Gravesites of the 7th Cavalry -- South Dakota

Everyone's heard of General George Armstrong Custer.  The Battle of the Little Bighorn or "Custer's Last Stand" is one of the most written about episodes in American history. 

But what about the other members of the 7th US Cavalry?  These guys are not nearly as well known.  But they each hold a place in the history of the 7th Cavalry and the Plains Indian Wars of the 19th century.  I have collected (and am still collecting) information on the members of the 7th Cavalry who are buried in South Dakota.  There are actually quite a number of them -- including some Medal of Honor winners.  

I have visited the gravesites and photographed each one.  I am still working on this project and will be adding more information and photos as time goes on.  I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has information on persons affiliated with the 7th Cavalry who are buried in South Dakota.  Please email me.

If a grave is not pictured, that means that I have not personally visited the gravesite.....yet.  Only photos that I have taken myself are shown.  I have also included some who were associated with the 7th Cavalry in one way or another but were not at the Little Bighorn battle.

I have posted links to all the photos on this page.  I didn't want to show thumbnails or photos on this page to allow it to load faster.

Any comments?  Any information on 7th Cavalry members buried in South Dakota?  Please email me.

Download a PDF file
with the burial information I have at this time.  I am very interested in getting the information correct.  If you know of more 7th Cavalry soldiers' burial information or have updates to the information that I have, please let me know!!

Coming Soon -- GPS Coordinates of the 7th Cavalry Gravesites in South Dakota!!!

Joseph Bates -- We'll start with the one grave that has caused me the most loss of sleep.  Joseph Bates was a private in Company M of the 7th Cavalry.  He took his own life by ingesting an insecticide known as Paris Green.  He also had an alias - Joseph C. Murphy.  Now for the weirdness...  I went to Bear Butte Cemetery and found the grave of Joseph Bates.  There were actually two stones here side by side -- one for Bates and the other for Murphy.  A metal plate on top of the Murphy stone indicated the alias.  The stone with 'Bates' lists his service with the 7th Massachusetts Cavalry.  There was no 7th Mass.  He was actually in the 1st Mass.  After taking all the grave photos in Bear Butte Cemetery I drove across town to St. Aloysius Cemetery.  While there I found another grave for Joseph Bates!  The dates of death listed on the two stones are only one day apart.  What are the chances of there being two guys named Joseph Bates who happen to die one day apart in Sturgis back in 1893?  The chances must be pretty slim.  For Joseph Bates I have posted four grave photos -- Joseph Murphy in Bear Butte Cemetery, Murphy/Bates Medal Plate at Bear Butte Cemetery, Joseph Bates in Bear Butte Cemetery, and finally the Joseph Bates grave at St. Aloysius.
-- Joseph Bates bio information available in PDF format -- click here.

Abram Brant -- Brant was awarded the Medal of Honor "for bringing water to the wounded under a most galling fire in the Little Bighorn River Fight."  He was a private in Company D.  He died of an accidental gunshot wound to the abdomen just hours before he was to receive his Medal of Honor.  He is buried in the Post Cemetery at Fort Meade in an unmarked grave.  In the book Custer's Heroes by Douglas D. Scott, there is a photo of the suspected location of Brant's grave.  Historian Rocky Boyd has indicated that this spot is the most likely location of Brant's grave.  Using the photo in the Custer's Heroes book as a guide, I retook the photograph.  It is suspected that Brant is buried between the markers that are in front of the two trees on the left of the photo.  Abram Brant Grave.
-- Abram Brant bio information available in PDF format -- click here.

Alexander Brown -- Brown was a sergeant in Company G.  He was with the pack train and was also in the hilltop fight.  He was born Feb. 2, 1844 in Scotland and died April 7, 1884.  He is buried in the Post Cemetery at Fort Meade.  Alexander Brown Grave.

Rose Courtney -- Although she was not with the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, Rose Courtney was a part of it.  According to the Fort Meade Census of 1880, Rose was a servant for Lt. George D. Wallace who was at the battle.  Wallace was later killed at Wounded Knee in 1890.  She is buried in the Post Cemetery at Fort Meade.  Rose Courtney Grave.

