William Larned (left) was born in New York, New York, on March 9, 1850. He was an 1870 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was a Second Lieutenant in Company F who was on detached service, serving as an assistant professor of drawing at West Point, at the time of the battle.

Climbs the Bluff died on March 9, 1880, at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory, and was buried in the Indian Scout Cemetery. He was an Arikara Scout. He was on detached service, carrying messages from the Yellowstone River Depot to the 7th Cavalry, at the time of the battle, so he did not participate in the battle.

James Boggs was born on March 10, 1846, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company H who was not present at the battle. He was on the 7th Cavalry roster at the time of the battle, but he had been discharged for medical reasons on May 15, 1876.

Morris Hedding Thompson (left) was born in Waukegan, Illinois, on March 10, 1852. He was a Private in Company E who was not present during the battle due to detached service at Fort Abraham Lincoln where he was in charge of the company garden.

Charles A. Windolph (right) died on March 11, 1950, in Lead, South Dakota, and was buried in the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis. He was the last white survivor of the battle. He was a Private in Company H who was wounded in the hilltop fight for which he was awarded the Purple Heart, and he helped get water for the wounded for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. See also 7th Cavalry Troopers in South Dakota.

George A. Bott was born on March 12, 1853, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Isaac and Betty Bott. He was a Private in Company A who fought in the valley and hilltop fights.

Thomas Blake died in New York City on March 12, 1927. He was a Private in Company A who fought in the valley and hilltop fights. He died in the city of his birth and was buried in the Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Stephen Cowley (left) was born on December 26, 1846, in Sligo, Ireland. He was a Private in Company D who was not present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn due to detached service at Powder River, Montana, guarding the wagon train.

Timothy Haley was born on December 26, 1846, in County Cork, Ireland. He was a Private in Company H who participated in the hilltop fight. See his death information below.

Max Hoehn (left) was born in Berlin, Germany, on December 26, 1854. He was a Private in Company L who stayed with the regimental papers at Powder River so he was not in the battle.

John Meyers died of consumption on December 26, 1877, at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory and was buried in the Custer National Cemetery in Montana. He was the Saddler for Company C who participated in the hilltop fight. He was later wounded in 1877 during Gen. Miles’ fight with Chief Joseph.

John J. Fay and John Fox both died in Washington, D.C., on December 26, 1932. Fay and Fox both were buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. Both were Privates in Company D. Fay participated in the valley and hilltop fights, and Fox was in the hilltop fight.

Wilson McConnell died on December 27, 1906, in King, Wisconsin, and was buried in the Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight during the battle.

Peter Thompson (left) was born in Markinch, County Fife, Scotland, on December 28, 1843. He was Private in Company C who was wounded in the hilltop fight. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

John Samuel Ragsdale married Lois Durham on December 28, 1877. He was a Private in Company A who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Powder River, Montana.

Three of the men who served with the Seventh Cavalry in 1876 were killed during the Battle of Wounded Knee in South Dakota on December 29, 1890:

Richard Winick Corwine was a Private in Company A on detached service at Fort Abraham Lincoln during the battle. He was killed at Wounded Knee and buried in the Pine Ridge Cemetery, but he was reinterred in the Fort Riley Post Cemetery in September 1906.

Gustave Korn (left) was a Private in Company I and participated in the hilltop fight. He became the caretaker of Comanche, the only horse that survived the Battle of the Little Bighorn. He was killed at Wounded Knee and buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery, but he was reinterred in the Fort Riley Post Cemetery on December 17, 1892.

George Daniel Wallace (left) was a Second Lieutenant who commanded Company G during the battle and fought in the valley and hilltop fights. He died at Wounded Knee of bullet wounds to his head and abdomen and was buried on January 6, 1891, in Rose Hill Cemetery in Yorkville, South Carolina.

Frank Hunter died on December 27, 1899, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company F who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight during the battle.

Crawford Selby (left) and Mary Elizabeth Beck divorced on December 30, 1874, after ten years of marriage. He was a Saddler with Company G who was killed during the retreat from the valley fight.

William Jackson (right) died at Cutbank Creek on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana on December 30, 1899, and was buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Browning, Montana.  He was a scout who participated in the valley fight.

David W. Lewis died on December 30, 1914, at the Government Hospital for the Insane in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery at Section 17, Site 18504. He was a Private in Company B who was confined at Fort Barrancas, Florida, at the time of the battle.

William Henry Miller died in San Antonio, Texas, on December 30, 1914, and was buried in the National Cemetery there. He was the Blacksmith for Company E who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

William R. Oman was born on December 31, 1843, in Hamilton County, Indiana. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

Timothy Haley died on December 31, 1913, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company H who participated in the hilltop fight.

