This Week in Little Bighorn History

Robert Jackson was born on August 27, 1856, at Fort Benton, Montana Territory. He was a Piegan Blackfoot Indian scout who was not present at the battle because he was discharged from service on June 25, 1876, at Fort Lincoln. For more about Robert Jackson and his younger brother and fellow scout William Jackson, see the Louis Riel Institute.

John E. Armstrong was a Private in Company A who was killed in the valley fight. He married Martha Hancock on August 27, 1856, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They divorced, and his wife remarried in 1872. Armstrong’s father was awarded his pension in 1880.

John S. Wells died on August 27, 1893, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and was buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Bismarck. He was a Sergeant in Company E who was not present at the battle due to being on furlough, attending the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After the battle, he used the name James Blanchard.

Walter Scott Sterland died on August 27, 1922, in Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota, and was buried in the Dickinson Cemetery in Dickinson, Stark County, North Dakota. He was a Private in Company M who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Yellowstone Depot.

Darwin Elnathan Fisher Symms was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on August 28, 1851, the son of Richard and Adaliza A. Symms. He was a Private in Company I who was killed with Custer’s Column. He is listed on the mass grave monument on Last Stand Hill, and there is a cenotaph in his honor at Burr Oak Cemetery in Burr Oak, Iowa.

John McGlone died on August 28, 1920, in the Barnes Hospital in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant with Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

John Mullen died in San Francisco, California, on August 29, 1888, and was buried in the San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio. He was a Sergeant with Company L who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

Charles Sanders died on August 29, 1915, in Lincoln, Nebraska, and is said to have been buried in the Wyuka Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company D who served as an orderly for Lt. Edgerly during the battle and participated in the hilltop fight.

John Sivertsen (left) died in Washington, D.C., on August 30, 1925, and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Samuel Berryhill Severs was born on August 31, 1854, in St. Louis, Missouri. He was a Private in Company H who was wounded during the hilltop fight.

Little Sioux (left) died in North Dakota on August 31, 1933, and, according to his headstone application, he was originally buried the Fort Berthold Cemetery in Nishu, North Dakota. A marker for him is in the Indian Scout Cemetery, in McLean County, North Dakota, so he may have been reinterred there. He was a Scout who was with Reno’s Column during the valley fight.

Thomas James Finnegan [gravestone has Finegan] was born on September 2, 1850, in Hillsboro, Ohio. He was a Private in Company M who was not present at the battle due to detached service with the wagon train at Powder River, Montana.

Jacob Deihle died in Washington, D.C., on September 2, 1885, and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant with Company L who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight, during which he received a gunshot wound in his left cheek, causing him to lose four teeth.

James P. Boyle died on September 2, 1920, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and was buried there on September 4 in St. Mary’s Cemetery. He was a Private in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights, where he was wounded in his back.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

William Hall Shields was born on April 16, 1837, in Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana. He was a Saddler for Company E who was wounded in the hilltop fight.

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 Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights. He was wounded on Reno Hill.

Charles Stillman Ilsley (left) died on April 17, 1899, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He was a Captain in Company E who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

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 with the band at Powder River.

William G. Hardy (left) died in San Francisco, California, on April 17, 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.

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 (left) married Catherine M. Stuart at Fort Totten, Queens, New York, on April 18, 1880. He was a Private in Company K who was not present at the battle because he was on detached service at Powder River, Montana.

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 tending the company garden at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory.

Joseph Kretchmer died on April 19, 1928, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company D who was wounded during the hilltop fight.

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 the Powder River Depot.

James Flanagan (left) 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 Henry 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

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 of the Little Bighorn due to detached service as an orderly for General Terry.

Thomas H. Rush, who was also known as Thomas Morton, 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. (See also November 19 entry.)

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.

Frederic Francis Girard (left) was born on November 14, 1829, in St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri. He was an Interpreter on the Quartermaster staff who was missing during the valley fight on June 25. He rejoined the soldiers on Reno Hill on June 26.

Edward Rood (right) was born in Tioga County, New York, on November 14, 1847. He was a Private in Company E who was killed in the battle.

