Custer's burial

[James]

Is there any documented historical record of Custer's burial & reburial? I have a book called "The Frontier Years" by Brown & Felton pub. by Bramhall house, about the life of frontier photographer L. A. Huffman who took many Indian portraits, some of whom participated in the Little Big Horn Battle. On pg. 112, it states that in 1877 the reconstituted Troop I of the 7th cavalry was assigned the duty of going back to the battlefield and inter properly, what remained of the bodies of Custer's company that were hastily buried in shallow graves directly after the battle. Colonel Michael V. Sheridan (brother of Philip Sheridan) was in charge of the party. Other members of the party, a Captain Nolan and a Sergeant Caddle, had helped mark some of the graves previously, the year before. When they got to Custer's supposed grave site area, the first remains they picked up turned out to be those of a Corporal. they next removed the remains of the another body near by, believing it to be Custer and placed it in a coffin. There wasn't much left, according to this narrative, just one thighbone and the skull attached to part of the skeleton trunk. It does not mention the final disposition of his remains, but I assume it was at the group cemetery at Last Stand Hill. I understand that his remains are now interred at West Point. Is this correct?did they disinter him once again and transfer his remains to West Point ? This chapter of the book includes photographs of some of those taken by Mr. Huffman of the remains of the dead men and horses several months after the battle but it is hard to discern which are human and which are horses, as some are in big piles and some scattered, probably mixed, in some cases, I assume. I don't know if this book is out of print or not. Thanks......

[Rabble]

From "Custer Battle Casualties 1" By Hardoff. "Captain Sheridan, in an exclusive interview to the Chicago Times, July 25 1877 said " the remains of the following officers were unmistakably identified: 'Gen Custer, his brother, Col Tom Custer......'". The remains of General Custer, with other officers, were shipped by rail from Bismarck on July 27 to their families. Custer was buried at West Point October 10 1877, as was Libbie when she died in 1933. Custer was identified by Benteen, Lt Bradley, Troopers Windolph and Jacobs, Sgt Kanipe and others. Cpls O'Neill and Hammon personally dug the grave, Lt Bradley marked the site and Dr Porter took a lock of Custer's hair. Who knows if the remains exhumed in July were the correct ones?
Hope this helps!
Rabble

[Scott Nelson]

Hopefully they got at least part of Custer's remains. Only way to be 100% sure would be DNA sampling. I doubt that would happen.

There was a great article in one of the recent LBHA newsletters dealing with Custer's funeral.

Scott
www.treasuredude.net.tc

[Walt Cross]

Hardorff "The Custer Battle Casualties" page 46. Statement of James McNally of the disinterment detail:

"There was a dispute about the remains of Custer as to whether the bones were Custer's. The first two sets of bones were taken from the box and the third put in. Michael Sheridan, a brother of Gen. Sheridan, who was detailed to go with Capt. Nowlan, made the remark: Nail the box up; it is alreight as long as the people think so."

Walt

[Rabble]

I'm not into DNA but, with the mixture of bones available, and the remains of Tom and Boston in the vicinity, would not any of their bones (if recovered) have the same DNA?
I believe that some years ago it was suggested that DNA be tested but the family refused permission?
The markers were supposed to be identified by a used cartridge case containing the name, being hammered into the top of the marker.