Lot 20

Captain Miles Keogh's Comanche War Horse Photo

Estimate: $350 - $550

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
This is a cabinet card photograph of Comanche War Horse to Captain Myles Keogh of the 7th Cavalry under George Armstrong Custer and sole survivor of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The image is by Joseph Judd Pennell circa 1889 taken at Fort Reily, Kansas of war horse Comanche being held by Sergeant Korn. The cabinet card is marked with embossed lettering, “Pennell Junction City, Kans.” and in the photo, “Korn – Comanche Caption on photograph reads: "Now at Fort riley, Kansas Troop "I", Seventh Cavalry, and taken care of by Korn, who was at the time of the Custer Massacre in Troop "I" was at least five years old in '68, when he went through the Cheyenne campaign in the Indian Territory; was one of the few horses that got through the trial; was afterwards ridden by Col. Keogh and was his mount at the Little Big Horn. Comanche was wounded seven times there: three severe, and four light flesh wounds. The seven wounds were; (1) through the neck, (2) just behind the front shoulder, passing clear through. (3) In hind quarter, passing out between hind legs. He is now at least twenty-six years old. Photographed May 21, 1889, by Ramsour & Pennell.” Comanche was bought by the U.S. Army in 1868 in St. Louis, Missouri and sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was then bought for personal mount, to be ridden only in battle by Captain Myles Keogh of the 7th Cavalry. He received his name in 1868 when, in fighting against the Comanche Indians in Kansas, the horse was wounded by an arrow to the hindquarters and continued to fight, hence he received the name Comanche. On June 25, 1876, Captain Keogh rode Comanche at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, led by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer. Their entire detachment was killed, with the exception of war horse Comanche, who was badly wounded. He was transported to Fort Lincoln where he was nursed back to health, but ultimately retired from service in 1878. He later died of colic on November 7, 1891, and is one of only four horse in the United States history to be given a military funeral with full military honors (the others being Black Jak, Sergeant Reckless and Chief). His remains were preserved, and the taxidermy mount now on display at the University of Kansas National History Museum, still on display today. This image shows Fort Reily Cavalry Army Sergeant Korn holding Comanche next to a U.S. Army building. Provenance: From the Jim Aplan Piedmont, South Dakota collection. Another nearly identical example of this image was sold by Heritage Auctions in 2008 for about $800 and is the only similar example we could find of this exact image. Measures 6 5/8” by 4.5”. The back is marked in pencil, “Comanche – Survivor of The Little Big Horn Fight Taken at Ft. Riely, Kansas Held by SGT Ko(h)rn.”

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