Soldiers from Albany, NY and the surrounding region 

who fought with Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry 

at the Battle of the Little Bighorn on 25-26 June 1876

 

Webpage by Cliff Lamere   26 Jun 2006

 

 

                  

  George Armstrong Custer                                    Sitting Bull              

 

 

George Armstrong Custer was a General in the Civil War, but later, in 1876, he commanded the 7th Cavalry regiment as a Lieutenant Colonel.  The regiment consisted of 647 men, of which of which 22% were New Yorkers.  Men with ties to today's Capital Region of New York State made up 4% (named below).  

 

In preparation for attacking a village of 6000-7000 Sioux and Cheyenne Indians (including Sitting Bull), Lt. Col. Custer divided his regiment into three battalions, totaling 11 companies.  Custer led five of the companies, Major Marcus Reno led three companies, and the remaining three companies were led by Captain Frederick Benteen.  

 

The Battle began in the valley of the Little Bighorn River (Montana) on 25 June 1876.  The plan was for Custer to attack the village from the north while Maj. Reno attacked from the south.  Capt. Benteen was to scout in the area and attack any Indians he located, but he was to remain close enough to support the other battalions in the event he was needed.  When Reno attacked from the south, Custer was not yet in position due to the difficult terrain he encountered trying to reach

 

 

.  The number of Indians in the encampment was much larger than expected, and Reno was repulsed.  He retreated across the river where he was joined by Benteen's battalion.  They were besieged by Sioux and Cheyenne warriors that day and the next, being rescued on the third day.  Custer's attack from the north resulted in the death of himself and all of his men on June 25, 1876. 

 

Source:  Various websites.

 

Source of tables below:  "Was He Custer's Last Man?" -  Times Union (newspaper), Albany, NY: published 26 June 2006, pages A1 & A3

 

Capital Region Soldiers at the Battle of Little Bighorn

NAME RANK HOMETOWN COMMENT
James Butler First Sgt. Ballston KIA.  Family marker in St. Mary's Cemetery in Ballston commemorates his death.  Newspaper article is primarily about this person.
John J. Carey Pvt. Troy S
Thomas W. Coleman Pvt. Troy S
Charles Cunningham Corp. Hudson Wounded.  Received Medal of Honor for this battle.  The citation for his medal said that he "declined to leave the line when wounded in the neck during heavy fire and fought bravely all next day."
William A. Curtiss Sgt. Albany S
Charles H. Houghtaling Pvt. Hudson S
Samuel Johnson Pvt. Troy S
John McGucker Trumpeter Albany KIA
Peter McGue Pvt. Port Henry KIA
Garrett H. Niver Pvt. Bethlehem KIA, same as Garrett H. Van Allen
John J. Rafter Sgt. Lansingburgh S
William E. Smith Pvt. Rouses Point S
Henry James Turley Pvt. Troy KIA
Hiram Wallace Sgt. Whitehall S
Garrett H. Van Allen Pvt. Bethlehem KIA, same as Garrett H. Niver.  
Charles A. Varnum Lt. Troy Wounded in the leg during attack on village or retreat, while commanding the Indian scouts under Maj. Reno.  
James Watson Pvt. Hudson S
John R. Wilkinson Sgt. Salem KIA
DeWitt Winney Sgt. Saratoga KIA
George Yates Capt. Albany KIA

 

 

 

Soldiers who moved to the Capital Region and enlisted

Robert Barth Pvt. Albany KIA
Herod T. Liddiard Pvt. Troy KIA
James McNally Pvt. Troy S
James McNamara Pvt. Troy S
Elwyn S. Reid Pvt. Albany S
William Othneil Pvt. Troy S
William Whitlow Pvt. Troy S

 

 

KIA = killed in action

S = survived battle

Source for most of the table:  "Men With Custer: Biographies of the 7th Cavalry, June 25, 1876" edided by Ronald H. Nichols

 

For more information about the soldiers mentioned above, refer to the site of the Friends of the Little Bighorn Battlefield, but especially to a list of all of the men.

 

 

 

 

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