Tag: Thompson

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Martin Personeus died in Carlinsville, Illinois, on December 24, 1889. He was a Private in Company L who was on detached service during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Giovanni Martini (left) died on December 24, 1922, in Brooklyn, New York, and was buried in Cypress Hills National Cemetery there. He was the Trumpeter for Company H who brought the famous “be quick” note to Benteen.

John James Carey died in Malone, Grays Harbor County, Washington, on December 24, 1929, and was buried in Pioneer Cemetery in Centralia, Lewis County, Washington. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Merry Christmas!

Thomas W. Coleman was born on December 25, 1849, in Troy, New York. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Edwin B. Wight was born in Casco, Maine, on December 25, 1851. He was a Private in Company B who was on detached service during the battle.

William Millard Caldwell married Blanche Miller on December 25, 1887, in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company B who was on detached service during the battle.

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

Max Hoehn 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.

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 due to detached service at Yellowstone Depot.

Timothy Haley was born on December 26, 1846, in Cork, Ireland. He was a Private in Company H who participated in the hilltop fight. He died on December 31, 1913, in Washington, D.C., and was buried at the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there.

John Meyers died 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, and he participated in the hilltop fight.

John J. Fay and John Fox both died in Washington, D.C., on December 26, 1932, and 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.

Peter Thompson was born in Markinch, County Fife, Scotland, on December 28, 1843. He died in Hot Springs, South Dakota, on December 3, 1928, and was buried in the Masonic Section of the West Cemetery in Lead, South Dakota. 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.

David McWilliams committed suicide at Fort Meade, South Dakota, on December 28, 1881, and was buried in the National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company H who was not in the battle because he had been shot in the leg on the Far West on June 6, 1876.

Three were killed at the Battle of Wounded Knee in South Dakota, on December 29, 1890, and were buried at the Fort Riley Post Cemetery in Kansas.:

  • Richard Winick Corwine who was a Private in Company A on detached service during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
  • Gustave Korn who was a Private in Company I and participated in the hilltop fight.
  • George Daniel Wallace who was a Second Lieutenant in command of Company G during the Battle of the Little Bighorn and fought in the valley and hilltop fights.

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 of the Little Bighorn.

William Jackson (left) died at Cutbank Creek on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana on December 30, 1899. 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. 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.


This Week in Little Bighorn History

Joseph Green 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 of the Little Bighorn. He was not present at the battle due to detached service.

William Ephraim Morris 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 of the Washita was on November 27, 1868. See the books below for more about this infamous battle.

Morris H. 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 due to detached service.

George B. Herendeen 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.

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 died on November 29, 1893, in Miles City, Montana. He was shot and killed by a man who was “visiting” Pym’s wife 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.

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.

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.


This Week in Little Bighorn History

This week we honor two of the men who received the Medal of Honor as a result of their valiant efforts during the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Thomas Joseph Callen 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.

Other Seventh Cavalry milestones this week include:

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. He was buried in the mass grave on Last Stand Hill.

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

Charles William Larned 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 who was on detached service at the time of the battle.

Morris H. 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.

Charles A. Windolph, who was also known as Charles Wrangel, 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 the Medal of Honor.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

  • Max Hoehn was born in Berlin, Germany, on December 26, 1854. He stayed with the regimental papers at Powder River so he was not in the battle.
  • Timothy Haley was born on December 26, 1846, in Cork, Ireland, and died on December 31, 1913, in Washington, D.C., and was buried there.
  • John Meyers died on December 26, 1877, at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory and was buried in the Custer National Cemetery in Montana.
  • John J. Fay and John Fox both died in Washington, D.C., on December 26, 1932, and both were buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there.
  • Wilson McConnell died on December 27, 1906, in King, Wisconsin, and was buried in the Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery there.
  • Peter Thompson was born in Markinch, County Fife, Scotland, on December 28, 1843. He died in Hot Springs, South Dakota, on December 3, 1928.
  • David McWilliams died at Fort Meade, South Dakota, on December 28, 1881, and was buried in the National Cemetery there.
  • Three of the men were killed at Battle of Wounded Knee in South Dakota, on December 29, 1890, and are buried at the Fort Riley Post Cemetery in Kansas.:
    • Richard Winick Corwine who was on detached service during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
    • Gustave Korn who became the caretaker of Comanche, the only horse that survived the Battle of the Little Bighorn. (See books below.)
    • George Daniel Wallace who commanded Company G during the Battle of the Little Bighorn and fought in the valley and hilltop fights.
  • Frank Hunter died on December 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C. He was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
  • William Jackson died at Cutbank Creek on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana on December 30, 1899. He was 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.
  • William Henry Miller died in San Antonio, Texas, on December 30, 1914, and was buried in the National Cemetery there.