When warned about the formidable reputation of Confederate General Robert E.
Lee during the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant reportedly dismissed the concerns
with characteristic resolve. Grant, aware of Lee’s tactical brilliance,
responded, “I’m tired of hearing about what Bobby Lee is going to do to us. He’s only human. I want him to think about what we are going
to do to him.” This reflected Grant’s pragmatic approach, refusing to be
intimidated by Lee’s legend. Instead, Grant focused on relentless pressure,
leveraging Union resources to outmaneuver Lee. His confidence and strategic
tenacity ultimately led to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox in 1865.
In the late 1880s, the Ghost Dance emerged among Native American tribes,
particularly the Lakota Sioux, as a spiritual movement promising renewal and
resistance. Inspired by Paiute prophet Wovoka, it envisioned a world free of
white settlers, where ancestors would return, and buffalo would thrive. Dancers
performed circular rituals, chanting and praying for salvation. The U.S.
government, fearing rebellion, suppressed the movement, culminating in the
tragic Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890, where hundreds of Lakota were killed. After
the Wounded Knee Massacre practice of the Ghost Dance went underground.
Freedom of religion, as we understand it, did not exist in America
until after the American Revolution. The Church of England was legally made the
established church. The established church was closely linked to the political
and financial elites.
By the time of the
Revolution, “dissenters”, non-Anglican colonists who were predominantly Baptists or Presbyterians, made up a
sizeable portion of the population.
Although tolerated, dissenters were required to pay taxes to support the
Anglican Church, in addition to paying for their own church and pastor. Dissenting pastors and their meetinghouses
had to receive licenses a colony’s General Court. Additionally, the law
dictated that only ministers of the established church could legally perform baptisms, marriage ceremonies, and funerals, which
resulted in such anomalies as requiring a Lutheran minister to become an
ordained minister of the Church of England in order to legally perform a
marriage ceremony in his own church.
Some
dissenters refused to comply with the law. Many believed that preaching need
not be confined to the pulpit and that the state had no right to dictate where
and to whom believers could preach the gospel.
The
principle of protecting religious pluralism would subsequently be included in
the First Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1791.
One of the most
debated issues of the Battle of the Little Bighorn is the exact nature of
George Armstrong Custer’s death.Who
killed Custer, where was he killed, and when did he die?
One
popular theory says that Custer was seriously wounded (or even killed) early in
the battle.Custer advanced with several
companies down Medicine Tail Coulee in an attempt to ford the river.Supposedly, Custer was shot in the middle of
the stream and the cavalry retreated after placing the dying man back on his
horse.White Cow Bull claimed to have
fired the shot that felled a buckskin clad soldier.Was it Custer?None of the other warriors who were actually
present at the ford ever mentioned the incident.The only corroboration comes from two of
Custer’s own Crow scouts, who were not actually there.The scout White Man Runs Him heard later that
Custer was hit in the chest by a bullet and fell into the water.The account of the scout Goes Ahead, comes to
us second hand from his wife Pretty Shield, to whom he supposedly told the
story that Custer was killed at the river and that he was drunk at the time.
Historians
have suggested that the attempt to ford the river at Medicine Tail Coulee was
abandoned not because Custer was shot but because he realized that this was the
middle of the village not the end.In
any event, the Crow scout Curly, reported Custer in robust health, after he had
supposedly been shot, galloping north in an attempt to find another crossing
point.
There
are many other candidates for who killed Custer, including Custer himself.According to this theory, Custer killed
himself because he feared capture.Custer’s body had two wounds, a chest wound and a head wound in the left
temple.It would have been difficult for
the right handed Custer to shoot himself in the left temple, but theoretically
this could have been an “assisted” suicide.
Among
those claiming to have killed Custer were:Red Horse, a Miniconjou warrior; Flat Hip, a Hunkpapa warrior, and Walks-Under-the-Ground, a Santee warrior who wound up in
possession of Custer's horse
after killing somebody.Little Knife, a Hunkpapa warrior,
said Brown Back killed Custer to avenge his
brother.Two sons of Scarlet Tip, chief of the Santee, claimed
they jointly killed Custer.
