Lt. Donald McIntosh Diary - listed by FBI as stolen

[Deleted]

On the thread "Indian Movements" there's an interesting discussion about who kept notes etc.  Does anyone have any info about where/when this was stolen?  Was there a copy made of its contents?  "Bullet hole through its spine" - should help with an ID.

www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/vc_majorthefts/arttheft/NSAF/016090/view

Stolen Art Results
Little Big Horn, Custer's Last Stand

Battlefield diary of Lt. Donald McIntosh, Company G, 7th U.S. Cavalry. Contains personal notes about monetary purchases and loans, information about enlisted men, supplies, and travel. Black pocket-size notebook; 98 pages.
Incident Type Stolen

Period 1872-1876


Description: Stolen
Category: Other Arts & Antiques
Maker: Lieutenant Donald McIntosh
Materials: leather   paper

Measurements: 6 x 3 1/2 in
Period: 1872-1876
Additional Information:

diary Little Big Horn
Bullet hole through its spine

[tubman13]

So when did this happen! Where was it when stolen? How much do you want for it?

[Deleted]

Quit it. My parole officer is already annoyed with me!
Best,
c.

[quincannon]

Chris: I don't think that is new. I remember hearing something about it before, but can't recall where. There is probably zero probability it will ever be found though. Some collector, with a Cavalier definition of honesty probably has it squirreled away. Many things like this are stolen on order.

[Deleted]

Chuck,
Agree, this isn't new. I also remember something about the diary being stolen from the (?)LBH records area by an employee who said it was destroyed to eliminate evidence of the theft. I have no source for that.

Posted it to see if anyone knew if the contents had been copied or transcribed.

Best,
c.

[Treasuredude]

The following is from Jerome Greene's Stricken Field, page 159:

Other matters concerned an incident of vandalism in the cemetery in July 1991 that caused significant damage to the flagstaff, and the theft from the museum exhibit in February 1992 of a prized battle-related relic, the diary carried by First Lieutenant Donald McIntosh, who was killed in Major Reno's valley action, which prompted FBI involvement and a major security and collections storage appraisal by the Rocky Mountain Regional Office. (The McIntosh diary was never recovered; it was later learned that the perpetrator of the crime, eventually apprehended, had purposefully destroyed the artifact valued at $120,000.)

[Deleted]

Treasuredude,
Thank you. Knew I had read about it somewhere and I have Stricken Field. I'd venture a guess that the diary didn't contain much related to the days prior to the fight re: Officer's Call - but who knows?
Best,
c.

[welshofficer]

It might have contained more than would normally be expected of a 1st Lieutenant, as Donald McIntosh was one of the 1st Lieutenants acting as a company commander.

[Jenny]

Does anyone know of a photo of this diary? Iv'e searched high and low online. It seems odd that it would have never been photographed.

Thanks,
Jenny

[noggy]

Jenny: i think I would try to contact the museum directly, the normal procedure is to have more than 1 photograph of each item. It is more than 30 years since it wass tolen so maybe a long shot either way, but a quick google search did not find anythng.

For those who want to read more about the theft itself, it is quite...crazy: npshistory.com/morningreport/incidents/libi.htm

Noggy

[Diane Merkel]

I would follow Noggy's advice. My memory could be really wrong, but I believe the museum at the battlefield had a photo of the diary on display.

Diane

[noggy]

Speaking of...I did not know this diary existed. Would this have been too early for the pages getting scanned? Or in any other shape or formed copied?

Noggy

[Jenny]

Good question, and I imagine that its more likely they photographed it since scanning would probably ruin the spine/pages. I'm writing to the LBB to find out. If they don't answer I'll ask my federal agent buddy to cut through the red tape for me.

[noggy]

Feb 16, 2023 17:47:10 GMT -6 Jenny said:

Good question, and I image that its more likely they photographed it since scanning would probably ruin the spine/pages. I'm writing to the LBB and find out. If they don't answer I'll ask my federal agent buddy to cut through the red tape for me.

This would be great! Please kee me/us updated.

All the best,
Noggy

[Jenny]

Update, which really isn't much: I've submitted a formal request for photos and transcriptions of the diary. I'll probably be dead before they ever answer.

J