Custer's Battle-Field (June 25th 1876), Surveyed and drawn under the personel supervision of Lieut. Edward Maguire, Corps of Engineers U.S.A. by Sergeant Charles Becker Co. "D" Battalion of Engineers.On the afternoon of the  25th, Grouard, dressed as a Sioux, rode north. That night he found the trail left by Custer's forces and soon came across the body of a dead soldier. From a Sioux he learned of the battle, but the Sioux soon suspected he was not of them. He was, thus, pursued by four Sioux for more than fifty  miles before eluding the pursuers. On the 26th, in accordance with Terry's plan, Gibbon was cautiously moving his way toward the scene. Warned by scouts of Gibbon's approach, the village was dismantled and the Indians disappeared into the Bighorns. The next day the extent of Custer's defeat was learned. Lt. George Wallace described moving to the scene of Custer's fight, "but the sight was too horrible to describe. We buried 204 bodies and encamped near Gen'l Terry. But the smell of dead horses forced him to move camp several miles." Bodies were down by the river, and another smaller group, as shown by the numbers on the above map, were found below the crest of what is now known as "Last Stand Hill." There were found the bodies of (3) Custer's brother-in-law, Lt. James Calhoun; (4) Lt. J. J. Crittenden; (5) Lt. Col. Geo. A. Custer; (6) Custer's bother, Capt. T. W. Custer; (7) Capt. G. W. Yates; (8) Lt. A. Smith; (9) Lt. W. Reilly; (10) Lt. W. W. Cooke; (11) Custer's bother, W. B. Custer; and (12) Custer's nephew, Armstrong Reed. Some distance to the southeast were found (1) the body of Capt. (Brevet Lt. Col.) Myles Walter Keogh. Near Keogh's body were found the bodies of his two sergeants, bugler, and flag bearer.

Among those killed at Little Bighorn was Custer's dog Tuck. In his letter of June 12 to Libby Custer, Custer wrote: "Tuck" regularly comes when I am writing, and lays her head on the desk, rooting up my hand with her long nose until I consent to stop and notice her. She and Swift, Lady and Kaiser sleep in my tent.

Comanche held by Gustave Korn as unidentified officer looks on. Photo by F. Jay Haynes. At the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Korn (1852-1890), referred to by his fellow soldiers as "Yankee," was Capt. Keogh's orderly and was assigned to the Custer column but was saved from the fate of the rest of Custer's men when his horse bolted when the troop reached the river. The horse had taken the bit in his mouth and carried Korn through the Indian lines to Reno and Benteen's units on what is now known as "Reno Hill.

Custer with Bloody Knife pointing to map), 1874.pointing to map), 1874.

Other rumors relate to the survival of two dogs. In addition to Tuck who travelled with Custer on his last journey, Custer took with him a number of greyhounds. The greyhounds were left with packers at the previous night's encampment and, thus, survived. Tuck was not left behind and is regarded as one of the casualties of the battle. Of humans, the three most controversial accounts of survivors are those relating to Frank Finkel, Charles Hopkins, and Company L's (Calhoun's) farrier, William Heath.

In 1920 at a Rotary Club meeting, a claim was made by Frank Finkel of Dayton, Washington State, that he had served with Custer at Little Bighorn. Allegedly, Finkel had run away from home in Ohio and in 1874 enlisted in the Army under the name "Frank Hall." He contended that he used the fictitious name since he was underage. During the battle, a bullet struck the butt of his gun which splintered, sending a splinter of wood into his forehead. At the same time a bullet hit his horse in the flank. The horse bolted and carried Finkel through the Indian lines. Finkel was hit twice by bullets, one in a foot and the other in his abdomen. After reaching some hills, Finkel went into hiding. He made a tourniquet from a blanket in an effort to stop his bleeding. After hiding for four days, he found a cabin with two occupants, one named Bill, the other, later identified to Hinkel only by his initials "G. W.," was terminally ill in bed. Finkel was still bleeding. G. W. from his death bed gave instructions to staunch the wound with hot pitch. When G. W. expired, Finkel helped bury him and carved G. W.'s initials on a stone grave marker. Bill gave Finkel directions fron the cabin to civilization. Finkel set out and caught a steamboat to Fort Benton. At Fort Benton, Finkel read in a newspaper that Custer and all of his men had been killed. He proceeded to St. Louis and from there moved west to Washington State.

