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

James Madison DeWolf (left) was born in Mehonpany, Pennsylvania, on January 14, 1843. He was the Acting Assistant Surgeon for the Seventh, and he was killed during the battle.

Thomas F. O’Neill (right) was born on January 14, 1846 (gravestone has 1847) in Dublin, Ireland.  He was a Private with Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Andrew Fredericks died on January 14, 1881, at Fort Totten, Dakota Territory, and was buried in the Custer National Cemetery on Crow Agency, Montana. He was a Sergeant in Company K who fought on the hilltop.

 

Charles Braden (left) died on January 15, 1919, in Highland Falls, New York, and was buried at the U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery. He was an 1869 graduate of the Academy who married Jeanette Devin, the daughter of General Thomas Casimer Devin, who was said to be one of the best and most effective Union commanders in the Civil War. Braden was not present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn due to wounds suffered during an Indian attack on his camp on the Yellowstone River on August 11, 1873. He was granted a leave of absence on March 13, 1874, until he retired due to disability on June 28, 1878.

Fremont Kipp (right) died in Washington, D.C., on January 16, 1938, and was buried there in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

Young Hawk died on January 16, 1915, in Elbowoods, North Dakota, and was buried in the Indian Scout Cemetery in McLean County, North Dakota. He was an Arikara scout who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Francis Hegner died in Kenockee Township, Michigan, on January 17, 1891. He was a Private in Company F who was on detached service during the battle, so he was not present.

Francis Marion Gibson (left) died on January 17, 1919, in New York City and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He was the brother-in-law of Donald McIntosh. He was the First Lieutenant of Company H who was on scouting duty and participated in the hilltop fight.

Joseph Carroll was born in New York, New York, on January 19, 1847. He was a member of the band, so he was not present at the battle.

John E. Hammon (right) died on January 19, 1909, in Sturgis, South Dakota, and was buried there in the Bear Butte Cemetery. He was a Corporal in Company G and was in the hilltop and valley fights.

Henry Harrison Davis was born on January 20, 1846, in Bellvernon, Virginia. He was a Private in Company M and was in the hilltop and valley fights. He died around 1905.

John J. Rafter was born in Lansingburgh, New York, on January 20, 1851, and died on January 16, 1927, in Leavenworth, Kansas. He was buried in the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Leavenworth. He was the Sergeant in Company K who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

August B. Siefert died on January 20, 1921, in Highland Park, Illinois, and was buried in the Fort Sheridan Cemetery in Highwood, Illinois. He was a Private with Company K during the hilltop fight.


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

Francis Johnson Kennedy (below, circa 1920) died on January 9, 1924, in St. Paul, Minnesota. His obituary claimed he was “prohibited from participating in General Custer’s famous and ill-fated expedition because of a snake-bite.” That contradicts all other accounts that have him in sick quarters prior to the battle, with the pack train in June, and fighting on Reno Hill during the battle. At some point, Kennedy apparently said he led Capt. Keogh’s horse Comanche. If his obituary is to be believed, he was perhaps the only “Reverse Sole Survivor;” i.e., someone who was at the battle but claimed not to have been.

Other Seventh Cavalry anniversaries this week include:

John W. Burkman was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on January 10, 1839. “Old Nutriment” cared for the Custer horses.

John Dolan married Lena C. Eagan on January 10, 1876. His second marriage to Josephine Fisher was in 1900. He was on detached service during the battle.

Timothy Sullivan died on January 10, 1903. He was a Private with Company L who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

George Blunt was born on January 11, 1845, in Baltimore, Maryland. He died of gas asphyxiation at the Joyce Hotel in Baltimore on November 23, 1905.

Benjamin Franklin Burdick died on January 11, 1930, in Albany, New York, and was buried in the Beverwyck Cemetery in Rensselaer, New York.

Bernard Lyons died on January 12, 1901. He was a Private with Company F who was in the hilltop fight.

John Jordan died in Hartford, Connecticut, on January 12, 1906. He was a Private with Company C who participated in the hilltop fight.

Lawrence Murphy died on January 13, 1888, at the Soldiers’ Home in Washington, D.C. He was a Sergeant with Company E, but he was on detached service during the battle.

William Martin died in Knoxville, Tennessee, on January 13, 1900, and was buried there. He was a Private with Company B who participated in the hilltop fight.

James Madison DeWolf was born in Mehonpany, Pennsylvania, on January 14, 1843. He was the Acting Assistant Surgeon for the Seventh, and he was killed during the battle.

Thomas F. O’Neill was born on January 14, 1846, in Dublin, Ireland. He was a Private with Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Andrew Fredericks died on January 14, 1881, at Fort Totten, Dakota Territory. He was buried in the Custer National Cemetery on Crow Agency, Montana.