Tag: Craycroft

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Lewis Merrill (left) was born in Pennsylvania on October 28, 1834. He was an 1855 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and a Major on the Seventh Cavalry staff who was not present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn due to detached service.

Frank K. Lombard was born on October 28, 1848, in Naples, Italy. He was a Private in the Band, so he was not present at the battle.

William Millard Caldwell died on October 30, 1913, in Clearfield, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and was buried in the Old Town Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company B who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

Anton Seibelder was born in Lichtenvoorde, Germany, on October 31, 1828. He was a Private in Company A who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Boston Custer (left) was born on October 31, 1848, in New Rumley, Ohio. He was the brother of George and Thomas Custer who was serving as a Guide on the campaign.

James Madison DeWolf married Fannie J. Downing on October 31, 1871.

William Thomas Craycroft (right) died on October 31, 1906, in Dallas, Texas, and was buried in West Hill Cemetery in Sherman, Texas. He was an 1869 graduate of the United States Military Academy who was a First Lieutenant in Company B. He was not present at the battle due to detached service.

William Braendle, of Hermann, Mo., was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, November 1, 1855. He was a Private in Company C who was not present due to detached service at Yellowstone Depot.

James E. Moore died on November 1, 1894, in Union, South Carolina. He was a Farrier with Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Charles Camillus DeRudio (left) in died on November 1, 1910, in Los Angeles, California, and was buried in the San Francisco National Cemetery. He was a First Lieutenant in Company E who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

William Kane died in Washington, D.C., on November 2, 1879, and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company C who was not present at the battle due to illness.


This Week in Little Bighorn History

Wilson McConnell was born on January 28, 1839, in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight.

William Thomas Craycroft was born in Springfield, Kentucky, on January 28, 1847. He was a First Lieutenant in Company B, but he was on detached service during the battle.

John Curtis Hall was born on January 29, 1852, in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

Uriah S. Lewis died on January 29, 1914 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery in North Wales, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company D who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

Michael Martin died at Bear Paw Mountain, Montana, on January 30, 1877, due to a shot in his chest and was buried in the Custer National Cemetery on Crow Agency, Montana.

Frederic Francis Girard (left), an interpreter for the cavalry, died on January 30, 1913, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He was buried in the Saint Benedict’s Parish Cemetery in Avon, Minnesota.

John C. Creighton, a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight, died in Tacoma, Washington, on January 30, 1935, and was buried in the Tacoma Mausoleum.

Garrett H. Van Allen was born on February 1, 1846, in Bethlehem, New York. He was a Private with Company C who was killed with Custer’s column and was buried on Last Stand Hill.

George Heid died at Fort Totten, Dakota Territory, on February 1, 1887. He was a Private in Company M who was in both the valley and hilltop fights. He was buried in Custer National Cemetery.

James Ezekiel Porter (left) was born on February 2, 1847, in Strong, Maine. He was a First Lieutenant in Company I who was presumed killed and may have been buried on Last Stand Hill.

Dr. Henry Rinaldo Porter was born in New York Mills, New York, on February 3, 1848. He was the Acting Assistant Surgeon during the battle and saw action in the valley and hilltop fights.

Charles Henry Campbell was born on February 3, 1850, in Boone County, Illinois. He was a Private in Company B who rode with the pack train and fought in the hilltop fight.

Levi Madison Thornberry was born in Marietta, Ohio, on February 3, 1853. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.


This Week in Little Bighorn History

William Millard Caldwell died on October 30, 1913, in Clearfield, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and was buried in the Old Town Cemetery there on November 1, 1913. He was a Private with Company B who was on detached service at the time of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Anton Seibelder was born in Lichtenvoorde, Germany, on October 31, 1828. He was a Private in Company A who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Boston Custer (left) was born on October 31, 1848, in New Rumley, Ohio. He was a civilian guide who was killed with his brothers George and Tom during the battle.

James Madison DeWolf (right) married Fannie J. Downing on October 31, 1871. He was the Acting Assistant Surgeon who was killed during the valley fight.

William Thomas Craycroft died on October 31, 1906, in Dallas, Texas, and was buried in West Hill Cemetery in Sherman, Grayson County, Texas. He was a First Lieutenant in Company B who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

William Friedrich Braendle, who was also known as Wilhelm Friedrich Braendle, William Brandle, and William Cummings, was born on November 1, 1955, in Wurtemburg, Germany. He was a Private in Company C who was not present at the battle due to detached service at the Yellowstone Depot.

James E. Moore died on November 1, 1894, in Union, South Carolina. He was the Farrier for Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Charles Camillus DeRudio (left) died on November 1, 1910, in Los Angeles, California, and was buried in the San Francisco National Cemetery. He was the First Lieutenant in Company E who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

William Kane died in Washington, D.C., on November 2, 1879, and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company C who was not present at the battle due to illness.

John E. Armstrong was born on November 4, 1836, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Joshua and Matilda Faunce Armstrong. He was a Private in Company A who was killed in the valley fight.


This Week in Little Bighorn History

George H. Geiger was born in 1843 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He was a Sergeant in Company H who participated in the hilltop fight. He showed extraordinary bravery when, along with Private Charles Windolph, Blacksmith Henry Mechlin, and Saddler Otto Voit, he risked his life to obtain water from the river for the wounded men, an act for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He died on January 23, 1904, in Dayton, Ohio, and was buried in the National Cemetery there.

Other Seventh Cavalry anniversaries this week include:

Left Hand, an Arikara Scount, was born in the Dakota Territory in 1829 and died on January 23, 1931. He was buried in the Saint Charles Catholic Cemetery in Saint Francis, South Dakota.

James Garland Sturgis was born on January 24, 1854, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was killed with Custer’s Column and, unlike most officers, was likely buried in the mass grave on Last Stand Hill.

James McNamara, who was a Private in Company H and participated in the hilltop fight, died in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on January 24, 1932.

Otto Arndt was born on January 25, 1844, in Bavaria, Germany. He was not present at the battle due to detached service at the Power River Depot.

Edward Garlick, who was on furlough during the battle, died in Sturgis, South Dakota, on January 25, 1931, and was buried at the Bear Butte Cemetery there.

John H. Meier was born on January 26, 1846, in Hanover, Germany. He was a Private in Company M who was in the valley and hilltop fights, during which he was wounded.

Walter O. Taylor, a blacksmith with Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights, died in Rockland, Massachusetts, on January 26, 1931. He was buried in the Northville Cemetery in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Edward H. Pickard was born on January 27, 1854, in Boston, Massachusetts, and died on January 30, 1928, in Portland, Oregon. He was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Jacob Katzenmaier, who was not present during the battle, died in Fort Meade, Dakota Territory, on January 27, 1880, and was buried in the Old Post Cemetery there.

Wilson McConnell was born on January 28, 1839, in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight.

William Thomas Craycroft was born in Springfield, Kentucky, on January 28, 1847. He was a First Lieutenant in Company B, but he was on detached service during the battle.