The account, based on its details and the refusal of Finkel to change portions to fit known facts, was apparently regarded by Custer historian Charles Kuhlman as making the tale more credible. The difficulty with the account is that there was no record of either a "Frank Finkel" or a "Frank Hall" in the Seventh Cavalry. In this rOhio but from Prussia. Frank Finkel was also adamant that he was a private and occasionally an acting corporal, but never a sergeant. Sgt. Finkel's body was additionally one of those actually identified. It can, however, be argued that the identification was in error. Further, Frank Finkel was insistant that he rode a roan horse. Company C used sorrels. Each Company had different colored horses.

And what happened in the battle? Just as the artists provided imaginative views of the battle, writers of the day also provided glorious accounts having little or no relationship to reality. Thus, popular magazine writer Henry Inman wrote in conjuntion with Wm. F. Cody, in his 1898 The Great Salt Lake Trail, Macmillan Company, New York: Hinkel should not be confused with either Curtis Hall or Edward Hall in Weir's Company D, both of whom survived. Additionally, census records reflect that Finkle was born in Ohio in 1854 and was, thus, not underage. It has, therefore, been suggested that Finkel may have forgotten the name under which he enlisted or that Finkel was really George August Finkel, a sergeant in Thomas Custer's Company C. That contention, however, does not wash in that George Finkel was not from In a moment, fateful incident, the Indians came swarming about that heroic band until the very earth seemed to open and let loose the elements of volcanic fury, or like a riot of the fiends of Erebus, blazing with the hot sulphur of their impious dominion. Down from the hillside, up through the valleys, that dreadful torrent of Indian cruelty and massacre poured around the little squad to swallow it up with one grand swoop of fire. But Custer was there at the head, like Spartacus fighting the legions about him, tall, graceful, brave as a lion at bay, and with thunderbolts in his hands. His brave followers formed a hollow square, and met the rush and roar and fury of the demons. Bravely they breasted that battle shock, bravely stood up and faced the leaden hail, nor quailed when looking into the blazing muzzles of five thousand deadly rifles.

Brushing away the powder grimes that had settled in his face, Custer looked over the boiling sea of fury around him, peering through the smoke for some signs of Reno and Benteen, but seeing none. Still thinking of the aid which must soon come, with cheering words to his men he renewed the battle, fighting still like a Hercules and piling heaps of victims around his very feet.

Hour after hour passed, and yet no friendly sign of Reno's coming; nothing to be seen through the battle-smoke, except streaks of fire splitting through the misty clouds, blood flowing in rivulets under tramping feet, dying comrades, and Indians swarming around him, rending the air with their demoniacal œhi-yi-yip-yah! ~ yah-hi-yah!

The fight continued with unabated fury until late in the afternoon; men had sunk down beside their gallant leader until there was but a handful left, only a dozen, bleeding from many wounds and hot carbines in their stiffening hands. ~ The day is almost done, when look! Heaven now defend him! The charm of his life is broken, for Custer has fallen; a bullet cleaves a pathway through his side, and as he falters another strikes his noble breast. Like a strong oak stricken by the lightning's bolt, shivering the mighty trunk and bending its withering branches down close to the earth, so fell Custer; but, like the reacting branches, he rises partly up again, and striking out like a fatally wounded giant he lays three more Indians dead and breaks his mighty sword on the musket of a fourth; then, with useless blade and empty pistol, falls back the victim of a dozen wounds. ~ He was the last to succumb to death, and died, too, with the glory of accomplished duty on his conscience and the benediction of a grateful country on his head. The place where fell these noblest of heroes is sacred ground, and though it be the Golgotha of a nation's mistakes, it is bathed with precious blood, rich with the gems of heroic inheritance.