Cheyenne oral tradition
passed down since 1876 says that Custer may have been killed by a woman
warrior, Buffalo Calf Road Woman.Minimally, she is said to have knocked Custer off his horse with a club
and made off with his saber.
In 1905 Rain-in-the-Face made
a deathbed confession that he thought it was he who had killed Custer having
been “so close to him that the powder from my gun blackened his face.”
The mystery of who killed
Custer was probably never known. The dust, smoke and chaos of the battle made
it impossible
to distinguish one soldier from another.When asked, Sitting Bull said that nobody
knew who killed Custer — nor even knew that he was present until dayslater.
If a man believes himself to be a
frog should we treat him as a frog?What
if that man is a king?
The Bourbon dynasty came to power in
Spain in 1700 with the accession of Philip V, grandson of Louis XIV of
France.Initially Philip brought
French-inspired reforms to a declining empire, fostering Atlantic trade and
administrative efficiency. However, his reign, the longest in Spanish history
at 45 years, was marred by his severe mental instability. This affliction manifested itself in profound
melancholy, hallucinations, and bizarre delusions.
The most infamous delusion
attributed to Philip was his conviction that he had transformed into a frog.
During one severe episode in the spring of 1727, he reportedly leapt about in
the palace garden croaking.At other
times he attempted to ride horses he saw woven into tapestries, unable to
distinguish delusion from reality.Contemporaries
noted his screams and self-inflicted bites during his frequent fits.
Besides thinking himself a frog,
Philip had many other delusions. He often imagined himself dead, refusing to
move for fear of shattering like glass—particularly believing his legs were
fragile and would break if he walked. In another hallucination, he claimed his
feet were of unequal sizes, rendering mobility impossible.
Paranoia fueled fears of poisoning
via clothing, lead him to wear the same filthy shirt for months, while
neglecting personal hygiene, allowing his toenails to grow so long they impeded
walking. He had an aversion to water and sunlight.Philip was convinced that the sun was
following him and plotting to incinerate him at the first opportunity.Insomnia reversed the king’s schedule; he
slept by day, conducting council meetings at night.He isolated himself from courtiers, who had
to endure his animal like howling.
The king suffered religious
obsessions, including the notion that abdicating might save his soul. These
delusions peaked in the 1720s and 1730s, prompting his brief abdication in 1724
to his son Louis I, ostensibly for spiritual retreat but driven by his mental
decline. Louis's untimely death from smallpox forced Philip's return, deepening
his melancholy. His evident madness eroded royal authority, fostering court
intrigue and policy stagnation.
In an age without psychiatric
intervention, Philip's frog-like leaps and glass-legged fears painted a tragic
portrait of a king untethered from reality.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President
of the United States, was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865,
at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. His death plunged the nation into
profound grief, coming just days after the surrender of Confederate General
Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, signaling the end of the Civil War. Lincoln's
state funeral became an unprecedented spectacle of national mourning, spanning
three weeks and involving elaborate ceremonies, public viewings, and a historic
funeral train journey. This event not only honored the fallen leader but also
unified a divided country in shared sorrow, with millions participating in the
rituals. The proceedings began in the capital and culminated in his burial in
Springfield, Illinois, his hometown.
Immediately after the assassination,
Lincoln's body was transported to the White House by an honor guard on April
15. There, it was embalmed—a relatively new practice at the time—to preserve it
for the extended mourning period. The East Room was transformed into a somber
chapel, draped in black crepe with mirrors and chandeliers covered in mourning
fabric. On April 18, the public was allowed to view the open coffin from 9:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m., followed by a private viewing for dignitaries until 7:30
p.m. Thousands filed past, many weeping openly at the sight of their beloved
president, his face showing the toll of years of wartime leadership.
The formal funeral service in the
White House occurred on April 19, attended by approximately 600 invited guests,
including cabinet members, military leaders, and foreign diplomats. The East
Room overflowed with mourners, some spilling into the adjacent Green Room.