Marcus Albert Reno (left) was born on November 15, 1834, in Carrollton, Illinois. He commanded a battalion during the hilltop fight. Entire books have been written about Reno because he played a significant and controversial role in the battle.

Frank Volkenstine, who was also known as Frank Bowers, was born on November 15, 1844, in Birmingham, Michigan. He was a Private with Company M, but he was not on the campaign because he was dishonorably discharged in Fort Wayne, Michigan, on May 31, 1876.

On November 15, 1877, Frederic Francis Girard (above) married his second wife, Ella Scarborough Waddell. He had previously been married to a Piegan Indian.

Markus Weiss died on November 15, 1879, at Fort Meade in the Dakota Territory and was buried in the Fort Meade National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota. He died of a compound fracture of his neck that resulted from a cave-in of a gravel bank. He was a Private in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights. See also 7th Cavalry Troopers in South Dakota.

William David Nugent (left) died on November 15, 1934, in Coffeyville, Kansas, and was buried in the Parotte Cemetery in Cushing, Payne County, Oklahoma. He was a Private in Company A who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

James J. Galvan, who was also known as Michael John Miller, was born in Liverpool, England, on November 16, 1848. He was a Private in Company L who was killed in the battle.

John Donahoe died of heart failure on November 16, 1905, in San Francisco, California, and was buried in the National Cemetery there. He was a Saddler for Company B and participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Hugh McGonigle died on November 16, 1916, in Washington, D.C., and was buried at the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company G who fought in the valley and hilltop fights.

Emil Taube (left) was born on November 18, 1847, in Damerau, Germany. He was a Private in Company K who was on detached service at Yellowstone Depot during the battle.

Frederick Henry Gehrmann was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 18, 1855. He was a Private in Company B who was on detached service at Yellowstone Depot during the battle.

Walter Scott Sterland married Ella Jane Blanchard on November 18, 1879. He was a Private in Company M who was on detached service at Yellowstone Depot during the battle.

James Hill died in Wooster, Ohio, on November 18, 1906, and was buried in the Wooster Cemetery two days later. He was the First Sergeant of Company B who was a pack train escort and fought on the hilltop.

Thomas H. Rush, also known as Thomas Morton, was born on November 19, 1841, in Greenville, Ohio. He was a Sergeant in Company D who was at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory during the campaign due to illness.

William W. Lasley (left) was born in St. Louis County, Missouri, on November 19, 1842. He was a Private in Company K who was in the hilltop fight.

Paul Friedrich Gottlief Schleiffarth died on November 19, 1896, at Fort Thomas, Kentucky. He was a Private in Company F who was not present at the battle due to detached service at the mouth of Rosebud Creek.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Frederick William Benteen (left) was born on August 24, 1834, in Petersburg, Virginia, the son of Theodore Charles and Caroline Hargrove Benteen. He was the Captain of Company H, commanding a battalion. After scouting duty, he participated in the hilltop fight of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, during which he was wounded.

James Flanagan (right) was born in Innis, County Clare, Ireland, on August 24, 1839. He was a Sergeant in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

James Calhoun (left) was born on August 24, 1845, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and married Margaret Emm (Maggie) Custer on March 7, 1872. He was the First Lieutenant of Company C but commanded Company L during the battle. He was killed along with three brothers-in-law (George CusterTom Custer, and Boston Custer) and their nephew, Autie Reed.

Luther Rector Hare (right) was born in Noblesville, Indiana, on August 24, 1851, the son of Silas and Octavia Elizabeth Rector Hare. He was an 1874 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as the Second Lieutenant of Company K during the battle. He participated in both the valley and hilltop fights.

William August Marshall died on August 24, 1892, at the Soldiers’ Home in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

John Ryan (left) was born in Newton, Massachusetts, on August 25, 1845. He was the First Sergeant for Company M who participated in both the valley and hilltop fights during the battle.

James C. Blair (right) died on August 25, 1918, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was buried in the Union Dale Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company K who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Fort Lincoln, Dakota Territory.