Custer's Funeral, West Point, Harper's 1877     The casket contained only a few symbolic bones. In the hardpacked Montana earth, the bodies were placed in shallow graves. The bodies were quickly dug up and scattered by prairie wolves and other scavangers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Man Runs Him (Miastashedekaroos)

White-Man-Runs-Him, also known as Crow-Who-Talks-Gros Venre and White-Buffalo-That-Turns-Around, was the last surviving of the Crow Scouts. He died in 1928.

It is now generally believed fron Curly's testimony and from archeological evidence that at Cedar Creek Custer sent Companies E and F under Yates down to ford the river and Companies C, I, and L along Luce Ridge finally ending up on Calhoun Hill, thus, dividing his forces yet again. Yates was forced to retreat up to Calhoun Hill. Archeological evidence uncovered as a result of a fire in 1983 indicates that a some point Custer's command was overwhelmed by the Indians fairly early in the battle. With Custer overrun and dead, the remaining men in panic attempted to reach the cottonwoods along the river and were killed on the way, in the words of one Indian, "just like hunting buffalo." Some Indians reported that some of the soldiers committed suicide. Thus, Wooden Leg later recalled: The white men went crazy. Instead of shooting us, they turned their guns upon themselves. Almost before we could get to them, every one of them was dead. They killed themselves. (source, Wyoming Trails)

CUSTER’S LAST STAND DEAD AND WOUNDED, 1876.

Also referred to as the Custer Massacre, reported in the Dakota
Territory Bismark Tribune.

