This Week in Little Bighorn History

Henry Moore HarringtonHenry Moore Harrington (left) was born on April 30, 1849, in Albion, New York. He was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point who served the Seventh Cavalry as a Second Lieutenant with Company C. He was killed with Custer’s Column, but his body was never positively identified.

Benjamin Beck died on April 30, 1910, at an unknown location, and his burial location is also unknown. He was a Private with the Band, so he was not present on the campaign.

William Ephraim Morris was born on May 1, 1854, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was a Private in Company M who was wounded while participating in the valley and hilltop fights.

Michael C. Caddle died in Bismarck, North Dakota, on May 1, 1919, and was buried at the Fort Rice Cemetery in North Dakota. He was a Sergeant in Company I but was not present at the battle.

Henry August Lange died on May 1, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois, and was buried in the Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery there. He was a Private with Company E who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Daniel Carroll died in Chicago on May 2, 1910, and was buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant with Company B at the time of the battle, but he was not present there due to detached service.

John C. Wagoner died in May 5, 1899, in St. Paul, Minnesota. His burial location is unknown. He was the Chief Packer with the pack train and was wounded in the hilltop fight.

Frederick William Myers died in Washington, D.C. on May 5, 1900, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. He was a Private in Company I who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

James E. Moore was born on May 6, 1849, in Hebron, Ohio. He was a Farrier with Company B who was with the pack train and later participated in the hilltop fight.


This Week in Little Bighorn History

Charles A. Crandall died on April 23, 1885, in New York City. He was a Corporal with Company C who was not present at the battle because he was on detached service.

William James BaileyWilliam James Bailey (left), who was also known as William Baker, was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 24, 1850. He was a Private and served as a scout. He was not present at the battle because he was on the steamer Far West. [Photograph courtesy of Sherian Grant Kennedy.]

George Anson Merritt died on April 24, 1918, in Chicago, Illinois. He was a Private with the Band and, therefore, was not at the battle.

 

Wilber F. Blair died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 25, 1918, and was buried at the Lewisburg Cemetery in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. He was a Private with Company A who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Jasper Marshall was born on April 26, 1852, in Spring Valley, Ohio. He was a Private with Company L who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

James P. McNally died in St. Paul, Minnesota, on April 26, 1893, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. He was a Private with Company I who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

William O’Mann died on April 26, 1901, in Fargo, North Dakota. He was a Private with Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

Benjamin Franklin Burdick was born on April 27, 1851, in Grafton, Rensselaer County, New York. He was a Private with Company A who was not present at the battle because he was on detached service.

Henry Armstrong "Autie" Reed

 

Henry Armstrong “Autie” Reed (left) was born in Monroe, Michigan, on April 27, 1858. He was a civilian who was hired to accompany the campaign. He was the son of Lydia Custer Reed, the sister of George and Tom Custer.

 

George Hose was born on April 29, 1850, in Hesse Cassel, Germany. He was a Corporal with Company K who participated in the hilltop fight.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Walter Scott Sterland was born on April 16, 1851, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. He was a Private in Company M who was not present at the battle because he was on detached service at Yellowstone Depot.

Roman Rutten died on April 16, 1925, in Leavenworth, Kansas, and was buried in the national cemetery there. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights. He was wounded on Reno Hill.

August Bockerman died on April 17, 1904, in St. Joseph, Missouri. He was a Private in Company A who was not present at the battle because he was on detached service.

Frank W. Sniffin died at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, on April 17, 1931, and was buried in the Chattanooga National Cemetery in Tennessee. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Jacob Horner married Kathryn Stewart at Fort Totten on April 18, 1880. He was a Private in Company K who was not present at the battle because he was on detached service.

Edward Hall was born on April 19, 1851, in Winfield, New York. He was a Private in Company G who was not present at the battle because he was on detached service.

John Foley was born in Dublin, Ireland, on April 20, 1839. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight.

