Comanche - The Only Survivor of Custer's Last Stand (Edited)
A bit of history which I have compiled from the web covering a real animal hero.
Gives a pleasant break from the usual crap.
25 - 26 June 1876 - Custer's Last Stand
Cavalry horse COMANCHE, was the only 7th Cavalry survivor of Custer's Little Big Horn massacre. He was bought in 1868 by the US Army in St.Louis Missouri.
Captain Myles Keogh of the 7th Cavalry who was killed in the battle, bought him for his personal mount.
Many links on the web give details of Custer's Last Stand.
The Little Big Horn battle took place on Sunday 25th June 1876.
When found, Comanche had a number of wounds, 3 serious - one through the neck, one through his front shoulders and one went right through his rear just in front of the hind legs, caused by an arrow and two bullets, the rest were flesh wounds. He was found two days after the battle wandering about very weak from his wounds, amongst Custer's 215 dead and mutilated soldiers and a number of dead horses. All the fit horses were taken by the Indians.
Comanche was wounded many times before the Little Big Horn, arrows, bullets and flesh wounds but survived all these to retain his fitness as a cavalry horse.
He was nursed back to health - it took over a year in a special stable with loving medical care and he had to have slings to help him recover. After that was treated to a luxurious life as the proud and cherished mascot of the 7th Cavalry. He lived for 15 years after the battle and died of natural causes.
Comanche is one of only two horses in American history to be given full military honours on their death.
The image shown was taken on the actual battle field, dead horses are shown in the back ground.
This poor horse must have suffered a life of pain with all the wounds he received, but still carried out his duties as if nothing had happened. He was declared unfit for service after this final Little Big Horn battle.
He is now preserved in a glass case at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum on public display.
Many people have claimed to have survived the battle of The Little Big Horn, but none have been officially corroborated.