Notably absent was Mary Todd Lincoln, the president's widow, who was too
overcome with grief to attend. General Ulysses S. Grant sat alone at the head
of the catafalque, his uniform a stark contrast to the black-draped
surroundings, and was seen wiping away tears. President Andrew Johnson stood
with the Cabinet. The Rev. Dr. Phineas D. Gurley, pastor of the New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church, delivered a poignant sermon, likening Lincoln to Moses
leading his people to the Promised Land but not entering it himself. Hymns and
prayers filled the air, emphasizing themes of sacrifice and redemption. After
the service, guests exited in orderly lines to the north driveway, where they
awaited the procession.
Claude Choules, the last surviving World War I combat veteran, witnessed the
historic scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow, Scotland, in
1919. As a young Royal Navy sailor, he observed the dramatic event when German
officers sank their own ships. Over 50 vessels, including battleships and
cruisers, were deliberately sunk.
Claude Choules served with theRoyal Navyfrom
1915 until 1926. After having emigrated to Australia he served with the Royal
Australian Navy, from
1926 until 1956.Claude
Choules died on MAY 5, 2011 at the age of 110 years and 63 days.
In
Monroe, Michigan, the George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument, sculpted by
Edward Clark Potter, was unveiled in 1910. In New Rumley, Ohio, Custer’s
birthplace, an 8.5-foot bronze statue by Erwin Frey stands at a roadside park,
marking his 1839 birth. Both memorials celebrate Custer’s military legacy but
spark debate due to his controversial role in the Indian Wars.In 1879 a statue of Custer was erected at
West Point. Custer’s widow, Elizabeth “Libbie” Custer wrote, “The statue could
not be worse than it is.”She lobbied
ceaselessly to have the statue removed.It was removed and scrapped in 1884.
Frank Buckles, born February 1, 1901, in Missouri, was the last surviving
American World War I veteran, passing away on February 27, 2011, at age 110.
Enlisting in the U.S. Army at 16 by lying about his age, he served as an
ambulance driver in France. Later, during World War II, he endured three years
as a civilian prisoner in the Philippines. Buckles advocated for a national
World War I memorial in Washington, D.C., until his final years. His remarkable
life symbolized the enduring legacy of the "doughboys."
Charles Windolph, born in
1851 in Germany, immigrated to the U.S. and joined the 7th Cavalry. At the
Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876, he served under Captain Benteen. As
Custer’s command fell, Windolph’s unit survived a brutal siege on Reno Hill.
Braving enemy fire, he volunteered to fetch water for the wounded, earning the
Medal of Honor. Promoted to sergeant, he later settled in South Dakota, working
for Homestake Mining. Windolph, the last white survivor, died in 1950 at 98, leaving
a vivid memoir, I Fought with Custer.
Tom Custer, the younger brother of
George Armstrong Custer earned two Medals of Honor during the Civil War. After
the Civil War, Tom followed George into the Regular Army, joining the 7th
Cavalry Regiment in 1866 as a second lieutenant. Tom served under his brother.
Tom Custer participated in the 1873
Yellowstone Expedition and the 1874 Black Hills Expedition. Tom rose to the
rank of captain by 1875, commanding Company C.
Rain-in-the-Face, born around 1835
was a formidable Lakota war chief known for his fierce reputation. His name,
originated after a childhood fight where his face was streaked with blood.
During the 1873 Yellowstone
Expedition two civilians attached to the expedition—veterinarian John Honsinger
and sutler Augustus Baliran—were killed by Lakota warriors. Rain-in-the-Face
later confessed to these killings, claiming he acted to prove his bravery after
a taunting challenge from a young woman.
Sixteen months later, in 1874, guide
Charley Reynolds identified Rain-in-the-Face at the Standing Rock Agency,
reenacting the killings during a ceremonial dance. George Custer, commanding
Fort Abraham Lincoln, dispatched Tom Custer and Captain George Yates with two
companies of the 7th Cavalry to arrest him.