Happy New Year!

George Kelley was born on January 1, 1847, in New York, New York. He was a Private in Company H who was not present at the battle because he was detailed to General Terry’s column.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

George B. Herendeen (left) was born on November 28, 1846, in Parkman Township, Geauga County, Ohio. He was a civilian scout who participated in the timber and hilltop fights during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

John R. Steinker committed suicide by poisoning on November 28, 1876, at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory, and was originally buried in the cemetery there. He was later reinterred at Custer National Cemetery on the Crow Agency, Montana. He was a Farrier with Company K who participated in the hilltop fight.

Henry Petring (left) was born in Germany on November 29, 1853. He was a Private in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights, during which he was wounded in an eye and hip.

James Pym was murdered on November 29, 1893, in Miles City, Montana, and was buried in the Custer County Cemetery in Miles City. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight where he was wounded in the right ankle. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

John Noonan committed suicide on November 30, 1878, at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory and was originally buried in the cemetery there. He was later reinterred at Custer National Cemetery on the Crow Agency, Montana. He was a Corporal in Company L who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Powder River, Montana, where he was charged with guarding the cattle herd.

Thomas W. Coleman died in Sawtelle, California, on November 30, 1921, and was buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

William G. Abrams was born on December 1, 1840, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was a Private in Company L who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight during the battle.

William H. Baker was born on December 3, 1848, in Golconda, Illinois. He was a Private in Company E who was killed with Custer’s Column during the battle.

Thomas James Stowers, (left) who claimed to be a Sole Survivor of the battle, was born on December 3, 1848, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Frank Berwald (right) was born on December 3, 1852, in Posen, Poland. He was a Private in Company E who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Frank Volkenstine, who was also known as Frank Bowers, died on December 3, 1919, in Detroit, Michigan. He was a Private in Company M who was not present at the battle because he had been dishonorably discharged on May 31, 1876, in Fort Wayne, Michigan.

John Francis Donohue (left in 1921) died in Butte, Montana, on December 3, 1924, and was buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery in that city. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight during the battle.

Peter Thompson (right) died on December 3, 1928, in Hot Springs, South Dakota, and was buried in the Masonic Section of West Cemetery, in Lead, South Dakota. He was a Private in Company C who was wounded in the hilltop fight. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

John E. Hammon (left) was born in Lynchburg, Ohio, on December 4, 1857. He was a Corporal in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

John McCabe died on December 4, 1891, in Washington, D.C. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

John B. Ascough died in Columbus, Ohio, on December 4, 1903, and was buried in Old Greencastle Cemetery in Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

George Arthur Rudolph died on December 4, 1924, in Eddyville, New York, and was buried in Saint Peters Cemetery in Rosendale, Ulster County, New York. He was a Private in the Band, so he was on detached service at Powder River, Montana.

Charles Henry Bishop died in East St. Louis, Illinois, on December 4, 1929, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Fairview Heights, St. Clair County, Illinois. He was a Private in Company H who was wounded during the hilltop fight.

John Samuel Ragsdale died on December 4, 1942, in Dayton, Ohio, and was buried in the Dayton National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company A who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Powder River, Montana.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

James T. Reilly died on November 21, 1880, in Baltimore, Maryland, and may be buried in the Loudon Park National Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant in Company E who was wounded by gunshot on Reno Hill during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Stephen Cowley (left) died on November 21, 1886, in Larimore, Grand Forks County, North Dakota, and was buried in the Bellevue Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company D who was on detached service at Powder River during the battle, guarding the wagon train.

Alexander Brown Bishop was born on November 22, 1853, in Brooklyn, New York. He was a Corporal in Company H who was wounded during the hilltop fight.

Edward Garlick married Ann Elizabeth Hahn Dose, the widow of Henry C. Dose, on November 22, 1876. Garlick was the First Sergeant of Company G, but he was not at the battle because he was on furlough back in his native England. Dose was the Trumpeter for Company G who was killed with Custer’s Column.

George Gaffney died in Washington, D.C., on November 22, 1916, and was buried on November 27 in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant in Company I who was not present at the battle due to detached service aboard the steamer Far West.

Charles Braden (left) was born on November 23, 1847, in Detroit. He was an 1859 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he received his commission. He was a First Lieutenant in Company L who was not present at the battle due to illness.