Peter Eixenberger -- Eixenberger was a private in the 7th Cavalry Band.  He was not present at the Battle of the Little Big Horn as the band was left at the Yellowstone Depot.  He is listed as Eisenberger, Eisonberger, Einenberger, and Eikenberger.  He is buried at St. Aloysius Cemetery in Sturgis, SD.  Peter Eixenberger Grave.

Edward Garlick -- Garlick was a First Sergeant in G Company.  He was on furlough at the time of the Little Big Horn battle and was not present.  He married Anna Elizabeth on 11/22/1876 in Bismarck.  Anna was the widow of Company G's Henry Dose was killed in the battle.  He is buried in Bear Butte Cemetery.  Edward Garlick Grave.
-- Edward Garlick bio information available in PDF format -- click here.

John Hammon -- He was a Corporal in Company G.  He was appointed Sergeant on June 25, 1876.  He was born in Lynchburg, Ohio in 1857.  The date of death on his headstone is listed as Jan 20, 1909.  This is actually the day he was buried.  He is buried in Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis.  John Hammon Grave.

Max Hoehn -- Private, Company L.  He was on detached service at the Yellowstone Depot.  He was also with Custer on the Black Hills Expedition of 1874.  He later became the first City Auditor for Sturgis.  He is buried in St. Aloysius Cemetery.  Max Hoehn Grave.

Jacob Katzemeir -- Private in Company G.  He was not present at the Little Big Horn as he was on detached service at the Yellowstone Depot.  He is listed as Jacob Katzenmaier, Jacob Katzmeir, and Jacob Katzenmis.  He is listed as Katzenmaier in the Returns of the 7th Cavalry, June 30, 1876.  His headstone is listed as Katzemeir which is what I am using here.  He is buried in the Post Cemetery at Fort Meade.  Jacob Katzemeir Grave.

John Lattman -- Private, Company G.  Was born in Switzerland in 1848.  He was in the valley and hilltop fights at the Little Big Horn.  He homesteaded northeast of Rapid City where he raised cattle.  He died October 7, 1913 in Rapid City, South Dakota.  He is buried in the Elk Vale Cemetery.  John Lattman Grave.

John Mahoney -- He was a private in Company C.  He was with the pack train and in the hilltop fight.  Born in Ireland in May of 1835, he died in Sturgis on July 27, 1918.  He is buried in the St. Aloysius Cemetery in Sturgis.  John Mahoney Grave.
-- John Mahoney bio information available in PDF format -- click here.
-- John Mahoney obituary from Black Hills Press, August 1, 1918 -- click here.

Samuel McCormick -- Private, Company G.  He was born in Ireland in 1848 and died at Fort Meade on September 10, 1908.  He was in the valley and hilltop fights at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.  It was McCormick who gave his horse to Lt. Donald McIntosh at the beginning of the retreat to the bluffs from the valley.  McIntosh was killed soon after. McCormick later rejoined the troops on the hilltop with George Herendeen.  He is buried in Bear Butte Cemetery.  Samuel McCormick Grave.  

James McGee -- A small metal plate marks his grave.  It lists him as Custer's Last Wagon Master.  I have consulted all my sources and cannot find anything about him.  
He is buried in Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis.  James McGee Grave.  New info obtained from the LBHA message board -- According to information compiled by Edward Luce from a report by Lieutenant H.J. Nowlan, McGee was hired on May 20, 1876 as an assistant wagoanmaster at the pay rate of $45.00 a month.
 

David McWilliams -- Private, Company H.  He was a part of Custer's column during the Sioux Campaign of 1876 but was not present at the Little Bighorn battle.  He shot himself in the leg by accident and didn't participate.  He was transferred back to Fort Lincoln aboard the steamer Far West.  He is listed elsewhere as Daniel McWilliams.  He is buried at the Old Post Cemetery near Fort Meade.  David McWilliams Grave.
-- David McWilliams bio information available in PDF format -- click here.

Jan Mollar -- Private, Company H.  He was wounded in the left thigh during the hilltop fight at the Little Big Horn battle.  He was sent back to Fort Lincoln near Bismarck on the steamer Far West.  He was also with Custer on the Black Hills Expedition of 1874.  He died on Feb. 23, 1926.  He is listed elsewhere as Jan Moller.  His headstone is engraved Jan Mollar and that is what I am using here.  He is buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood, South Dakota.  Jan Mollar Grave.
-- Jan Mollar bio information available in PDF format -- click here.

