This Week in Little Bighorn History

Henry P. Jones, also known as John Bush, was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on November 8, 1853. He served as a Private in Company I and participated in the pack train escort and the hilltop fight during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Crawford Selby (left) married Mary Elizabeth Beck on November 10, 1864, in Sturgis, Minnesota, and they were divorced on December 30, 1874. He was a Saddler with Company G when he was killed in the valley fight at Little Bighorn. Mary remarried in 1880.

Samuel James Foster died on November 10, 1883, near Manchester, Kentucky. He was a Private in Company A and participated in the valley and hilltop fights. He received a gunshot wound in his right arm during the retreat from the valley. He is said to be buried at the head of Arnett’s Fork on top of the mountain in Clay County, Kentucky.

Henry James Nowlan (left) died on November 10, 1898, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and was buried in the Little Rock National Cemetery. He was the First Lieutenant on the Quartermaster staff and was not present at the battle due to detached service, serving as the Assistant Quartermaster for General Terry.

William H. Gilbert (right) was born on November 11, 1851, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a Corporal in Company L who was killed with Custer’s Column during the battle.

 Stanislas Roy (left) was born in France on November 12, 1846. He enlisted in the Seventh Cavalry in 1869 and served on both the Yellowstone and Black Hills expeditions. He later served as a corporal in Company A in the valley and hilltop fights at Little Bighorn. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

William Sadler died of diabetes on November 12, 1921, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and was buried the following day in the Linton Cemetery in Linton, North Dakota. He was a Private in Company. Despite what his obituary stated, he was at Powder River at the time of the battle and not with Reno’s command.

Patrick Coakley (left) died at the Soldiers’ Home in Washington, D.C., on November 13, 1881, and was buried in the National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company K who was not present at the battle due to detached service as an orderly for General Terry.

Thomas H. Rush died on November 13, 1905, in Elmhurst, Alameda County, California. He was a Sergeant in Company D who was not present at the battle because he was hospitalized at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory.

William C. Slaper (left) died on November 13, 1931, in Sawtelle, California, and was buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights. He attended the 50th Anniversary Reunion of the battle in 1926.

Leave a Reply