Charles Camillus DeRudio (left) was born in Belluno Venetia, Austria, on August 26, 1832. He was the First Lieutenant for Company E who participated in both the valley and hilltop fights.

Marion E. Horn was born on August 26, 1853, in Richmond, Indiana. He was a Private in Company I who was killed with Custer’s Column.

James Weeks was shot and killed by Bernard Golden on Crow Agency, Montana, on August 26, 1877. He was a Private in Company M who participated in both the valley and hilltop fights.

Robert Jackson was born on August 27, 1856, at Fort Benton, Montana Territory. He was a Scout who was not present at the battle. He was discharged from service on June 25, 1876, at Fort Lincoln.

John E. Armstrong married Martha Hancock on August 27, 1856. He was a Private in Company A who was killed in the valley fight.

John S. Wells died on August 27, 1893, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and was buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Bismarck. He was a Sergeant in Company E who was not present at the battle due to being on furlough, attending the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, he used the name James Blanchard.

Walter Scott Sterland died on August 27, 1922, in Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota, and was buried in the Dickinson Cemetery in Dickinson, Stark County, North Dakota. He was a Private in Company M who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Yellowstone Depot.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

William Gavin Capes (left) died on April 10, 1900, in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and was buried in the Allegheny Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant in Company M who was not present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn due to detached service at Powder River, Montana.

Henry W. B. Mechlin (right) died on April 10, 1926, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the 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.

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 during the battle.

Andrew Knecht was born on April 12, 1853, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a Private in Company F who was killed with Custer’s Column.

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

Daniel Kanipe (right) married Missouri Ann Wycoff Bobo on April 12, 1877. She was the widow of Lemuel Edwin Bobo who was killed in the battle. Kanipe was a Sergeant in Company C who was with Custer’s Column and in the hilltop fight.

Edwin Butler Wight married Alia E. Roberts on April 12, 1906. He was a Private in Company B who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Powder River, Montana.

John McShane died at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory, on April 13, 1877. He 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 on the steamer Far West.

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

Daniel Kanipe ( see photo above) was born on April 15, 1853, in Marion, North Carolina. He was a Sergeant in Company C who was with Custer’s Column and in the hilltop fight.

Robert Rowland died near the Cannonball River, North Dakota, around April 15, 1879, of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound in his head and was buried in the Keokuk National Cemetery in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa. He was a Private in Company G who was not present at the battle due to detached service at the Powder River Depot.

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 Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights. He was wounded on Reno Hill.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Frederic Francis Girard (left) was born on November 14, 1829, in St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri. He was an Interpreter on the Quartermaster staff who was missing during the valley fight of the Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876. He rejoined the soldiers on Reno Hill on June 26.

Edward Rood (right) was born in Tioga County, New York, on November 14, 1847. He was a Private in Company E who was killed in the battle.

Marcus Albert Reno (left) was born on November 15, 1834, in Carrollton, Illinois. He commanded a battalion during the hilltop fight. Entire books have been written about Major Reno because he played a significant and controversial role in the battle.

Frank Volkenstine, who was also known as Frank Bowers, was born on November 15, 1844, in Birmingham, Michigan. He was a Private with Company M, but he was not on the campaign because he was dishonorably discharged in Fort Wayne, Michigan, on May 31, 1876.

On November 15, 1877, Frederic Francis Girard (above) married his second wife, Ella Scarborough Waddell. He had previously been married to a Piegan Indian.

Markus Weiss died on November 15, 1879, at Fort Meade in the Dakota Territory and was buried in the Fort Meade National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota. He died of a compound fracture of his neck that resulted from a cave-in of a gravel bank. He was a Private in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights. See also 7th Cavalry Troopers in South Dakota.

William David Nugent (left) died on November 15, 1934, in Coffeyville, Kansas, and was buried in the Parotte Cemetery in Cushing, Payne County, Oklahoma. He was a Private in Company A who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

James J. Galvan, who was also known as Michael J. Miller, was born in Liverpool, England, on November 16, 1848. He was a Private in Company L who was killed in the battle.

