Fort Leavenworth Interments

[BrokenSword]

From the: Chicago Daily Tribune, 1877

Ashes to Ashes
-------------------
The Bodies of Five of Custer’s Slain Offices
Buried with Military Rites at Leavenworth, Kan.
Special Dispatch to the Tribune
Leavenworth, Kan., Aug. 8. - The funeral of five of the brave officers who fell with Gen. Custer at his last fight took place to-day at Fort Leavenworth, and the remains were interred in the National Cemetery. The following programme was carried out to the letter: The remains were conducted to the cemetery on artillery-caissons, each drawn by two bay horses, on each side of which the following named officers acted as pall-bearers: Gen. R. Saxton, Col. E.R. Platt, Col. G. Perin, Maj. J.P. Wright, Maj. B.E. Fryer, Col. D.G. Swain, Capt. G.A. Hull, Col. C.H. Boyt, Col. A.P. Hunt, Capt. A.L. Varney. Capt. C.S. Iisley, Seventh Cavalry, was selected by the Assistant Adjutant-General of the Department, Col. E.R. Platt, to act as Marshal, and arranged the following programme for the procession:
Band of the Twenty-third United States Infantry.
Companies of the Twenty-third Infantry, commanded by Capt. Haskell.
Clergy and surgeons.
Remains on five caissons accompanied by pall-bearers.
Mourners, including members of former command of deceased.
Distinguished persons.
Citizen friends of deceased.
Following each caisson was a horse caparisoned in mourning and led by a cavalry soldier, according to the custom of funeral ceremonies for officers in the cavalry service. During the march to the cemetery minute guns were fired, flags lowered to half-mast, and all work suspended at the post. The escort was under the command of Capt. J.F. Haskell, Twenty-third Infantry, commanding officer of the post in the absence of Gen. Jeff C. Davis. After the religious ceremonies at the graves, a salute was fired by troops over the bodies of the deceased. Mrs. Gen. Sherman was present from St. Louis, as was a sister of Gen. Custer and Capt. Tom Custer, and numerous others relatives of the dead officers.

What little detail did the reporter fail to mention?

BS

[markland]

I'd have to guess but maybe the color of the dresses the ladies were wearing.

Seriously, that was a slack job of reporting. The least they could have done beside mention the officers' names was to perhaps mention that Mrs. Calhoun was the widow of one of the officers and not merely GAC's and TWC's sister.

I need some humor; I think I'll go read the arrow-dodging horse thread again.

Billy

[BrokenSword]

If I were a bettin' man, I'd go with basic black for the ladies' ensembles. Beyond that, it might have been nice to specifically mention just who the five guests of honor were, as well as Maggie Calhoun's special status as widow.

M

[rch]

A report of the burials was also in the "Army and Navy Journal" and is included James Hutchins's book on the A&NJ"s articles about the LBH. An illustration of the graveside ceremony is also included, but in was probably not from the A&NJ.

The article mentions Margaret Calhoun as James Calhoun's widow and the Custers' sister, Mrs Yates, Mrs Smith, Mr and Mrs Charles Kendall apparently represnting Elizabeth Custer, Mrs. Kendall was a cousin. Mrs. McIntosh is not mentioned. The CG of the Dept of Missouri, Brig Gen John Pope, was also present.

The illustration shows the flag draped caskets in place over the open graves and a women escorted by two men standing beside the middle casket. The article says that in order of the caskets were those of Yates, Custer, Smith, Calhoun, and McIntosh.

The illustration shows the teams, limbers, and caissons (the article says they're gun carriages). It appears that the boxes of the caissons were removed and that the caskets were carried on the caisson platforms. That only 2 horses pulled each casket is confirmed by the illustration. Each caisson is also followed by a riderless horse.

According to the article the officers who "accompanied" the caskets were listed in pairs as if 2 men were with each "in the following order: Surg G. Perin and Bvt. Brig.-Gen Rufus Saxton; Surg J. P. Wright and Maj. D. G. Swain; Bvt. Lieut-Col. Edw. R. Platt and Capt. A. L. Varney; Bvt. Col. Asa A. Blunt and Capt. A. G. Hull; Capt. C. H. Hoyt and Capt. W. T. Volkmar."
The post chaplain was accompanied by 2 other clergymen.

The remains were lowered into the graves and covered with fowers, the band played, and a salute was fired.

In the illustration, a one legged man is standing, with the help of a crutch, on the side of the graves opposite from the principle mourners. He appears to be in civilian clothes and has hat in hand. Behind him is the band. It looks like the pallbearers stand in line at the heads of the graves, a detail of men stand opposite. They may be the men who actually carried the caskets and who might be the men who would lower them. Behind them is the escort that would fire the salute. Other people surround the site.

rch