This box is in the collection of Darryl Audette

COMANCHE” RETURNS TO FORT LINCOLN ON THE STEAMER “FAR WEST”

HEADQUARTERS, 7th U.S. CAVALRY, FORT ABRAHAM LINCOLN, DAKOTA TERRITORY

GENERAL ORDERS NO. 7 April 10, 1878

(1.) The horse known as “Comanche” being the only survivor or living representative of the bloody tragedy of the Little Big Horn, June 25, 1876, his kind treatment and comfort should be a matter of pride and solicitude on the part of every member of the 7th Cavalry, to the end that his life may be prolonged to the utmost limit. Wounded and scarred as he is, his very existence speaks in terms more eloquent than words of the desperate struggle against overwhelming numbers, of the hopeless conflict, and of the heroic manner in which all went down on that fatal day.

(2.) The commanding officer of Troop “I” will see that a special and comfortable stall is fitted up for him, and he will not be ridden by any person whatever, under any circumstances, nor will he be put to any work.

(3.) Hereafter, upon all occasions of ceremony (of mounted regimental formation) Comanche, saddled, bridled, draped in mourning, and led by a mounted trooper of Troop “I”, will be paraded with the regiment.

By Command of Colonel Sturgis

Ernest A. Garlington

1st Lt. and Adjutant

7th U.S. Cavalry

From Sheperd Paine: The Life and Work of a Master Military Modeler and Historian by Jim DeRogatis (Schiffer Books, 2008)

J.D. There’s a poignant story behind “The Sole Survivor: Comanche.”

S.P. The idea actually came from the horse, which was a Mike Tapavica sculpture. I realized it would be perfect for Comanche. I’ve always been interested in the whole story of the Little Big Horn, and of Comanche in particular. The idea of doing it as a box always appealed to me, and Mike’s horse was perfect for it.

Comanche was ridden by Captain Keough, and the horse was the only survivor of Custer’s detachment at the Little Big Horn. They took him down to the river and put him on the steamer Far West. They dressed his wounds, fed him, and tenderly cared for him as the boat carried them back to Fort Abraham Lincoln. The box shows the horse in the stall that was set up for him, and several of the officers of Major Reno and Major Benteen’s commands are coming to pay their respects. When I showed the box, I displayed the order establishing Comanche’s future role with the regiment with it.

J.D. You really captured the personality of the horse!

S.P. Thank Mike for that. The markings are based upon photographs of the horse, and the wounds are based upon descriptions of his wounds.

J.D. Since this is another box that I’ve only seen in the photos, I never realized the scene is aboard a ship.

S.P. The only hint you have of the steamboat are the pillars of the deck, and the stacks of firewood, which help show that the scene was aboard a steamboat, and as well as helping to mask the sidelines and frame the scene.

J.D. How did you do the lantern?

S.P. That was done with a micro mini-bulb, the same as I’d used for the candles. They were better than using fiber optics, because the fiber optics were not terribly flexible.

I wanted to get really good folds the drapery of the tent in the background, and I knew I couldn’t get a piece of large-scale cloth to drape naturally. So I sculpted the folds into a piece of plasticene; coated it with Vaseline to make sure the fabric wouldn’t stick to it; dipped the fabric into a solution of white glue, and then pressed it down against the plasticene form and let it dry. It was the first time I’d ever tried that, and I used this trick a couple of times afterwards.