When researching information, it is important to go to the fountain for the truth.

This is the photo that Ray & little Joey claim to show Custer had a yellow cavalry standard. Poof!
http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss108/bagend-Flags/CusterScouts1868.jpg

You can’t tell much from this photo but there does appear to be some sort of design on the field. Since the flag is moving and blurry the field appears to be white, which is not unusual in this period B&W photo’s. Take note of the pelican in front of HQ flag staff and tent in background, to the right.

Here’s a close up of the flag. http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss108/bagend-Flags/Custer1867closeup.jpg

Turning the page of Lawrence A. Frost book “The Custer Album” you’ll find this picture.
http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss108/bagend-Flags/CusterFortDodge1868.jpg
Same date, same background tent, same position of the pelican, however the flag on the staff is a dark color. The pelican seems to be tied to the HQ flags staff. This picture was taken shortly before or after the one taken with the scouts.

From Colonel W. A. Graham’s book “The Custer Myth”. The 7th Cavalry Standard. Photo taken sometime, before 1952. Note the pattern of the eagle, ribbon in the beak, arrows and olive branch in talons with two rows of five-pointed stars above (13) and red ribbon below the eagle.
http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss108/bagend-Flags/7thCavalryRegimentalStandard.jpg

Here’s a color picture of the same flag, in color. Both pictures taken at the Custer Battle Field Museum. (the flag seems to be in need of preservation, if it hasn’t been done by now) http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss108/bagend-Flags/7thflagcopy.jpg

Here is a picture of a known Civil War period unissued Cavalry Standard. The eagle pattern is the same as that on the 7th Cavalry Standard.
http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss108/bagend-Flags/ff6468-1.jpg
The dark blue field my indicate that the 7th Cavalry Standard may have been made by Tiffany of New York for the New York Depot. Tiffany made flags had a darker color blue then most of the other flag venders during the Civil War, but Annin & Brothers also used a dark color blue but they didn’t make that may flags for the Army. The lighter blue color flag could have been made by one of the other venders, Paton comes to mind, he made several flags for the New York Depot that were shipped to the Cincinnati Depot. His National flags had a lighter blue canton. These are guesses on who made the 7th Cavalry Standard, without a depot invoice, it’ll stay unknown. What is very probable that the 7th Cavalry Standard is a 1863 pattern flag issued from the New York Depot, similar as the 8th Cavalry Standard.

The 7th Cavalry Standard went missing after the battle, Col. Graham’s theory of it being in the supply wagon during the battle is just that. If that was true, why did it take so long to turn up? The last known date of information on the Standard, before the battle was on the 23rd, Captain Godfrey’s eyewitness articles. Besides, this and Custer’s personal HQ flag with the crossed sabers, the 6 or 7 Stars & Stripes Guidons, Custer also lost his personal HQ Guidon during the Civil War, (its in the Museum of the Confederacy), a record.

What happened to Custer’s dogs & the pelican, did the Indian’s get them also?

Colonel Graham’s book “The Custer Myth” is an excellent reference book on the battle at the little big horn and well documented. The bibliography pages are excellent, a very good researched book, if your into this battle.

In Chapter 14 of Graham’s book “Uniforms, Equipment and Ammunition” Montana University Historical Reprints, Godfrey states Custer carried Remington Sporting rifle, octagonal barrel; two Bulldog self cocking, English, white-handled pistols, with a ring in the butt for a lanyard; a hunting knife, in a beaded fringed scabbard; and a canvas cartridge belt. Sgt. John Ryan states Custer was armed with a Remington sporting rifle which used a brass shell. He also carried in his belt two pistols, one a .45 caliber Colt and the other a French Navy and a hunting knife.

This and other information I posted earlier, the myth of Ray's, that Custer had yellow standard is undocumented and imaginative.

Happy Trails!
Tom Martin