The arrest was dramatic: Tom Custer entered
the agency store, waited for Rain-in-the-Face to appear and subdued him in a
physical struggle. Rain-in-the-Face, humiliated by the public arrest and
subsequent imprisonment at Fort Abraham Lincoln, vowed revenge, reportedly
threatening to kill Tom Custer and “eat his heart.”
Rain-in-the-Face’s escaped from the
fort’s guardhouse three months later. Before fleeing, he reiterated his threat
against Tom, sending a chilling message via a buffalo skin painted with a
bloody heart. This act cemented his resolve to confront the Custers,
particularly Tom, whom he held responsible for his humiliation.
Rain-in-the-Face joined Sitting Bull’s band in the Powder River country.
The climax of their conflict came at
the Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876. Rain-in-the-Face, now a
leading warrior, fought among thousands of Lakota, Cheyenne, and other allied
tribes against the 7th Cavalry. Tom Custer, commanding Company C, was part of
his brother’s doomed battalion.
In later accounts, Rain-in-the-Face
claimed to have killed both George and Tom Custer. He claimed he recognized Tom
during the battle, shot him and then cut out his heart to fulfill his vow. This
gruesome act was popularized by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “The Revenge
of Rain-in-the-Face.”
Tom Custer’s body, found near his
brother’s, was indeed badly mutilated. He was disemboweled and his head was crushed
in by a blow from a stone hammer used by the Indians. His heart, however, had not been removed according to those
who found the body.
In a 1905 interview
Rain-in-the-Face, then frail and near death, denied killing either Custer
brother or mutilating Tom, describing the battle as too chaotic to identify
specific enemies. This account is considered more reliable than the earlier
1894 interview where he was intoxicated and boasted of killing Tom Custer.
On June 25, 1876, at the Battle of the Little Bighorn,
five companies of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry, under the direct command of George
Armstrong Custer were wiped out.
Amid the chaos of that day, one
figure often overlooked emerges: Isaiah Dorman, the only African American
killed in the battle. As a skilled interpreter for the U.S. Army, Dorman's life
bridged worlds—Black, White, and Native.His death encapsulated the brutal ironies of the Indian Wars.
Isaiah Dorman's early life remains
shrouded in mystery. Born around 1832 in Pennsylvania, he was likely freeborn,
with a father of African-Jamaican descent and a mother of mixed African and Native
American heritage. By the 1850s, Dorman was in the Dakota Territory working as
a trapper, trader, and laborer. He married Celeste St. Pierre, a young woman
from the Santee Sioux band led by Inkpaduta, and integrated deeply into Native
life. Dorman was described as a large, dark-skinned man. There are no
authenticated surviving photographs of Dorman
In spring 1876, Dorman joined
Custer's 7th Cavalry expedition against the Lakota and Cheyenne, hired as a
civilian Sioux interpreter at a premium rate due to his expertise and connections,
including friendships with figures like Chief Sitting Bull. The campaign aimed
to force non-reservation tribes onto designated lands amid gold rush tensions
in the Black Hills. Departing from Fort Abraham Lincoln, the force marched
toward the Little Bighorn River, unaware of the massive Native encampment
ahead—estimated at 7,000 people, including 1,500-2,000 warriors.
On June 25, 1876 when Custer divided
his 600 men into battalions, Dorman rode with Major Marcus Reno's detachment of
about 140 troops, tasked with attacking the village from the south. As Reno's
men charged into the valley, they met fierce resistance from Lakota and
Cheyenne warriors. Reno ordered a retreat across the river to defensive bluffs,
but Dorman fell behind. Eyewitness Private Roman Rutten recalled seeing Dorman
on one knee, methodically firing a non-regulation sporting rifle at advancing
Indian warriors, shouting, "Goodbye, Rutten!" as the soldier galloped
past. An Indian account described: "We passed a black man in a soldier's
uniform... He turned on his horse and shot an Indian right through the heart.
Then the Indians fired... and riddled his horse with bullets. His horse fell
over on his back and the black man could not get up."