Ackison     David   Pvt.         E left at Buford, constipation	Adams           Pvt.         L killed	Allen           Pvt.         C killed	Andrews          Pvt.         L killed
Armstrong    J. E.   Pvt.         A killed	Assdely          Pvt.         L killed	Atchison          Pvt.         F killed	Baba      Edwin   1st Sgt.       C killed
Babcock          Pvt.         L killed	Bailey     H. A.   Blacksmith      I killed	Baker           Pvt.         I killed	Barry      J.     Pvt.         I killed
Bauth           Pvt.         I killed	Benett     James E.  Pvt.         C wounded, died July 5th at 3 o'clock	Bishop     Alex B.  Cpl.         H wounded, right arm	Bishop     Chas. H.             H wounded, right arm
Black      Henry              H wounded, right hand	Bloody Knife        Indian Scout       killed	Blorm           Pvt.         I killed	Bobtailed Bull       Indian Scout       killed
Botzer     Edward   Sgt.         G killed	Boyle           Pvt.         I killed	Brady           Pvt.         F killed	Bragew           Pvt.         I killed
Brandon          Farrier        F killed	Brightfield        Pvt.         C killed	Briody           Capt.         F killed	Broadhurst   J. E.   Pvt.         I killed
Brown      1st    Pvt.         F killed	Brown      2nd    Pvt.         F killed	Bruce           Pvt.         F killed	Brunn      Frank              M wounded, face and left thigh
Bucknell          Pvt.         C killed	Burke           Pvt.         L killed	Burnham          Pvt.         F killed	Burtard     J.     1st Sgt.       I killed
Butler           1st Sgt.       L killed	Calhoun     James   1st Lt.        L killed	Callahan    J. J.   Cpl.         K killed	Campbell    Chas.              C wounded, right shoulder
Carey      Patrick  Sgt.         M wounded, right hip	Carney           Pvt.         F killed	Cashan           Pvt.         L killed	Cather           Pvt.         F killed
Charley     Vincent  Farrier        D killed	Cheever          Pvt.         L killed	Clair      Eli U. T. Pvt.         K killed	Coleman          Capt.         F killed
Conner           Pvt.         I killed	Conners?    J.     Pvt.         I killed	Considine    M.     Sgt.         G killed	Cook      W. W.   Brevet Lt. Col.     killed
Cooper     John               H wounded, right elbow	Corcoran    Patrick             K wounded, right shoulder	Corey      Davis   Pvt.         1 wounded, right hip	Criddle          Pvt.         C killed
Crisfield         Pvt.         L killed	Crittenden   J. J.              L killedlisted as 20th Inf.	Custer     Boston   Civilian         killed	Custer     George A. Brevet Maj. Gen.     killed
Custer     T. W.   Brevet Lt. Col.    C killed	Dallans     Henry   Cpl.         A killed	Daring           Pvt.         I killed	Davis           Pvt.         I killed
Deal      Jacob              A wounded, face	DeRudio                       survived	DeWolf     J. M.   Acting Asst Surgeon   killed	Dohman           Pvt.         F killed
Donnelly          Pvt.         F killed	Doran      Richard  Pvt.         B killed	Dose      Henry   Trptr         G killed	Downing     T. P.   Pvt.         I killed
Drinaw     James   Pvt.         A killed	Driscoll    E. C.   Pvt.         F killed	Dugan           Pvt.         L killed	Dye            Pvt.         L killed
Egnen           Sgt.         E killed	Eisman           Pvt.         C killed	Engle           Pvt.         C killed	Fanand           Pvt.         C killed
Farrell          Pvt.         I killed	Feeman           Capt.         F killed               Cpl?	Finkle           Sgt.         C killed	Finley           Sgt.         C killed
Foley           Cpl.         C killed	Foster     James   Pvt.         A wounded, right arm	French           Cpl.         C killed	Galvin           Pvt.         L killed
Gardiner          Pvt.         F killed	George     Wm.               H wounded, left side, died 3 July 1876 at 4 am	Gilbert          Cpl.         L killed	Gillette    D. C.   Pvt.         F killed
Golden     Patrick  Pvt.         D killed	Gordon     Henry   Pvt.         M killed	Graham           Pvt.         L killed	Griffin          Pvt.         C killed
Gross      C. H.   Pvt.         F killed	Gucker     J. M.   Trptr         I killed	Hagan           Cpl.         E killed	Hageman     Otto    Capt.         G killed               Cpl?
Hamel           Pvt.         C killed	Hamilton          Pvt.         L killed	Hammon           Pvt.         F killed	Hansen     Edward   Pvt.         D killed