John E. Quinn, who was also known as John Gorham, was born on April 20, 1852, in Hartford, Connecticut. He was a Private in Company D who was not present at the battle because he was on detached service at Powder River Depot.

James Flanagan died in Mandan, North Dakota, on April 21, 1921, and was buried in the Mandan Union Cemetery. He was a Sergeant in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

Edmund H. Burke died on April 21, 1925 in Sumner, Bremer County, Iowa, and was buried in the Mount Calvary Cemetery there. He was a blacksmith for Company K who participated in the hilltop fight.


This Week in Little Bighorn History

James Harrison Smith was born on April 9, 1848, in Madison, Indiana. He was a Private in Company G and one of three James Smiths in the Seventh Cavalry at the time. He was the only one of the three who was present at the battle. The other two who shared his name were killed with Custer’s Column and are buried on Last Stand Hill.

Morris Mason Farrar died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 9, 1899, and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania. He was a Private in Company E who participated in the hilltop fight.


Henry W. B. Mechlin died on April 10, 1926, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the U.S. Soldiers’ Home Cemetery there. He was a blacksmith in Company H who participated in the hilltop fight. He was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions there.

 

Robert Rowland died near the Cannonball River, North Dakota, around April 11, 1879, of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound in his head. He was a Private in Company G who was not present due to detached service at the Powder River Depot.

William E. Robinson was born on April 12, 1842, in County Down, Ireland. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Henry M. Brinkerhoff was born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on April 12, 1854. He was a Private in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

John McShane died at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory, on April 13, 1877, and was originally buried in the Post Cemetery there and later reinterred in the Custer National Cemetery in Montana. He was a Private in Company I who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

Joseph H. Green died on April 13, 1922, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

Patrick Carey was born on April 14, 1828, in Tipperary, Ireland. He was a Sergeant in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.


John Dolan (left), who was also known as Thomas Brown, was born in Dublin, Ireland, on April 14, 1843. He was a Private in Company M who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

John W. Sweeney died in Kentucky on April 14, 1884. He was a Private in Company F who particpated in the hilltop fight.

 


This Week in Little Bighorn History

 

 

The Training School for Bakers and Cooks was established at Fort Riley in 1905 to teach soldiers about food preparation, including methods for preparing food in the field. Bakers were taught how to make ovens in the field in order to bake bread. Bromwell may be in this U.S. Army photograph.

Latrobe Bromwell was born about 1847 in Frederick County, Maryland, the son of Louisa E. Meriweather and Hosea J. Bromwell. He served in the 11th Maryland Infantry during the Civil War. While with the Seventh Cavalry, he was a Private in Company E who was not present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn because he became ill on Rosebud Creek and was sent back to the Powder River Depot. Those in his company who went to battle were killed. He was the instructor in cooking at the Training School for Cooks and Bakers at Fort Riley, Kansas, until he retired in 1909. Bromwell died on April 2, 1923, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery.

Other Seventh Cavalry milestones this week include:

  • Charles Clinton Barnett died in Anacortes, Skagit County, Washington, on April 3, 1935, and was buried there in Grand View Cemetery. He was a Private in Company G who was not present at the battle due to detached service.
  • William Frank died on April 6, 1880, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.
  • John Curtis Hall died in Warsaw, Indiana, on April 6, 1908. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.
  • Herbert H. Arnold died on April 6, 1929, in Meriden, Connecticut, and was buried there in Walnut Grove Cemetery. He was a Private in Company C who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory.
  • Charles Ackerman died at Fort Snelling Minnesota, on April 6, 1930. He was buried in the Forest Cemetery, which is now Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Maplewood, Ramsey County, Minnesota. He was a Private in Company K who was not present at the battle due to detached service at the Powder River Depot.
  • William H. Gilbert married Mary E. Hevener on April 7, 1870. He was a Corporal in Company L who died with Custer’s Column and was buried on Last Stand Hill.
  • Alexander Brown died on April 7, 1884, at Fort Meade, Dakota Territory, and was buried in the National Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant in Company G who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.
  • William G. Hardy died in San Francisco, California, on April 7, 1919, and was buried in the National Cemetery there, the Presidio. He was a trumpeter in Company A who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.
  • William Alexander was born on April 8, 1838, in Armagh, Ireland. He was a packer with the Quartermaster who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.
  • John R. Gray was born in Troy, New York, on April 8, 1855 and died on April 30, 1915, in Worcester, Massachusetts. He was a Private in Company B who was not present at the battle due to detached service.
  • Stephen L. Ryan died on April 8, 1885, in Bismarck, Dakota Territory, and was buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.