William C. Slaper (right) was born on November 23, 1854, in Cincinnati. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Martin Personeus married Mary Pauline Crisfield, the widow of William B. Crisfield, on November 23, 1876. Personeus was a Private in Company L who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Fort Abraham Lincoln. He was the company cook and was left behind to tend the company garden. Crisfield (left) was also a Private in L Company who was killed with Custer’s Column. According to her grandsons, Mary Crisfield was a laundress for the 7th Cavalry at the time of the battle.

Moses Eaton Flint died on November 23, 1902, at Vanderbilt, South Dakota, and was buried in the Spring Valley Cemetery in Pollock, South Dakota. He was a Packer with the Quartermaster who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight. See also 7th Cavalry Troopers in South Dakota.

George Blunt (left) died on November 23, 1905, at the Joyce Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland, and was buried in the Loudon Park Cemetery in that city. His death was ruled an accident or suicide by gas asphyxiation. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight.

Augustus Louis DeVoto died on November 23, 1923, in Tacoma, Washington, and was buried in the Calvary Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

November 25: Happy Thanksgiving to readers in the USA!

Charles Henry Campbell died on November 25, 1920, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and was buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery there. He was a Private with Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight during the battle.

Joseph Greene Tilford (left) was born in Georgetown, Kentucky, on November 26, 1828. He was an 1851 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point who was a Major at the time of the battle. He was absent with leave in Europe for a year from October 25, 1875, so he was not present at the battle.

William Ephraim Morris (right) died in New York City on November 26, 1933, and was buried in the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York. He was a Private in Company M who fought in the valley and hilltop fights and was wounded.

Hiram Wallace Sager was born on November 27, 1850, in Westport, New York. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

The Battle on the Washita was on November 27, 1868.

Morris Hedding Thompson died on November 27, 1911, in Cloverdale, California, and was buried in the Cloverdale Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company E who was not present at the battle. Like Martin Personeus, he was a cook who was on detached service at Fort Abraham Lincoln, charged with tending the company garden.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

James Calhoun (left) married Margaret Emma Custer on March 7, 1872. Maggie Custer lost her husband, three brothers (GeorgeTom, and Boston) and a nephew, Autie Reed, during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Edwin Philip Eckerson was born on March 8, 1850, in Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory. He was a Second Lieutenant in Company L who was en route at the time of the battle, so he was not present.

Charles William Larned (left) was born in New York, New York, on March 9, 1850. He was an 1870 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was a Second Lieutenant in Company F who was on detached service, serving as an assistant professor of drawing at West Point, at the time of the battle.

Climbs the Bluff died on March 9, 1880, at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory, and was buried in the Indian Scout Cemetery. He was an Arikara Scout. He was on detached service, carrying messages from the Yellowstone River Depot to the 7th Cavalry, at the time of the battle, so he did not participate in the battle.

James Boggs was born on March 10, 1846, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company H who was not present at the battle. He was on the 7th Cavalry roster at the time of the battle, but he had been discharged for medical reasons on May 15, 1876.

Morris Hedding Thompson was born in Waukegan, Illinois, on March 10, 1852. He was a Private in Company E who was not present during the battle due to detached service at Fort Abraham Lincoln where he was in charge of the company garden.

Charles A. Windolph (left) died on March 11, 1950, in Lead, South Dakota, and was buried in the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis. He was the last white survivor of the battle. He was a Private in Company H who was wounded in the hilltop fight for which he was awarded the Purple Heart, and he helped get water for the wounded for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

George A. Bott was born on March 12, 1853, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Isaac and Betty Bott. He was a Private in Company A who fought in the valley and hilltop fights.

Thomas Blake died in New York City on March 12, 1927. He was a Private in Company A who fought in the valley and hilltop fights. He died in the city of his birth and was buried in the Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn.

George Washington Wylie died on March 13, 1931, in Kansas City, Missouri, and was buried in the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Kansas. He was a Corporal in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Wilson McConnell died on December 27, 1906, in King, Wisconsin, and was buried in the Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Peter Thompson (left) was born in Markinch, County Fife, Scotland, on December 28, 1843. He was Private in Company C who was wounded in the hilltop fight. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

John Samuel Ragsdale married Lois Durham on December 28, 1877. He was a Private in Company A who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Powder River, Montana.

Three of the men who served with the Seventh Cavalry in 1876 were killed during the Battle of Wounded Knee in South Dakota on December 29, 1890:

Richard Winick Corwine was a Private in Company A on detached service at Fort Abraham Lincoln during the Battle of the Little Bighorn. He was killed at Wounded Knee and buried in the Pine Ridge Cemetery, but he was reinterred in the Fort Riley Post Cemetery in September 1906.

