SOLDIER FOUND BY JASON PITCH

[Montana Bab]

I'm new here, and I have a million questions that need answers! (They say you won't know if you don't ask !) So here goes....
Can anyone tell me if there is any information about the soldier's remains that were found in 1996 on the Jason Pitch property ?
I've read that about a hundred yards from those remains, an almost complete skeleton of a 7th cavalry horse with saddlebags was found. Would love to know if there is a theory as to who that soldier may have been ! Thanks.

Bab

[d o harris]

The horse, discovered in 1994, was ridden into battle by John Sievertsen of company M, and he survived the battle. That it was his horse was established by personal items bearing his initials found in the intact saddle bags.

Also discovered in the saddlebags were 50 rounds of 45-70 ammunition, which makes it a little difficult for those who insist the 7th carried only 45-55 rounds.

[harpskiddie]

BAB and DO:

The horse relics found "in an almost perfect line of about 25 feet" were identified by Jason Pitsch as having been from Sivertsen's horse. Sivertsen himself told Walter Camp that he retrieved his horse, unhurt, from the timber after the battle. The horse skull contained a .44 bullet.

According to Sandy Barnard's article [Greasy Grass May 1996] the "discoveries included: various saddle parts; an 1874 mess kit; an 1872 spoon, knife and fork; an 1874 tin cup; a canteen; a curry comb; spectacles; a harmonica; and about 50 rounds of .45/55 caliber cartridges, .45 colt and .45 Schofield ammunition."

Pitsch and Glen Swanson tied the horse's remains and gear to Sivertsen because according to Pitsch: "It was in finding the bones that I came across the toothbrush. It had the initials J.S. on it, which is one of the ways we tied it to him."

There were, however, four other men with the same initials who fought in the valley. Three of them survived the valley and hilltop fights [John Seamans, James Severs, John Small]. The other, John Sullivan was killed near the river on the retreat.

Pitsch and Swanson thought that the spectacles likely belonged to one of the older men, Sivertsen or Small, and also zeroed in on Sivertsen because some of the items discovered were such as a farrier might carry [hammer, bag of nails, 2 horseshoes] and Sivertsen had been a blacksmith previously.

Against this there is Sivertsen's statement that he recovered his horse.

The article contains a map and photos [including the cartridges, which do appear to be .45/55s] as well as other information.

Gordie

[Montana Bab]

Harp and D O
Thank you both, gentlemen, for your information. Hadn't seen an answer for several days, so thought I would never know. Gee, the more I read in this website, the more I realize just how little I know. I have never been an avid reader of books about the LBH, much to my present chagrin, which accounts for my lack of knowledge also.
I think I said in another thread, though, that before I'm through here, I will know a thing or two! Thanks again.

[rch]

According to Reedstrom in "Bugles, Banners, and War Bonnets" p. 236, the saddlebags had a pouch designed to hold 2 horseshoes and 15 nails. Hutchins in "Boots and Saddles at the Little Bighorn" wrote that each man carried two horseshoes that had previously been fitted to his horse, and a footnote refers to Camp's interview with George W. Glenn in "Custer in '76."

Did they try to match the shoes to the horse's. remains?.

The shoes wouldn't prove the horse's rider was a farrier or blacksmith. The hammer might.
What kind of hammer was it?

rch

rch

[harpskiddie]

rch:

The hammer head looks as if it might have been the type used by a farrier [Sivertsen was not the company farrier, but had been a blacksmith in civilian life]. There was also a rasp, and 20 odd nails of horseshoe type along with a hatchet head.

To my mind, the whole identification thing was rather "iffy" - particularly in light of what Sivertsen had to say. Glenn told Camp: "When we left the Yellowstone, each soldier carried on his horse twelve pounds of oats, eighty rounds of ammunition, and two horseshoes, one front and one hind shoe. We overloaded ourselves with ammunition to relieve the pack mules."

Pitsch's discoveries were never very well documented, so I would not necessarily accept that all the items did in fact come from one site [however continuous one might think it was]. It would give the relics more importance if it could be reasonably claimed that they did come from one source, especially if a name could be attached to that source.

Both Hutchins and Reedstrom were competent and thorough researchers, Hutchins especially when it involved arms and accoutrements.

Gordie

[d o harris]

Gordie---after reading your post #2 it took all of 20 seconds to confirm that you and Sandy Barnard are correct and Glen Swanson and I were wrong. A quick reference to Custer in 76 settled all beyond doubt.

I'd not put too much value on horseshoes and nails found in saddlebags. Wm Taylor stated he had a shoe and nails, and I've read somewhere than it was typical for a cavalryman to have in his bags afront shoe and a rear shoe.

If you ever get around to another Tecate it goes well with Chinese.

[harpskiddie]

d.o.:

Might I make so bold as to ask how you know what I drink? And I definitely will get around to a few more.

There is an excellnt Chinese beer, which I think is called Tsing Tao [or something similar - I may be confusing it with a newspaper], and of course we Canadians have several excellent brews, especially micro-brewery types; but I lean toward the Mexican variety and always have [since being introduced to same].

Regards,

Gordie

[fred]

Johnny Walker Black, baby. Neat, on the rocks, or w/ plain old air.

[harpskiddie]

Fred:

I rarely drink liquor, even the nectars of the gods. When I do, it is usually either a very good tequila [yes, there are very good ones] or a good vodka. Either one neat, no ice, a thin slice of lime to cleanse the palate.

Salud............

Gordie

[d o harris]

Gordie--six months ago or so one of the threads got into a discussion of beer. You mentioned Tecate, and when food requires beer it usually requires Tecate, unless it's heavy German food which needs heavy German beer. I got onto Tecate in the fifties when I spent a lot of time at Aqua Caliente, a race track just below Tiajuana. You could watch horses in the afternoon and dogs at night. Actually, most of the entrants in the afternoon races were dogs.

Nowadays I am limited to one litre of beer a week. When I drank the hard stuff every Thanksgiving I bought a bottle of 20 year old Chivas Regal as a Christmas present to myself and had one drink a day. Only once did I ever share it. I gave a new son-in-law a shot in a highball glass which he filled with tap water. When he asked for another I told him I didn't have anything cheap enough to suit his tastes. He thought I was joking.

[fred]

D O and Gordie--

We may not agree on all things Custer, but boy oh boy, do we agree on our booze!

Best wishes,
Fred.

[crzhrs]

Ouzo!

[fred]

I have jelly beans stronger than ouzo.

Freddie the Rat

[crzhrs]

Those I gotta try!

Is Freddie the Rat related to Willie the Pimp?

If you are a Frank Zappa fan you will understand.