LAST STAND AT THE LITTLE BIGHORN
Two Central Georgians Stand and Fall with George Armstrong Custer
On this day 141 years ago, June 25, 1876, the 7th United States Cavalry, under the command of General George Armstrong Custer, was virtually wiped out when they inadvertently ran into a vastly superior force of Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Indians near the Little Big Horn River in Eastern Montana. Of Custer's force, 268 men were killed and 49 were wounded, a loss of nearly 50 percent of his entire force. The legendary event would become known as "Custer's Last Stand."
Most of Custer's soldiers were from the Northern states and many of those were born in Europe. Only two of the casualties were born in the Deep South and both of those men were natives of Middle Georgia.
James R. Manning, a blacksmith with Company F, was born in 1843 in Houston County, Georgia. Manning, who had enlisted on January 25, 1873 in the 7th Cavalry, was among 38 members of Company F, who lost their lives on June 25, 1876.
Manning, described as 5'8" tall, with hazel eyes, black hair and dark complexion, was also a blacksmith in civilian life. Originally assigned to Company I on June 3, 1873 at Fort Snelling, Montana, Private Manning was transferred to Company F, in the autumn before the iconic battle.
Manning was killed with Custer's column during the Battle of the Little Bighorn. His unidentified remains were originally buried where they were found on the battlefield. Later all of the remains were removed and placed in a mass grave on the top of Last Stand Hill.
William W. Rye, a member of Company M, was born in 1849 in Pike County, Georgia. A farmer by profession, Rye, with his grey eyes, fair complexion and brown hair, enlisted on October 9, 1875. The 5'8.5" soldier was said to have been killed while fighting in hilltops and the valleys around the Little Bighorn area.
Two Central Georgians Stand and Fall with George Armstrong Custer
On this day 141 years ago, June 25, 1876, the 7th United States Cavalry, under the command of General George Armstrong Custer, was virtually wiped out when they inadvertently ran into a vastly superior force of Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Indians near the Little Big Horn River in Eastern Montana. Of Custer's force, 268 men were killed and 49 were wounded, a loss of nearly 50 percent of his entire force. The legendary event would become known as "Custer's Last Stand."
Most of Custer's soldiers were from the Northern states and many of those were born in Europe. Only two of the casualties were born in the Deep South and both of those men were natives of Middle Georgia.
James R. Manning, a blacksmith with Company F, was born in 1843 in Houston County, Georgia. Manning, who had enlisted on January 25, 1873 in the 7th Cavalry, was among 38 members of Company F, who lost their lives on June 25, 1876.
Manning, described as 5'8" tall, with hazel eyes, black hair and dark complexion, was also a blacksmith in civilian life. Originally assigned to Company I on June 3, 1873 at Fort Snelling, Montana, Private Manning was transferred to Company F, in the autumn before the iconic battle.
Manning was killed with Custer's column during the Battle of the Little Bighorn. His unidentified remains were originally buried where they were found on the battlefield. Later all of the remains were removed and placed in a mass grave on the top of Last Stand Hill.
William W. Rye, a member of Company M, was born in 1849 in Pike County, Georgia. A farmer by profession, Rye, with his grey eyes, fair complexion and brown hair, enlisted on October 9, 1875. The 5'8.5" soldier was said to have been killed while fighting in hilltops and the valleys around the Little Bighorn area.
Comments