This Week in Little Bighorn History

Aaron Lee Woods died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1902, and was buried there in Mount Moriah Cemetery. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

Frederick Holmstead died on March 27, 1880, at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory, and was buried in the Custer National Cemetery in Crow Agency, Montana. He was a Private in Company A who participated in the valley and hilltop fights during which he was wounded.

George Anderson married Louisa Kiesel on March 27, 1911, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was a Private in Company K who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

William C. Williams was born on March 28, 1856, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He was a Private in Company H who was wounded during the hilltop fight.

Harvey A. Fox died in Warm Springs, Montana, on March 28, 1913. He was a Private in Company D who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

Marcus Albert Reno (left) died on March 30, 1889, in Washington, D.C. He was originally buried there in Mount Olivet Cemetery but was later reinterred at Custer National Cemetery in Montana.

William Henry Davenport died in Flushing, New York, on March 30, 1934. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

Marcus Henry Kellogg was born on March 31, 1833, in Brighton, Ontario, Canada. He was a civilian newspaper correspondent who was killed with Custer’s column.

John Dolan, who was also known as Thomas Brown, died at Fort Myer, Virginia, on March 31, 1922, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He was not present at the battle.

James W. Butler was born on April 1, 1844, in Riverton, New Jersey. He was a Private in Company F who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

Philip McHugh died in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on April 1, 1910, and was buried in Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company L who participated in the hilltop fight.

Edward Settle Godfrey (left) died in Cookstown, New Jersey, on April 1, 1932, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. He was a graduate of the United States Military academy at West Point who was the First Lieutenant for Company K. He commanded that company during scouting and the hilltop fight.


This Week in Little Bighorn History

Edmund Burlis was born on March 19, 1848, in Klingnau, Switzerland. He was a member of the band, so he was not present at the battle.

George Wesley Stephens died in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 19, 1887. He was a Private in Company G who was on detached service at the time of the battle.

Edwin B. Wight died on March 19, 1917, in Togus, Maine. He was a Private in Company B who was on detached service at the time of the battle.

Charles Alexander Reynolds (left) was born on March 20, 1842, near Monmouth, Illinois. “Lonesome Charley” was a guide who was killed during the retreat from the valley fight.

Adam Wetzel died in Bozeman, Montana, on March 20, 1909, and was buried in the Holy Rosary Cemetery there. He was a Corporal in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Dennis Kerr died on March 21, 1890, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the U.S. Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company A who was on detached service at the time of the battle.

James Wynn died at Fort Yates, North Dakota, on March 21, 1892, and was buried in the Post Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

Patrick Connelly was born on March 22, 1844, in Enniskellen, Tipperary, Ireland. He was a Sergeant in Company H who was wounded in the hilltop fight.

Walter Hoyt died in Middleborough, Kentucky, on March 23, 1903. He was a Private in Company K who was on detached service at the time of the battle.

Thomas F. O’Neill died on March 23, 1914, in Riverdale, Maryland. He was a Private in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Samuel Alcott died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on March 24, 1926, and was buried in Park Lawn Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant in Company A who was on detached service at the Powder River Depot at the time of the battle.

Myles Walter Keogh (left) was born on March 25, 1840, in County Carlow, Ireland. He was a Captain in command of Company I when he was killed with Custer’s Column. His horse Comanche became famous as the “Sole Survivor” of Custer’s Column. For more about Keogh and his life in Ireland, see the articles by Elisabeth Kimber.

