NOV 7: Comanche Passes

Comanche, ‘the only survivor of the Custer Massacre.’ (Credit: Library of Congress)

On Nov. 7, 1891, Comanche, the horse that survived the Battle of Little Bighorn in June 1876, succumbs to colic and dies at Ft. Riley, Kansas, at the age of 29. His remains were preserved and are on display at the University of Kansas’ Natural History Museum.

After George Armstrong Custer and 210 cavalry troopers were killed at Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876, an estimated 12,000 Indians camped nearby departed from the area. They took with them all the U.S. Army horses that had not been seriously wounded. The only living thing that remained at the scene was a severely injured bay horse named Comanche that had belonged to U.S. Army Capt. Myles Keough, a fatality of the battle.

During the encounter, Comanche suffered at least seven wounds, three of which were severe. As the only survivor of five companies of soldiers under Custer, it was later determined that every effort should be made to save the horse’s life. A farrier (blacksmith) Gustave Korn took over as Comanche’s caregiver, walking him 15 miles to the steamboat Far West, which took Comanche and 52 wounded soldiers, who had been under the command of Major Marcus Reno, down the Missouri River to Fort Lincoln, home of the 7th Cavalry.

By April 1878, Comanche had made a full recovery and Col. Samuel D. Sturgis issued General Order No. 7, which declared that no one would ever again ride Comanche and he would never be used to do work of any kind. The only exception was to be outfitted with a saddle and march riderless with the 7th Cavalry at parades.