The Germans in the Seventh U.S. Cavalry at the Battle of the Littlei B Ghorn Albert Winkler Brigham Young University - Provo, Albert [email protected]
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Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive All Faculty Publications 2013 The Germans in the Seventh U.S. Cavalry at the Battle of the Littlei B ghorn Albert Winkler Brigham Young University - Provo, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub Part of the Military History Commons, and the United States History Commons Original Publication Citation Winkler, A. (2013). The Germans in the Seventh U.S. Cavalry at the Battle of the Little iB ghorn. Greasy Grass, 29, 10-20. BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Winkler, Albert, "The Germans in the Seventh U.S. Cavalry at the Battle of the Little iB ghorn" (2013). All Faculty Publications. 1855. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/1855 This Peer-Reviewed Article is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. The Germans in the Seventh U.S. Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn Dr. Albert Winkler While many aspects of the Battle of the term was a distortion of the word Deutsch Little Bighorn have been carefully examined, [German], which many Americans had a hard the nature of the various nationalities in the time understanding or pronouncing properly. Seventh Cavalry has yet to be thoroughly The Germans had a fine reputation in the investigated. Roughly 57 percent of the men in army and were considered "aggressive fighting that unit were born in the United States, and men." These men seemed to achieve the ranks the remainder, 43 percent, were born in other of noncommissioned officers (sergeants and countries. 1 These troopers originated in many corporals) more readily than other nationalities, nations from Norway to Italy, but the largest and a high proportion of the most important groups of the foreign born were the Irish and regimental sergeant majors and first sergeants the Germans who each comprised about 15% of were Germans. These men had the reputation the total. A better understanding of the national for being "rigid" and "tough-minded," and their minorities in the Seventh U.S. Cavalry helps contribution to the cavalry was significant.5 further our understanding of that combat unit. The German soldiers had an enhanced The study of Germans in the United States is reputation over many other foreigners because also significant because the ancestors of more they came from a country with a proud military Americans came from Germany than any other tradition, a perception that was strengthened nation. The population of twenty three of the after the important German victory in the fifty states is predominantly German, and over Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71. At that point, fifty million people in the United States have the German army enjoyed an impressive German ancestry.2 military reputation worldwide, and the United Many Germans have served in the U.S. States Army copied aspects of German military Army. Among the most celebrated were those uniforms. For decades, many American soldiers a warded the Medal of Honor, and 11 7 men and officers wore ceremonial helmets and born in Germany have been given that honor. uniforms as part of their dress uniforms similar Thirty-eight received the award for action in to those used by the German army. Many the Indian Wars from 1868 to 1899, and seven Americans believed that Germans made good of them served with the Seventh U .S. Cavalry soldiers, a perception that still exists. at that time. Additionally, three Germans: Many of the men in the Regiment had Charles Windolph, Otto Voit, and Frederick German roots, including George Armstrong Deetline received the award for their courage Custer whose distant ancestors came from at the Little Bighorn.3 While virtually all Germany, and the original family name was Kuster or Kuester.6 Many soldiers had German claims that there was a survivor from Custer's names; including Christian Loeser, Anthony battalion in the famous "Last Stand" have Knecht, and Christian Schlafer; and may have proven to be fraudulent, recent scholarship had German ancestors; but each was born in argued compellingly that a German, Gustave the United States. Only enlisted men actually 4 Korn, survived. born in Germany will be part of this study.7 The Germans in the United States Fortunately, the men were asked where they Cavalry during the Indian wars from 1865 to were born when they joined the army, which 1890 were invariably called 'Dutchies." This was recorded in their service records.8 10 Greasy Grass Some of these soldiers were born in the enlisted in the Army as Frederick Smith in disputed provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. 