John Donahoe died of heart failure on November 16, 1905, in San Francisco, California, and was buried in the National Cemetery there. He was a Saddler for Company B and participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Hugh McGonigle died on November 16, 1916, in Washington, D.C., and was buried at the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company G who fought in the valley and hilltop fights.

Emil Taube (left) was born on November 18, 1847, in Damerau, Germany. He was a Private in Company K who was on detached service at Yellowstone Depot during the battle.

Frederick Henry Gehrmann was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 18, 1855. He was a Private in Company B who was on detached service at Yellowstone Depot during the battle.

Walter Scott Sterland married Ella Jane Blanchard on November 18, 1879. He was a Private in Company M who was on detached service at Yellowstone Depot during the battle.

James Hill died in Wooster, Ohio, on November 18, 1906, and was buried in the Wooster Cemetery two days later. He was the First Sergeant of Company B who was a pack train escort and fought on the hilltop.

Thomas H. Rush, also known as Thomas Morton, was born on November 19, 1841, in Greenville, Ohio. He was a Sergeant in Company D who was at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory during the campaign due to illness.

William W. Lasley (left) was born in St. Louis County, Missouri, on November 19, 1842. He was a Private in Company K who was in the hilltop fight.

Paul Friedrich Gottlief Schleiffarth died on November 19, 1896, at Fort Thomas, Kentucky. He was a Private in Company F who was not present at the battle due to detached service at the mouth of Rosebud Creek.

Thomas Eaton Graham was born on November 20, 1831, in Alton, Ohio. He was a Private in Company G who fought in the valley and hilltop fights.

George Brainard died in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 20, 1886. He was a Private in Company B on detached service as an orderly for General Alfred Terry.

John Valentine Whisten died on November 20, 1912, in Oakland, California, and was buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in that city. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Frank Joseph Geist (left) died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 20, 1918, and was buried in Lakewood Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company G who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Powder River, Montana.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Frederick William Benteen (left) was born on August 24, 1834, in Petersburg, Virginia, the son of Theodore Charles and Caroline Hargrove Benteen. He was the Captain of Company H, commanding a battalion. After scouting duty, he participated in the hilltop fight of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, during which he was wounded.

James Flanagan (right) was born in Innis, County Clare, Ireland, on August 24, 1839. He was a Sergeant in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

James Calhoun (left) was born on August 24, 1845, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and married Margaret Emm (Maggie) Custer on March 7, 1872. He was the First Lieutenant of Company C but commanded Company L during the battle. He was killed along with three brothers-in-law (George Custer, Tom Custer, and Boston Custer) and their nephew, Autie Reed.

Luther Rector Hare (right) was born in Noblesville, Indiana, on August 24, 1851, the son of Silas and Octavia Elizabeth Rector Hare. He was an 1874 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as the Second Lieutenant of Company K during the battle. He participated in both the valley and hilltop fights.

William August Marshall died on August 24, 1892, at the Soldiers’ Home in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

John Ryan (left) was born in Newton, Massachusetts, on August 25, 1845. He was the First Sergeant for Company M who participated in both the valley and hilltop fights during the battle.

James C. Blair died on August 25, 1918, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was buried in the Union Dale Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company K who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Fort Lincoln, Dakota Territory.

Charles Camillus DeRudio (right) was born in Belluno Venetia, Austria, on August 26, 1832. He was the First Lieutenant for Company E who participated in both the valley and hilltop fights.

Marion E. Horn was born on August 26, 1853, in Richmond, Indiana. He was a Private in Company I who was killed with Custer’s Column.

James Weeks died on Crow Agency, Montana, on August 26, 1877. He was a Private in Company M who participated in both the valley and hilltop fights.

Robert Jackson was born on August 27, 1856, at Fort Benton, Montana Territory. He was a Scout who was not present at the battle. He was discharged from service on June 25, 1876, at Fort Lincoln.

John E. Armstrong married Martha Hancock on August 27, 1856. He was a Private in Company A who was killed in the valley fight.

John S. Wells died on August 27, 1893, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and was buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Bismarck. He was a Sergeant in Company E who was not present at the battle due to being on furlough. He attended the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Walter Scott Sterland died on August 27, 1922, in Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota, and was buried in the Dickinson Cemetery in Dickinson, Stark County, North Dakota. He was a Private in Company M who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Yellowstone Depot.