Accounts of his final moments vary
but paint a grim picture. One narrative claims Sitting Bull, recognizing his
old acquaintance, dismounted, offered water from a buffalo horn cup, and said,
"Don't kill that man, he is a friend of mine," before riding on.
However, many are skeptical of this story. Moving Robe Woman (Eagle Robe), shot
him in revenge for her brother's death, after which a group of Lakota women tortured
him with stone hammers and knives.His
body was mutilated—arrows embedded, slashes across the face and body, and a
16-by-2-inch strip of skin removed as a war trophy by his wife's niece, Iron
Antelope, later preserved in a North Dakota museum. Private William Slaper
described finding the corpse "with many arrows shot into his body and
head, badly cut and slashed." These acts reflected Native beliefs that
wounds would carry into the afterlife, punishing Dorman for siding with the
"bluecoats" against his adopted people.
Elizabeth Thompson’s (Lady Butler) Remnants
of an Army (1879) is a depiction of the aftermath of the British retreat
from Kabul during the First Anglo-Afghan War in 1842. The painting captures the
sole survivor of a 16,000-strong British force, Dr. William Brydon, arriving at
Jalalabad.
The composition centers on Brydon,
slumped on a weary horse, his face gaunt and eyes hollow, embodying exhaustion
and survival. The stark, snowy landscape amplifies the desolation, with muted
colors evoking a sense of loss. Butler’s attention to detail—Brydon’s tattered
uniform, the horse’s drooping head—conveys the physical and emotional toll of
the retreat. Unlike typical Victorian military art glorifying triumph, this
painting subverts convention, focusing on defeat and resilience.
Historically, the retreat from Kabul
was a disaster, with the British column decimated by Afghan tribesmen and harsh
winter conditions. Butler, known for her empathetic portrayals of soldiers,
uses Brydon’s survival to highlight individual endurance.
The Battle of
Isandlwana, fought on January 22, 1879, less than three years after Custer’s
last stand at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, was one of the most
catastrophic defeats in British military history.
On June 25, 1876, at theBattle of the Little Bighorn, five companies of the U.S. Seventh
Cavalry, some 210 men, under the direct command of George Armstrong Custer were
wiped out.The results of the Battle of Isandlwana
would be far worse.
The Anglo-Zulu War stemmed from
British ambitions to confederate South Africa under their control. High
Commissioner Sir Henry Bartle Frere, without explicit approval from London,
issued an ultimatum to the Zulu king Cetshwayo on December 11, 1878, demanding
the Zulu disband their 35,000–50,000-strong army, accept a British resident,
and become a British client state.
When Cetshwayo refused,
Lieutenant-General Lord Chelmsford, commanding British forces, launched an
invasion with 16,500 troops, including 7,000 British regulars, African
auxiliaries, and colonial volunteers, equipped with Martini-Henry rifles,
artillery, and two Gatling guns.
The Zulus relied on their
traditional "buffalo horns" formation—encircling enemies with flanking
horns while the center engaged—using short stabbing spears, cowhide shields,
and limited, outdated muskets.
Chelmsford’s divided his forces into
three columns all converging on the Zulu capital, Ulundi. The central column,
under his direct command, crossed the Buffalo River at Rorke’s Drift on January
11, 1879, and established a camp at Isandlwana, 10 miles into Zululand. The
site, beneath the rocky outcrop of Isandlwana hill, was chosen for its open
terrain but was left unfortified. Chelmsford underestimated the Zulu’s speed,
intelligence network, and resolve, assuming their forces were far away and
disorganized.
On the morning of January 22,
Chelmsford split his force, taking 2,500 men to scout for the Zulu army.The camp now housed about 1,700 men,
including 900 British regulars, 400 colonial troops, and 400 African
auxiliaries, under the command of Colonel Henry Pulleine.Unbeknownst to Chelmsford, a Zulu army of 25,000
warriors was closing in.
Colonel Anthony Durnford arrived with 500
mounted troops to reinforce the position but, acting on a scout’s report, led a
detachment to pursue a supposed Zulu retreat.