1867.11 When they were born, these locations were Some of the records were confusing, and part of France, but they were incorporated into men were listed as originating in places that Germany in 1871. When the men stated they did not exist, but there is enough information were born in Germany including Louis Haugge to state where many men originated. The men (Hauggi), who said he was born in "Alsace came from various areas of Germany. The Germany," they are included in this study. largest number claimed Bavaria (seventeen) as Aloyse Louis Walter was also from Alsace, but their place of birth. Other areas with significant he stated his place of birth was "Willer France" numbers were Hanover (fifteen) and various (Willer or Willer-sur-Thur), so he will not be areas of Prussia (fifteen). The men born in considered a German. Additionally, William Berlin (eight), a city in Prussia, were listed Teeman was born in "Denmark Germany" separately, and large numbers of men also came meaning that he was probably born in an area from Wurttemberg (thirteen), Baden (ten), and of Schleswig-Holstein that was annexed by Frankfurt am Main (five). 12 Prussia in 1864 and was later incorporated into The Germans had typical features of Germany, so he will be considered a German in men from their country. Of the men whose this article.9 appearance was listed, forty eight had brown In June 1876, 131 men born in Germany (hazel) or black eyes, and seventy nine had blue were assigned to the Seventh Cavalry. Each of or grey eyes, while forty six men had light or these men were serving in the army except John light brown hair, and seventy nine had brown Frett and Charles A Stein. Frett was a "citizen or dark hair. Only one man, John H . Meier, had packer" who accompanied the campaign, but red hair. When Charles Louis Haak (Haack) Charles A. Stein was a veterinarian on detached first enlisted in 1856 at age thirty one, he had service and did not participate in the battle. brown hair, but by 1876 his hair was listed as Even though Frett was a civilian in 1876, he gray.1a was an experienced soldier who had fought in The Germans were average in height for the cavalry for four years during the Civil War. the men in Custer's command. Their stature Many of the military records relating was consistent with the cavalry which actively to these men are unclear leading to possible recruited men who weighed less than 200 confusion of names and places. This was pounds because heavier men would be more probably the result of sloppy record keeping by difficult for the horses to carry. The average army scribes, their poor handwriting, and their height of the Germans was 5 feet 7 inches, and inability to understand clearly what was said 104 of them were between 5 feet 9113 inches to them by men who often spoke poor English. and 5 feet 5'i2 inches tall. The tallest German Some men probably gave an alias instead of was August Finckle at 6 feet 'i2 inches, and he their real name, including Adam Karl Reinwald was probably also one of the tallest men in the who said his name was Charles Brown.10 Seventh Cavalry. One of the shortest Germans Many of the soldiers also Anglicized was Anton Dohman at 5 feet 2'i2 inches. Army their names perhaps to solve constant issues regulations stated that men had to be at least of mispronunciations and misspellings. Otto 5 ft. 3 inches tall to join, but Dohman was Arndt was also known as Max Cernow, and probably considered to be close enough. Charles White's name was originally Henry The records indicate that a few men grew [Heinrich] Charles Weihe. Frederick Shulte's during the terms of their enlistments, because name was spelled in various ways including the height of some of the men changed when they Shutte, Schutte, Schulte, and Schuetze. Other reenlisted years later. This was often the case examples include Roman Rutten (Ruttenauer), when the men joined as teenagers or in their John Rapp (Ropp, Papp), and Christopher early twenties before they achieved their final Pandtle (Pendle). Christian Methfessel also stature. The minimum age when men could join VOLUME 29 • MAY 2013 11 Height of German Soldiers in the 7th Cavalry 30 ~------------++----------------- 2S +-~~~~~~~~~~- ... 20 +-------- (11 ..c E lS +--------- :i z 10 +------~r--- S'2" S'3" S'4" S'S" S'6" S'7" S'8" S'9" S'lO" S'll" 6'0" Height (inches) Graph by Liz Montgomery the army was twenty-one, but a few teenagers culture. The troopers often demonstrated the were able to enlist at younger ages. August B. most impressive stamina, and they frequently Siefert joined the army at age sixteen when he showed remarkable tenacity and courage under was 5 ft.