Darwin Elnathan Fisher Symms was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on August 28, 1851, the son of Richard and Adaliza A. Symms. He was a Private in Company I who was killed with Custer’s Column.

Bad Heart Bull, who was among the first Oglala to fight Reno’s men on their approach to the village, died on August 28, 1913.

John McGlone died on August 28, 1920, in the Barnes Hospital in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant with Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

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 during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Andrew Knecht was born on April 12, 1853, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a Private in Company F who was killed with Custer’s Column.

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.

Daniel Kanipe (left) married Missouri Ann Wycoff Bobo on April 12, 1877. She was the widow of Lemuel Edwin Bobo (right) who was killed in the battle. Kanipe was a Sergeant in Company C who was with Custer’s Column and in the hilltop fight.

Edwin Butler Wight married Alia E. Roberts on April 12, 1906. He was a Private in Company B who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Powder River, Montana.

John McShane died at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory, on April 13, 1877. He 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 on the steamer Far West.

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

Daniel Kanipe ( see photo above) was born on April 15, 1853, in Marion, North Carolina. He was a Sergeant in Company C who was with Custer’s Column and in the hilltop fight.

Robert Rowland died near the Cannonball River, North Dakota, around April 15, 1879, of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound in his head and was buried in the Keokuk National Cemetery in Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa. He was a Private in Company G who was not present at the battle due to detached service at the Powder River Depot.

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 Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights. He was wounded on Reno Hill.

Charles Stillman Ilsley (left) died on April 17, 1899, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He was a Captain in Company E who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

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 with the band at Powder River.

William G. Hardy (left) died in San Francisco, California, on April 17, 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.

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.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Marcus Albert Reno (left) was born on November 15, 1834, in Carrollton, Illinois. Entire books have been written about Major Reno because he played a significant and controversial role in the battle.

Frank Volkenstine, who was also known as Frank Bowers, was born on November 15, 1844, in Birmingham, Michigan. He was a Private with Company M, but he was not on the campaign because he was dishonorably discharged in Fort Wayne, Michigan, on May 31, 1876.

On November 15, 1877, Frederic Francis Girard (left) married his second wife, Ella Scarborough Waddell. He had previously been married to a Piegan Indian.

Markus Weiss died on November 15, 1879, at Fort Meade in the Dakota Territory and was buried in the Fort Meade National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota. He died of a compound fracture of his neck that resulted from a cave-in of a gravel bank. He was a Private in Company G who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

William David Nugent (left) died on November 15, 1934, in Coffeyville, Kansas, and was buried in the Parotte Cemetery in Cushing, Payne County, Oklahoma. He was a Private in Company A who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

James J. Galvan, who was also known as Michael J. Miller, was born in Liverpool, England, on November 16, 1848. He was a Private in Company L who was killed in the battle.

Hugh McGonigle died on November 16, 1916, in Washington, D.C., and was buried at the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company G who fought in the valley and hilltop fights.

Emil Taube (left) was born on November 18, 1847, in Damerau, Germany. He was a Private in Company K who was on detached service at Yellowstone Depot during the battle.

Frederick Henry Gehrmann was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 18, 1855. He was a Private in Company B who was on detached service at Yellowstone Depot during the battle.

Walter Scott Sterland married Ella Jane Blanchard on November 18, 1879. He was a Private in Company M who was on detached service at Yellowstone Depot during the battle.

James Hill died in Wooster, Ohio, on November 18, 1906, and was buried in the Wooster Cemetery two days later. He was the First Sergeant of Company B who was a pack train escort and fought on the hilltop.

Thomas H. Rush, also known as Thomas Morton, was born on November 19, 1841, in Greenville, Ohio. He was a Sergeant in Company D who was at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory during the campaign due to illness.

William W. Lasley (left) was born in St. Louis County, Missouri, on November 19, 1842. He was a Private in Company K who was in the hilltop fight.

