The Search for Corporal Dow

Whatever happened to the firearms taken from the Native Americans following the Custer massacre?

A few years ago, a Winchester rifle proven to have been used in the Custer battle by a Cheyenne warrior was sold for $684,500.00 Another weapon, also proven to be at the battle, brought over $220,000. Hundreds of weapons were used at this battle. What ever happened to the weapons ultimately confiscated from the Indians following Custer's Last Stand?

Chapter 6 of our book describes how the provenance for these weapons was proven to a level that it would stand up in a court of law by the forensic tests undertaken. In 1983 a grass fire swept across the Custer battlefield denuding the area covered with high prairie grass. Government archaeologists were brought in, the area was carefully gridlined in ten sq. ft. plots and the surface was carefully examined. Initially over 550 relics from the battle were located and before the entire area was examined over 5,000 items were discovered. The dry environment of that area meant that many items had survived in recognizable form since 1876. A lot of fired cartridge cases were located.

The Archaeologists, led by Doug Scott, were trained by the Nebraska Highway Patrol Forensics Lab on firearms identification by firing cartridges in weapons and comparing them to other firedcartridges. This study was rigorous and had to meet the high standard capable of being used in a court of law. Over 150 firearms that were claimed to have been used at the Custer battle were tested. Twenty-six of those firearms were proven to have been used because cases fired by the weapons were matched exactly to cartridge cases located on the battlefield by the archeological search. Several other of these weapons may have been used, but their deterioration over the years, due to rust, etc. made identification impossible. The majority of these firearms are now stored in museums in Nebraska, at the Custer National Park and at the Rock Island arsenal.

The tribal elders repeated the old remembered story that the English king had promised a place to stay forever when their tribes became allies of the English in the French and Indian war. So after the battle, the majority of the armed camp moved north into Alberta. What a sight it must have been for the first two Canadian Royal Mounties when they crested a hill in Alberta and saw an armed Indian encampment with the warriors possessing several near-new Colt revolvers and trap-door Springfield rifles, astride horses with the "U.S." markings on their flanks!

The winter of 76-77 proved so severe that the Indians decided to move south and return to the United States. At the border they were met by armed troops, their weapons were confiscated, and the Native Americans were assigned to various reservations with no attempt at keeping families and friends together. Ultimately all the firearms were gathered together and shipped to the Springfield Armory and held in a separate vault.

The book reveals what happened to these weapons, that caused the remainder of these them, made unique by their provenance attaching them to the Custer battle, to be gathered up and shipped to the Rock Island arsenal; where they remain today.

posted by Linda @ 2:05 PM