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LOT OF 7TH CAVALRY UNIFORM BUTTONS AND TYPED TRANSCRIPT OF DIARY

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Other Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
LOT OF 7TH CAVALRY UNIFORM BUTTONS AND TYPED TRANSCRIPT OF DIARY
LOT OF 7TH CAVALRY UNIFORM BUTTONS AND TYPED TRANSCRIPT OF DIARY. This lot consists of fifteen early spread winged eagle buttons, four large and eleven small. Each eagle has a shield on its breast with a large "C", except on of the small buttons, which has a standard shield decorated with red paint.. The backs have a wire loop and are marked Waterbury Button Company. They are mounted to a thin wooden board covered with old paper with an old ink notation at the top "W.S. Harvey / 7th U.S. Cavalry Buttons". The back has a small paper tag with type written notation "Worn by / Winfield S. Harvey, 1866-1871". According to the preface of his diary, Harvey was born in Fayett County PA and was named for Gen Winfield Scott. He served in the 57th PA Volunteers. After he war, he enlisted as a farrier in the 7th Cavalry, Co. K and was discharged as a sergeant 9/11/71. The following is an excerpt from Harvey’s diary, recounting a day under Custer’s command and the destruction by the 7th Cavalry of a friendly Cheyenne village led by Black Kettle, who had camped on the Washita under Gen. William Hazen’s promise of protection: “November 27, 1868. The morning is very cold. We found them at last. We charged at daybreak. Captured the entire Indian village, numbering fifty-two lodges, and killed 103 of their warriors, including their principal chief Black Kettle. Captured 57 or 75 of their women and children who are in our possession, prisoners of war…” The entry goes on to list wounded, etc and mentions that the 7th killed about 800 of the Cheyenne’s ponies and mules - a tremendous loss to any surviving Cheyenne with winter coming on. Harvey’s diary is a very plain unvarnished account of a trooper’s life during the campaigns against the plains Indians. Although he wrote with a degree of admiration about some of the “friendly” Indians that he had contact with, this attitude is belied somewhat by his account of 12/20/68 regarding how the army is holding two Kiowa chiefs (Satanta and Lone Wolf) hostage to induce their people to surrender “for the good of their tribes”. After the very recent slaughter of their friend Black Kettle (one of the most peaceable of the Cheyenne) and his family and followers, however, it is difficult to imagine how these chiefs could trust their families’ lives to the good intentions of the Army. This diary is a wonderful source of information for any student of the Indian Wars. CONDITION: Buttons all retain about half their original polish with some oxidation, primarily on the eagle. Backing board is cracked down the center and the paper is very old and brittle, soiled and stained. One button appears to be missing as there apparently were sixteen to begin with. Typewritten diary transcript is in very good condition. 4-53320