Around 8 a.m., a British scouting
party stumbled upon the Zulu army concealed in a valley 5 miles east. The
Zulus, initially resting, sprang into action, launching a coordinated assault
by 10:30 a.m. Their buffalo horns formation unfolded with devastating
precision: the left horn swept around the British right flank, the right horn
targeted the left, and the central “chest” pressed forward. Pulleine deployed
his troops in an extended firing line to maximize their Martini-Henry rifles’
range, but the line was too thin, stretching over a mile. The Zulu advance,
moving at a disciplined jog, absorbed heavy casualties but closed the distance
rapidly, exploiting the open terrain.
By noon, the situation deteriorated.
Durnford’s detachment, returning from their pursuit, was cut off by the Zulu
left horn and overwhelmed; Durnford was killed. The British line, hampered by
the too slow dispersal of reserve ammunition during the fight began to buckle.
Zulu warriors infiltrated gaps, targeting tents and wagons, disrupting resupply
efforts. The Zulu horns completed their encirclement, and hand-to-hand combat
ensued. The British, trained for disciplined volleys, were ill-prepared for the
Zulus’ close-quarters ferocity. By 2 p.m., the camp was overrun. Pulleine,
realizing defeat, reportedly handed the regimental colors to a lieutenant for
safekeeping before being killed. Of the 1,700 defenders, over 1,300 perished,
including 52 officers, 727 British regulars, 471 African and colonial troops,
and others. Zulu losses were heavy—estimated at 1,000–2,000 killed—but they
captured 1,000 rifles, two cannons, and vast ammunition stores.
This
iconic oil painting, created by British painter Elizabeth Thompson (Lady
Butler) in 1881, depicts the charge of the Royal Scots Greys, a British heavy
cavalry regiment, at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The painting captures the
moment the cavalry begins its charge, with dynamic composition and vivid colors
emphasizing the bravery and motion of the horses and cavalrymen. Despite historical
inaccuracies (the charge was at a slower pace due to muddy terrain), it remains
a celebrated image of valor.
Widely reproduced and regarded as an
emblem of courage, it reflects Thompson’s fame for depicting ordinary soldiers’
heroism, shaped by her observations of cavalry exercises. It is held at the
Leeds Art Gallery in the United Kingdom.
Christopher Columbus, the famed
explorer whose voyages reshaped the world, died in 1506 in Valladolid, Spain.
Yet, the journey of his remains across continents and centuries is a saga as
complex and contentious as his life.
After his death on May 20, 1506, at
the age of fifty-four, Columbus was buried modestly in Valladolid, Spain. His
remains were soon moved to a monastery in Seville, Spain, per the wishes of his
family. By 1537, his body was shipped to the island of Hispaniola (modern-day
Dominican Republic and Haiti), where Columbus had requested to be buried before
his death. He was interred in the cathedral of Santo Domingo.
When Spain ceded Hispaniola to France
in the early 1790s. Spanish authorities, unwilling to leave Columbus’ remains
under French control, exhumed his bones and shipped them to Havana, Cuba.
There, the remains were placed in a grand monument in Havana’s cathedral,
reflecting Spain’s desire to maintain Columbus as a national hero.
In 1877, workers in Santo Domingo’s
cathedral uncovered a lead box inscribed with Columbus’ name, containing bones.
This discovery sparked a heated dispute. The Dominican Republic claimed these
were the true remains, arguing that the Spanish had mistakenly taken someone
else’s bones to Havana in the 1790s. Spain, however, insisted that the Havana
remains were authentic. The debate raged without resolution, as both nations
clung to their claims for cultural and historical prestige.
When Cuba gained independence from
Spain in 1898 following the Spanish-American War, Columbus’ Havana remains were
moved again, this time back to Seville, Spain. They were placed in the Seville
Cathedral, where they remain today in a grand tomb carried by statues
representing the four kingdoms of Spain. Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic
continues to assert that the bones in Santo Domingo are Columbus’, housing them
in a monumental lighthouse, the Faro a Colón, built in 1992.