Harnington         Pvt.         L killed	Harrington   H. M.   2nd Lt.        C presumed killed, body not found	Harris     W. E.              M wounded, left breast	Harrison          Cpl.         L killed
Hattisoll         Pvt.         C killed	Haugge           Pvt.         L killed	Helmer     Julius   Trptr         K killed	Henderson         Pvt.         I killed
Henderson         Pvt.         I killed	Heyn      Wm.    Sgt.         A wounded, left knee	Hiley           Pvt.         I killed	Hime            Pvt.         I killed
Hitismer    Adam    Pvt.         F killed	Hodgson     Benj.   2nd Lt.        B killed	Hohmeyer    F.     1st Sgt.       E killed	Holcomb     F. P.   Pvt.         F killed
Homsted     Fred               A wounded, left wrist	Horn      M. E.   Pvt.         F killed	Huber           Pvt.         I killed	Hughes           Sgt.         K killed
Hughes           Pvt.         L killed	James           Sgt.         E killed	Jones      Julian D. Pvt.         H killed	Kavaugh          Pvt.         L killed
Kellogg     Mark    Civilian         killed reporter for Bismarck Tribune	Kenney           1st Sgt.       F killed	Keogh      M. W.   Col.         I killed	Kidey           Pvt.         F killed
Kiefer           Pvt.         L killed	Killey     P.     Pvt.         F killed	King      G. K.   Cpl.         A killed	King            Pvt.         C killed
Kingsoutz         Pvt.         C killed	Kline           Pvt.         F killed	Klotzburscher  H.     Pvt.         M killed	Knight           Pvt.         I killed
Krianth          Pvt.         F killed	Lawrence    G.     Pvt.         M killed	Leddisson         Pvt.         I killed	Lee       Geo.    Cpl.         H killed
Lehman     Fred    Pvt.         F killed	Lehman     Henry   Pvt.         F killed	Lerock           Pvt.         F killed	Lewis           Pvt.         C killed
Lloyd      E. P.   Pvt.         F killed	Lobering          Pvt.         L killed	Lord            Asst Surgeon       killed	Losse           Pvt.         F killed
Luman           Pvt.         F killed	Lunon           Pvt.         L killed	Lymons     D. L.   Pvt.         F killed	Madden     Michael C. Pvt.         K wounded, right leg
Madson           Pvt.         F killed	Mahoney          Pvt.         L killed	Manning     Frank C.  Civilian         killed	Manning          Blacksmith      F killed
Marshall    Jasper              L wounded, left foot	Martin     Jas.    Capt.         G killed	Mask      George   Pvt.         B killed	Mason           Pvt.         I killed
Maxwell          Pvt.         L killed	Mayer           Pvt.         C killed	Mayer           Pvt.         C killed	McCarthy          Pvt.         L killed
McDonald    James   Pvt.         A killed	McDonnall    Patrick             D wounded, left leg	McElroy          Trptr         I killed	McGinniss    Jno. J.  Pvt.         G killed
McGue           Pvt.         L killed	McGuire     John               C wounded, right arm	McIchargey   A.     Pvt.         F killed	McIntosh    Daniel   1st Lt.        G killed
McVay      John    Pvt.         C wounded, hips	McWilliams   Daniel              H wounded, right leg	Meador     Thos. E.  Pvt.         H killed	Meyer      J. H.              M wounded, back
Meyer      W. D.   Pvt.         M killed	Meyer           Pvt.         I killed	Miller           Pvt.         L killed	Milton     Jas.    Pvt.         F killed
Mitchell    J.     Pvt.         F killed	Monroe           Pvt.         F killed	Moody      Wm.    Pvt.         A killed	Mooney           Trptr         I killed
Moore      Andrew J. Pvt.         G killed	Morris     G. C.   Cpl.         I killed	Muller     Jas.               H wounded, right thigh	Newell     Daniel              M wounded, left thigh
Noshaug     J.     Pvt.         F killed	Nursey           Sgt.         F killed	O'Bryan     J.     Pvt.         F killed	O'Connell         Pvt.         L killed
O'Conner          Pvt.         I killed	O'Hara     Miles F.  Sgt.         M killed	Omeling          Pvt.         F killed	Papp      John    Pvt.         G killed
Parker     J.     Pvt.         F killed	Patton     J.     Trptr         I killed	Paul      John    Sgt.         H wounded, back	Perkins          Pvt.         L killed
Phillips    John J.  Pvt.         H wounded, face and both hands	Phillips          Pvt.         C killed	Pitter     F. J.   Pvt.         F killed	Porter     J. E.   Lt.          I presumed killed, body not found