Gustave Korn (left) was a Private in Company I and participated in the hilltop fight. He became the caretaker of Comanche, the only horse that survived the Battle of the Little Bighorn. He was killed at Wounded Knee and buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery, but he was reinterred in the Fort Riley Post Cemetery on December 17, 1892.

George Daniel Wallace (right) was a Second Lieutenant who commanded Company G during the Battle of the Little Bighorn and fought in the valley and hilltop fights. He died at Wounded Knee of bullet wounds to his head and abdomen and was buried on January 6, 1891, in Rose Hill Cemetery in Yorkville, South Carolina.

Frank Hunter died on December 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company F who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight during the battle.

Crawford Selby and Mary Elizabeth Beck divorced on December 30, 1874, after ten years of marriage. He was a Saddler with Company G who was killed during the retreat from the valley fight.

William Jackson (left) died at Cutbank Creek on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana on December 30, 1899, and was buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Browning, Montana.  He was a scout who participated in the valley fight.

David W. Lewis died on December 30, 1914, at the Government Hospital for the Insane in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery at Section 17, Site 18504. He was a Private in Company B who was confined during the battle.

William Henry Miller died in San Antonio, Texas, on December 30, 1914, and was buried in the National Cemetery there. He was the Blacksmith for Company E who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Timothy Haley died on December 31, 1913, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company H who participated in the hilltop fight.

Happy New Year!

George Kelley was born on January 1, 1847, in New York, New York. He was a Private in Company H who was not present at the battle because he was detailed to General Terry’s column.

Morris Cain married May Roberts in Miles City, Montana, on January 2, 1881. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Julius Gunther committed suicide on January 2, 1902, in Rock Island, Illinois, and was buried in the National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company K who was not present at the battle due to illness.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Henry Petring (left) was born in Germany on November 29, 1853. He was a Private in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights, during which he was wounded in an eye and hip.

James Pym died on November 29, 1893, in Miles City, Montana, and was buried in the Custer County Cemetery in Miles City. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight where he was wounded in the right ankle. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

John Noonan committed suicide on November 30, 1878, at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory, and was originally buried in the cemetery there. He was later reinterred at Custer National Cemetery on the Crow Agency, Montana. He was a Corporal in Company L who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Powder River, Montana, where he guarded the cattle herd.

Thomas W. Coleman died in Sawtelle, California, on November 30, 1921, and was buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

William G. Abrams was born on December 1, 1840, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was a Private in Company L who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight during the battle.

William H. Baker was born on December 3, 1848, in Golconda, Illinois. He was a Private in Company E who was killed with Custer’s Column during the battle.

Thomas James Stowers, (left) who claimed to be a Sole Survivor of the battle, was born on December 3, 1848, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Frank Berwald (right) was born on December 3, 1852, in Posen, Poland. He was a Private in Company E who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Frank Volkenstine, who was also known as Frank Bowers, died on December 3, 1919, in Detroit, Michigan. He was a Private in Company M who was not present at the battle because he had been dishonorably discharged on May 31, 1876, in Fort Wayne, Michigan.

John F. Donohue died in Butte, Montana, on December 3, 1924, and was buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery in that city. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight during the battle.

Peter Thompson (left) died on December 3, 1928, in Hot Springs, South Dakota, and was buried in the Masonic Section of West Cemetery, in Lead, South Dakota. He was a Private in Company C who was wounded in the hilltop fight. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

John E. Hammon (right) was born in Lynchburg, Ohio, on December 4, 1857. He was a Corporal in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

John McCabe died on December 4, 1891, in Washington, D.C. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

John B. Ascough died in Columbus, Ohio, on December 4, 1903, and was buried in Old Greencastle Cemetery in Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

George A. Rudolph died on December 4, 1924, in Eddyville, New York, and was buried in Saint Peters Cemetery in Rosendale, Ulster County, New York. He was a Private in the Band, so he was not present at the battle. He was on detached service at Powder River, Montana.

Charles Henry Bishop died in East St. Louis, Illinois, on December 4, 1929, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Fairview Heights, St. Clair County, Illinois. He was a Private in Company H who was wounded during the hilltop fight.

John Samuel Ragsdale died on December 4, 1942, in Dayton, Ohio, and was buried in the Dayton National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company A who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Powder River, Montana.

George Armstrong Custer (left) was born on December 5, 1839, in New Rumley, Ohio. He was an 1861 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point who was in command during the battle.

Isaac Fowler (right) of Company C died on December 5, 1881, in Union City, Indiana, and was buried in the Union City Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company C who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.