Daniel Newell -- Private, Company M.  He was wounded during the retreat from the valley.  He was also along with Custer on the 1874 expedition into the Black Hills.  On June 25, 1926, he attended the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn.  He is buried in Bear Butte Cemetery.  Daniel Newell Grave.

Olans Northeg -- Sergeant, Company G.  He was in the valley and hilltop fights.  He died on November 5, 1882.  Listed elsewhere as Orlans Northeg.  He is buried in the Post Cemetery at Fort Meade.  Olans Northeg Grave.

John Pahl -- Sergeant, Company H.  He was wounded in the right shoulder on June 26, 1876, in the hilltop fight.  Captain Benteen recommended him for a medal of distinguished gallantry on April 6, 1877, for his actions in the Little Big Horn battle.  Listed elsewhere as John Paul.  He is buried in Bear Butte Cemetery.  John Pahl Grave.
-- John Pahl bio information available in PDF format -- click here.

Elijah Strode -- He was a private in Company A at the time of the Battle of the Little Big Horn.  He was the orderly for Lt. Charles Varnum.  He was wounded in the ankle during the valley fight.  His name is listed as Elija T. Strode in the Register of Enlistments, US Army.  He is listed elsewhere as Strand, Elijah Stroude, and Elijah T. Stroud.  His headstone is marked Elijah Strode and that is what I am using here.  He is buried in the Post Cemetery at Fort Meade.  Elijah Strode Grave.  
-- Elijah Strode bio information available in PDF format -- click here.  
-- Newspaper accounts concerning the murder of Elijah Strode in PDF format -- click here.

Peter Thompson -- Private, Company C.  He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his part in obtaining water for the wounded.  He was wounded in the hand on June 26th.  He is buried in the West Lead Cemetery in Lead, South Dakota.  Peter Thompson Grave.  Peter Thompson Grave #2.

George Weaver -- Private, Company M.  He was in both the valley and the hilltop fights during the Little Big Horn battle.  He was given the nickname 'Cully'.  He died on October 14, 1886.  He is buried at Fort Meade in the Post Cemetery.  George Weaver Grave.
-- George Weaver bio information available in PDF format -- click here.

Henry Charles Weihe -- Sergeant, Company M.  A.K.A. Charles White.  He was wounded in the right arm during the valley fight on June 25, 1876.  His horse was killed when the retreat from the valley began.  He was left behind in the timber and rejoined the command later on the hilltop.  He is buried in the Post Cemetery at Fort Meade.  Henry Charles Weihe Grave.
-- Henry Charles Weihe bio information available in PDF format -- click here.

Markus Weiss -- Private, Company G.  He was with Reno when the 7th Cavalry charged the Indian village on June 25, 1876.  He was in both the valley and hilltop fights.  He died November 15, 1879, while doing construction to build a stable, guardhouse, and saddler shop at Fort Meade.  A gravel wall collapsed and killed him instantly.  He is buried in the Post Cemetery at Fort Meade.  Markus Weiss Grave.

Charles Windolph -- Private, Company H.  With Custer on the Black Hills Expedition of 1874.  He was wounded in the hilltop fight at the Little Big Horn.  He was awarded the Medal of Honor for acting as a sharpshooter protecting the water party as they obtained water for the wounded.  He attended the 50th and 60th anniversaries in 1926 and 1936 respectively.  He was the last living survivor of the 7th Cavalry who had participated in the Little Big Horn battle.  He died on March 11, 1950 at age 98.  He is buried in the Black Hills National Cemetery.  Charles Windolph Grave.

Cemetery Photos -- Post Cemetery at Fort Meade - Bear Butte from Fort Meade Post Cemetery - Elk Vale Cemetery - Bear Butte Cemetery 

Information was used from Men With Custer by Kenneth Hammer edited by Ron Nichols, Custer's Heroes by Douglas Scott, Jerry Bryant from the Adams Museum and a huge thank you to Jack McCulloh.


Comments and information is appreciated -- email here.


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