Henry Allen Bailey was born in Foster, Providence County, Rhode Island, on March 25, 1852. He was the blacksmith for Company I and was killed with Custer’s Column. He was buried at Last Stand Hill.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

 

This week many will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day whether or not they have Irish ancestry. One of our celebrants this week was born in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day!

 

Seventh Cavalry milestones this week include:

  • George A. Bott was born on March 12, 1853, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. 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 and died in the city of his birth on March 12, 1927.
  • George Washington Wylie died on March 13, 1931, in Kansas City, Missouri. He was a Corporal in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.
  • Henry Petring married his wife Louisa on March 14, 1881. He was a Private in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights where he was wounded in the eye and hip.
  • Patrick Corcoran was born in Canada on March 15, 1844. He was a Private in Company K who participated in the hilltop fight. He was wounded in the right shoulder on June 26, 1876.
  • Thomas Ward Custer was born on March 15, 1846, in New Rumley, Ohio. He was awarded two Medals of Honors for his actions during the Civil War, and he died at Little Bighorn.
  • Charles H. Welch was born in New York City on March 16, 1845. He was a Private in Company D who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the hilltop fight.
  • John Weiss was born on March 16, 1849, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was  a Private in Company A who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

Daniel Newell was born on March 17, 1847, in County Rascommon, Ireland. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights where he was wounded.


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

George Walter Yates, left, was born on February 26, 1843, in Albany, New York. He was the Captain of Company F who was killed with Custer’s Column. He was originally buried on the battlefield but was moved to Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Kansas in July 1877.

Other Seventh Cavalry milestones this week include:

Andrew J. Moore was born in New Egypt, New Jersey, on February 26, 1854. He was a Private in Company G who fought in the valley and hilltop fights and was killed. He was buried on Last Stand Hill.

Charles Albert Varnum died on February 26, 1936, in San Francisco, California, and was buried in the National Cemetery there. He commanded the scouts during the battle, fought in the valley and hilltop fights, and was wounded.

Joseph K. Ricketts was born on February 27, 1850, near Morrow, Ohio, and he died on February 26, 1909, in Dayton, Ohio. He was a wagoner in Company M, but he was on detached service at Powder River, Montana, during the battle.

Augustus Louis DeVoto was born in Genoa, Italy, on February 27, 1851. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

William M. Caldwell was born on February 27, 1857, in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. He was a Private with Company B who was not present during the battle due to detached service.

Lewis Merrill died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 27, 1896. He was an 1855 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, but Major Merrill was not present at the battle due to detached service.

Jacob Hetler died on February 27, 1944, in Greenwich, Ohio, and was buried in the Adario Cemetery in Adario, Ohio. He was a Private with Company D who was wounded in the hilltop fight.

George Washington Wylie was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 28, 1848. He was a Corporal in Company D who fought in the hilltop fight.

John O’Neill died on March 2, 1888, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the U.S. Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company B who was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.

Ludwick St. John was born in Columbia, Missouri, on March 3, 1848. He was a Private in Company C who was killed with Custer’s Column and buried on Last Stand Hill.

Thomas F. McLaughlin died on March 3, 1886, in Jamestown, North Dakota, and was buried in the Jamestown State Hospital Cemetery. He was a Sergeant in Company H who was wounded during the hilltop fight.

Henry Rinaldo Porter, M.D., died at the Hotel Metropole in Agra, India, on March 3, 1903, and was buried in the Cantonment Cemetery there. A memorial monument for Dr. Porter sits next to his wife’s grave in Oberlin, Ohio.

Thomas Henry French was born on March 4, 1843, in Baltimore, Maryland, and he died on March 27, 1882, at Planters House in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was originally buried in the National Cemetery there but was later moved to Holy Rood Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

John C. Creighton, who was also known as Charles Chesterwood, was born in Massillon, Ohio, on March 4, 1850. He was a Private in Company K who was in the hilltop fight.