Frank H. Erle

[Diane Merkel]

While researching another topic in the Greenville, Mississippi, library, my husband Chuck came across the following excerpt from the Greenville Times, August 14, 1915, as compiled by Miss Eunice Stockwell:

ERLE, FRANK H., 74 years old, born in England, served during the Civil War in Federal Army in Virginia. After the War, remained in the U. S. Army, was the single survivor of General Custer’s 7th Cavalry’s Battle with the Indians on Little Big Horn. He was sent to deliver a message at the time of the Massacre. At 57 years of age he volunteered for the Spanish-American War. He died in Arkansas City, remains sent to Greenville for burial. After his death, a latter [sic] was found in his clothes, showing that he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. G. W. Collingworth of Arthur, Tenn. and a son Harvey Erle of Texas.

Diane

[noggy]

Oct 18, 2018 21:32:34 GMT -5 Diane Merkel said:

While researching another topic in the Greenville, Mississippi, library, my husband Chuck came across the following excerpt from the Greenville Times, August 14, 1915, as compiled by Miss Eunice Stockwell:

ERLE, FRANK H., 74 years old, born in England, served during the Civil War in Federal Army in Virginia. After the War, remained in the U. S. Army, was the single survivor of General Custer’s 7th Cavalry’s Battle with the Indians on Little Big Horn. He was sent to deliver a message at the time of the Massacre. At 57 years of age he volunteered for the Spanish-American War. He died in Arkansas City, remains sent to Greenville for burial. After his death, a latter [sic] was found in his clothes, showing that he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. G. W. Collingworth of Arthur, Tenn. and a son Harvey Erle of Texas.

Diane

A fast cross check with: www.friendslittlebighorn.com/7thUSCavalry1876.pdf shows noe Erle or Earle that matter in the 7th at the time of battle. Doesn`t look like anyone born in England died in 1915 either. But he might have had one or several aliases, I guess, making the facts more shady. Dunno.


All the best,
Noggy

[fred]

Oct 18, 2018 21:32:34 GMT -5 Diane Merkel said:

While researching another topic in the Greenville, Mississippi, library, my husband Chuck came across the following excerpt from the Greenville Times, August 14, 1915, as compiled by Miss Eunice Stockwell:

ERLE, FRANK H., 74 years old, born in England, served during the Civil War in Federal Army in Virginia. After the War, remained in the U. S. Army, was the single survivor of General Custer’s 7th Cavalry’s Battle with the Indians on Little Big Horn. He was sent to deliver a message at the time of the Massacre. At 57 years of age he volunteered for the Spanish-American War. He died in Arkansas City, remains sent to Greenville for burial. After his death, a latter [sic] was found in his clothes, showing that he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. G. W. Collingworth of Arthur, Tenn. and a son Harvey Erle of Texas.

Diane

Moon Goddess,

Where the hell is Mike Nunnally when you need him?

I certainly do miss him.

Very best wishes,
Fred.

[Diane Merkel]

I miss him, too, Fred. I think of him often and wonder if the manuscript for his sole survivors book is laying around somewhere. I have the booklet he published, but I think he was preparing a manuscript for McFarland. For those who didn't know Mike or his work, he loved debunking "sole survivor" claims and kept track of them. You can see an article he wrote for this website at www.littlebighorn.info/Articles/Survivors.htm.

Diane

[Diane Merkel]

A fast cross check with: www.friendslittlebighorn.com/7thUSCavalry1876.pdf shows noe Erle or Earle that matter in the 7th at the time of battle. Doesn`t look like anyone born in England died in 1915 either. But he might have had one or several aliases, I guess, making the facts more shady. Dunno.


All the best,
Noggy

Noggy,

You didn't find him because he didn't exist within the 7th. He is one of many whose family claimed he was a hero during the battle. I think most stories are fabricated innocently (they remember Grandpa saying something about Custer once) and get amplified through time. Of course, some guys just plain-out lied.

I've probably told this story before, but my husband and I once met a man who declared his great-grandfather was Custer's sergeant major. My husband immediately knew that couldn't be true (Sharrow had no children) and gently explained all of the problems with his story, including the rifle he had with him being wrong for the period. It was sad because the old guy's heart was broken, but such falsehoods need to be corrected or they'll continue on forever. Just look at all of the false stories that are repeated in books because people don't go back to the original sources but, rather, just repeat things others have published.

BTW, I have a searchable list of the 7th also at www.littlebighorn.info/Cavalry.htm.

Diane

[noggy]

Nov 13, 2018 14:28:11 GMT -5 Diane Merkel said:

A fast cross check with: www.friendslittlebighorn.com/7thUSCavalry1876.pdf shows noe Erle or Earle that matter in the 7th at the time of battle. Doesn`t look like anyone born in England died in 1915 either. But he might have had one or several aliases, I guess, making the facts more shady. Dunno.


All the best,
Noggy

Noggy,

You didn't find him because he didn't exist within the 7th. He is one of many whose family claimed he was a hero during the battle. I think most stories are fabricated innocently (they remember Grandpa saying something about Custer once) and get amplified through time. Of course, some guys just plain-out lied.

Ah, I messed up there. You of course have control over real participants.If GAC had all the men claiming to have been at the LBH, he could as well continued East and invaded Russia.

On a side note; Lying during or about war times is seldom wise, which I happened to a movie about yesterday: www.imdb.com/title/tt6763252/?ref_=nv_sr_3 Recommended everyone interested in WW2, military history and such. kind of a German "Apocalypse Now" and based on a true story.

All the best,
Noggy