Post      Geo.    Pvt.         F killed	Quinn      Jas.    Pvt.         F killed	Ranter           Pvt.         C killed	Reed      Arthur   Civilian         killed
Reed      Wm.    Pvt.         F killed	Reese           Pvt.         I killed	Reeves     Francis             A wounded, left side and body	Reynolds    Chas.   Civilian         killed
Riebold          Pvt.         L killed	Riley      James T.  Sgt.         F wounded, back and left leg	Riley      M.     Sgt.         I left at Buford, consumption	Rix            Pvt.         C killed
Rodgers     Benj. F.  Pvt.         G killed	Rodgers          Pvt.         L killed	Rood            Pvt.         I killed	Rossberg    J. W.   Pvt.         F killed
Rowlins     R.     Pvt.         A killed	Ruddew           Pvt.         F killed	Russell          Pvt.         C killed	Rutler     Roman              M wounded, right shoulder
Ryan            Cpl.         C killed	Sanders          Pvt.         F killed	Schmidt          Pvt.         L killed	Schoole          Pvt.         I killed
Scollier    Henry M.  Cpl.         M killed	Scott           Pvt.         L killed	Seafferman   Henry   Pvt.         G killed	Seiller          Cpl.         L killed
Selby      Crawford  Saddler        G killed	Semenson          Pvt.         L killed	Severn     Samuel              H wounded, both thighs	Shade           Pvt.         C killed
Sharrow     W. W.   Surg. Major       killed Sgt. Major?	Shea            Pvt.         C kille	Short           Pvt.         C killed	Sicfous          Pvt.         F killed
Smallwood         Pvt.         I killed	Smith      1st    Pvt.         I killed	Smith      2nd    Pvt.         I killed	Smith      3rd    Pvt.         I killed
Smith      A. E.   Brevet Capt.     E killed	Smith      G. E.   Pvt.         M killed	Snow            Pvt.         L killed	Somers     D.     Pvt.         M killed
St. John          Pvt.         C kille	Stab            Indian Scout       killed	Stafford          Pvt.         I killed	Stanley     Edward   Pvt.         G killed
Staples     S. T.   Cpl.         I killed	Stella           Pvt.         I killed	Stringer    Fred    Cpl.         M killed	Stroude     Elijah T.            A wounded, right leg
Stuart           Pvt.         C killed	Sturgis     E.     2nd Lt.        E presumed killed, body not found	Sullivan    John    Pvt.         A killed	Switzer     Thos. P.  Pvt.         A killed
Tanner     J.     Pvt.         M killed	Tarbox           Pvt.         L killed	Tarr            Pvt.         I killed	Tenley     H.     Pvt.         M killed
Tessler          Pvt.         L killed	Thadius          Pvt.         C killed	Thompson    Peter              C wounded, right hand	Troy      J. E.   Pvt.         F killed
Tweed           Pvt.         L killed	Van Allen         Pvt.         C killed	Van Bramer   Chas.   Pvt.         F killed	Van Rieley   W.     2nd Lt.        F killed
Varden     F. E.   1st Sgt.       I killed	Varner     Thos. P.  Pvt.         M wounded, right ear	Vaugant          Pvt.         I killed	Veller           Pvt.         L killed
Vickory          Sgt.         F killed	Vincent     Charley  Farrier        D killed               l	Voss      Henry   Chief Insptr.      killed	Voyt      H. C.   Pvt.         M killed
Walker           Pvt.         I killed	Walsh           Teptr         L killed	Wanew           Pvt.         F killed	Warren           Pvt.         C killed
Warren           1st Sgt.       L killed	Way            Pvt.         F killed	Wells      Benj.   Farrier        G killed	Whaley     W. B.   Pvt.         F killed
Whitaker    Alfred              C wounded, right elbow	White      Chas.   Sgt.         M wounded, right arm	Whitney     D.     1st Sgt.       K killed	Wilbur     James              M wounded, left leg
Wild      John    Cpl.         I killed	Wilke      Max               K wounded, left foot	Wilkinson         Sgt.         F killed	Windham          Pvt.         C killed
Wright           Pvt.         C killed	Yates      G. W.   Capt.         F killed

 

 

WELCOME TO BIG HORN COUNTY MONTANA
Picture by Joe, “looking forward and looking back”

Welcome Big Horn County Genealogy Trails History Group.
Hosted by Jo Ann Boyd Scott and as your host I try to post as much data online online as possible in order to make it freely available to all. I grew up 7 miles from Wyola.The county is a special place. I will do look ups. e-mail me.