Modern science has attempted to
settle the dispute. In 2003, Spanish researchers conducted DNA analysis on the
Seville remains, comparing them to the known DNA of Columbus’ brother Diego and
his son Hernando, both buried in Spain. The results confirmed a mitochondrial
DNA match, strongly suggesting that the Seville bones are indeed Columbus’.
However, the Dominican Republic has not allowed similar testing on the Santo
Domingo remains, citing their national heritage status, leaving the question
open to speculation.
Further complicating matters, some
historians suggest Columbus’ remains may have been fragmented, with parts left
in Santo Domingo and others taken to Havana, then Seville. Without
comprehensive testing, this theory remains unproven. The lack of definitive
evidence fuels ongoing debate, with both Spain and the Dominican Republic
maintaining their claims.
In July
1862, Congress authorized a Medal of Honor to be awarded to soldiers who
“distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action.” The first medals were presented in 1863, and it remains the
highest decoration for valor the United States can bestow on an individual in
the armed services. There were 421 Medals of Honor awarded during the
Indian Wars from 1865 to 1891.
Twenty-four
individuals received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of the Little Bighorn,
specifically for actions in defense of Reno Hill. These medals were awarded in 1878.
Name
Rank and Organization
Date of Action
Citation Summary
Neil
Bancroft
Private,
Company A, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Brought
water for the wounded under heavy fire.
Abram
B. Brant
Private,
Company D, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Brought
water for the wounded under heavy fire.
Thomas
J. Callan
Private,
Company B, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25–26, 1876
Obtained
water for the wounded and assisted in driving away Indians.
Benjamin
C. Criswell
Sergeant,
Company B, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Rescued
Lt. Hodgson's body, brought ammunition, encouraged men under heavy fire.
Charles
Cunningham
Corporal,
Company B, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Fought
bravely despite being wounded, declined to leave the line.
Frederick
Deetline
Private,
Company D, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Voluntarily
brought water to the wounded under fire.
George
Geiger
Sergeant,
Company H, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Held
a position securing water for the command with comrades.
Theodore
W. Goldin
Private,
Company G, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
26, 1876
Part
of a party bringing water to the wounded under heavy fire.
Richard
P. Hanley
Sergeant,
Company C, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Recaptured
a stampeded pack mule with ammunition under 20 minutes of fire.
David
W. Harris
Private,
Company A, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Brought
water to the wounded at great danger under heavy fire.
William
M. Harris
Private,
Company D, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Voluntarily
brought water to the wounded under fire.
Henry
Holden
Private,
Company D, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Brought
up ammunition under heavy fire.
Rufus
D. Hutchinson
Sergeant,
Company B, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Guarded
and carried the wounded, brought water, directed men under fire.
Henry
W. B. Mechlin
Blacksmith,
Company H, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Held
a position securing water for the command with comrades.
Thomas
Murray
Sergeant,
Company B, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Brought
up pack train and rations on the second day under heavy fire.
James
Pym
Private,
Company B, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Voluntarily
went for water under heavy fire.
Stanislaus
Roy
Sergeant,
Company A, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Brought
water to the wounded at great danger under heavy fire.
George
D. Scott
Private,
Company D, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25–26, 1876
Voluntarily
brought water to the wounded under fire.
Thomas
W. Stivers
Private,
Company D, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25–26, 1876
Voluntarily
brought water to the wounded under fire.
Peter
Thompson
Private,
Company C, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Brought
water to the wounded, made two trips despite being shot through the head.
Frank
Tolan
Private,
Company D, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Voluntarily
brought water to the wounded under fire.
Otto
Voit
Saddler,
Company H, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25, 1876
Held
an exposed position with comrades, diverting fire for over 20 minutes.
Charles
H. Welch
Sergeant,
Company D, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25–26, 1876
Voluntarily
brought water to the wounded under fire.
Charles
Windolph
Private,
Company H, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Jun
25–26, 1876
Held
a position securing water for the command with comrades during the
engagement.
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