Paul Schleiffarth died on November 19, 1896, at Fort Thomas, Kentucky. He was a Private in Company F who was not present at the battle due to detached service at the mouth of Rosebud Creek.

Thomas Eaton Graham was born on November 20, 1831, in Alton, Ohio. He was a Private in Company G who fought in the valley and hilltop fights.

George Brainard died in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 20, 1886. He was a Private in Company B on detached service as an orderly for General Alfred Terry.

John Valentine Whisten died on November 20, 1912, in Oakland, California, and was buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in that city. He was a Private in Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

Frank J. Geist died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 20, 1918, and was buried in Lakewood Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company G who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

James T. Reilly died on November 21, 1880, in Baltimore, Maryland, and may be buried in the Loudon Park National Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant in Company E who was wounded by gunshot on Reno Hill.

Stephen Cowley (left) died on November 21, 1886, in Larimore, Grand Forks County, North Dakota, and was buried in the Bellevue Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company D who was on detached service at Powder River during the battle, guarding the wagon train.

This Week in Little Bighorn History

Frederick William Benteen (left) was born on August 24, 1834, in Petersburg, Virginia, the son of Theodore Charles and Caroline Hargrove Benteen. He was the Captain of Company H, commanding a battalion, on scouting duty and in the hilltop fight, during which he was wounded.

James Flanagan was born in Innis, County Clare, Ireland, on August 24, 1839. He was a Sergeant in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

James Calhoun (left) was born on August 24, 1845, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and married Maggie Custer on March 7, 1872. He was the First Lieutenant of Company C but commanded Company L during the battle. He was killed along with three brothers-in-law (George Custer, Tom Custer, and Boston Custer) and their nephew, Autie Reed.

Luther Rector Hare (right) was born in Noblesville, Indiana, on August 24, 1851, the son of Silas and Octavia Elizabeth Rector Hare. He was an 1874 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as the Second Lieutenant of Company K during the battle. He participated in both the valley and hilltop fights.

William August Marshall died on August 24, 1892, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio. He was a Private in Company D who participated in the hilltop fight.

John Ryan (left) was born in Newton, Massachusetts, on August 25, 1845. He was the First Sergeant for Company M who participated in both the valley and hilltop fights during the battle.

James C. Blair died on August 25, 1918, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was buried in the Union Dale Cemetery there. He was a Private in Company K who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

Charles Camillus DeRudio (right) was born in Belluno Venetia, Austria, on August 26, 1832. He was the First Lieutenant for Company E who participated in both the valley and hilltop fights.

Marion E. Horn was born on August 26, 1853, in Richmond, Indiana. He was a Private in Company I who was killed with Custer’s Column.

James Weeks died on Crow Agency, Montana, on August 26, 1877. He was a Private in Company M who participated in both the valley and hilltop fights.

Robert Jackson was born on August 27, 1856, at Fort Benton, Montana Territory. He was a Scout who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

John E. Armstrong married Martha Hancock on August 27, 1856. He was a Private in Company A who was killed in the valley fight.

John S. Wells died on August 27, 1893, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and was buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Bismarck. He was a Sergeant in Company E who was not present at the battle due to detached service.

Walter Scott Sterland died on August 27, 1922, in Bismarck, Burleigh County, North Dakota, and was buried in the Dickinson Cemetery in Dickinson, Stark County, North Dakota. He was a Private in Company M who was not present at the battle due to detached service at Yellowstone Depot.

Darwin E. Symms was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on August 28, 1851, the son of Richard and Adaliza A. Symms. He was a Private in Company I who was killed with Custer’s Column.

Bad Heart Bull, who was among the first Oglala to fight Reno’s men on their approach to the village, died on August 28, 1913.

John McGlone died on August 28, 1920, in the Barnes Hospital in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery there. He was a Sergeant with Company M who participated in the valley and hilltop fights.

John Mullen died in San Francisco, California, on August 29, 1888, and was buried in the San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio. He was a Sergeant with Company L who was with the pack train and participated in the hilltop fight.

Charles Sanders died on August 29, 1915, in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was a Private in Company D who served as an orderly for Lt. Edgerly during the battle and participated in the hilltop fight.