Description:

George A. Custer
Fort Hays, KS, April 29, 1867
George A. Custer PSA NM-MT 8 ANS Dated 2 Weeks After Custer's Order to Pursue Cheyenne & Lakota Women & Children During Hancock's Campaign Against Dog Soldiers, Ex-Libbie Custer Collection
ANS
An autograph note signed by U.S. Army Cavalry commander George A. Custer (1839-1876), all in his hand in full: "Fort Hays Kansas / April 29th 1867 / Recd this day, A letter / had already been forwarded / to the enclosed address / GA Custer / B Maj Genl. / U.S.A." April 29, 1867. Fort Hays, near Hays, in central Kansas, a U.S. Army installation in operation between 1865-1889. Custer's handwriting appears at the top of a leaf of blank "Congress" paper neatly folded into thirds. Encapsulated and PSA/DNA certified and graded NM-MT 8. Flattened folds, else near fine. The folded paper measures 3.5" x 7.75." The slab measures 6.5" x 10.125." Comes with two attractive high-quality photo reproductions of portraits of Custer and his family. Ex-Spink Auctions May 2013 auction; Ex-Libbie Custer Collection.

Custer had been appointed the commander of the 7th Cavalry regiment about one year earlier, in July 1866. In early April 1867, General Winfield Scott Hancock assembled 1,400 troops, including Custer's 7th Cavalry, for a campaign against the Dog Soldiers, a band of Lakota, Arapaho, and Cheyenne warriors who had been attacking the frontier (mostly in response to the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre.) On April 14, 1867, many indigenous women and children fled in advance of Hancock's troops, fearing another massacre. Custer's 7th Cavalry was dispatched to pursue them. They failed and retreated to Fort Hays on April 19th to regroup. Custer and his 7th Cavalry remained at Fort Hays while Hancock carried on more campaigns and negotiations. Custer's autograph endorsement, as we know, is dated from this period of late April 1867.

By May 3, 1867, Hancock's forces had rejoined Custer at Fort Hays, where a footrace was organized to boost morale lowered by sickness, lack of supplies, and desertions. Custer remained at Fort Hays until mid-July, when he trekked to Fort Wallace. Just a few months later, in the autumn of 1867, Custer was court-martialed for being absent without leave, a charge which some historians have posited was really about Custer's perceived lack of initiative in Indian-fighting.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Provenance: This Custer autograph comes from the Libbie Custer Collection, portions of which were offered at Spink Auctions in August 2012 and May 2013. Elizabeth "Libbie" Bacon Custer (1842-1933) had lovingly preserved numerous documents, envelopes, and other ephemera written or signed by her husband in a box that was later given to her personal companion, Margaret Flood. Flood in turn gave the Custer autographs to her niece, Mary, and Mary bequeathed them to the Spink consignor's family.
  • Dimensions: slabbed: 6.5" x 10.125"
  • Medium: ANS

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