CUSTER'S LAST STAND. CUSTER, GEORGE ARMSTRONG. 1839-1876. Contemporary manuscript map of the bat...

CUSTER'S LAST STAND. CUSTER, GEORGE ARMSTRONG. 1839-1876. Contemporary manuscript map of the battle of the Little Big Horn, 'Custers Last Fight, at 4 p.m., June 25 1876,' 253 x 305 mm, in black, brown and red ink on thin card, c. 1877, even browning, corners chipped, a few small stains. WITH: BENTEEN, FREDERICK WILLIAM. 1834-1898. Autograph Letter Signed ('W. Benteen'), to George E. Albee, 2 pp recto and verso, 8vo, West Point, NY, August 26, 1881, in pencil, saying that he had caught a train to West Point, would stay about a week, and then go to Point Pleasant, NJ. Provenance (for letter only): Collection of George E. Albee (1845-1918, Congressional Medal of Honor winner). CONTEMPORARY HAND-DRAWN MAP OF THE HISTORIC BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIG HORN showing the positions of U.S. troops and their Sioux opponents, including a detailed time-line of the movements of Custer, Reno, and Benteen on June 25. According to the annotations, which note his positions and times indicated with 'HALT,' Custer crossed the divide at 12:25 pm, and arrived at the site of his last battle at 3:45 pm. The inscription in the upper corner identifies Custer's position at that time, 'at point marked with x between attacks of Crazy Horse and Gall the latter in chief comand [sic] of Indians was war chief of Ogalala [sic] Sioux.' The note is signed with the initials 'N.L.' Interestingly, modern scholarship supports the contemporary account here of Gall's enlarged tactical role during the battle. At lower right, the annotation gives an account of the Battle of the Rosebud, 'Tho not generally known 8 days previous to Custer's encounter on June 17 1876 Gen Crook encountered same indians at on head of Rose Bud a few miles south of x marked x on this map. Crook was compelled to retire to his base on Loose Creek near Old Ft. Phil Kearny [sic] - tho having 1049 men in his command... L.' Custer was unaware of Crook's withdrawal when he faced the Sioux at the Little Big Horn. George Albee was an officer in the 41st U.S. Infantry who was decorated with the Medal of Honor for bravery at the battle of Brazos River in Texas on October 28, 1868. Albee assembled a collection of documents, letters, firearms and artefacts of the Indian Wars, and developed friendships with Little Big Horn survivor Benteen (as evidenced in this letter), as well as Frederic Remington, William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody, and other iconic figures of the era. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing