Victoria Hammon

Victoria was the wife of John E. Hammon. Hammon met her while stationed at nearby Fort Meade, serving in the 7th US Cavalry. He was a veteran and survivor of the 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn. 

Victoria was born Victoria Patterson on September 20, 1860 in Ohio. She and John Hammon were married in 1881 and ranched east of Fort Meade. Together they had eight children: Emma, Harry, Earl, Agnes, Hope, Mary, Lillian and Victoria. Emma and Harry, their first two children, died as infants and are buried in the Fort Meade National Cemetery, Sturgis, South Dakota.

Victoria died on Monday, January 25, 1937, in Sturgis. She was buried in Bear Butte Cemetery at the end of Sherman Street in Sturgis. She was buried next to her husband, John, who had passed in 1909.

Victoria Hammon Obituary; Sturgis Weekly Record; January 28, 1937

I apologize for the quality of the newspaper clipping. The text of the obituary reads as follows:

Mrs. Victoria Hammon Dies Following Long Illness

Funeral services for Mrs. Victoria Hammon, who passed away Monday evening

at 7:30, following a long illness, at her home on Cedar street, were held from the

Anderson & Son funeral chapel, yesterday at 3:30, conducted by Rev. Carroll D.

Erskine of the Presbyterian church. There was a large attendance of old time

friends and neighbors from Sturgis and surrounding community. There was a

profusion of floral tributes. Interment was made in Bear Butte cemetery, beside

the grave of her husband. The pallbearers were five grandsons - Earl Ford, Harry

Zeidner, William Ford, Jack Gronert and Donald Williams and a close friend of

the family, Carl Boehnlein.

Mrs. Hammon had been ill for a number of years and following an operation

about three years ago suffered greatly, all of which she endured bravely and with

rare fortitude. During her long illness she was tenderly cared for by her devoted

family, who did everything possible to make her comfortable and happy.

Victoria Patterson was born on September 20, 1860 at Lynchberg, Ohio. She was

married to John Edward Hammon, December 10, 1881, at Morrow, Ohio. They

immediately came to Fort Meade and Sturgis. They also lived for a few years on

a ranch east of Fort Meade. Mr. Hammon died January 20, 1909.

Mrs. Hammon is survived by one son, Earl E. Hammon, Custer State Park; five

daughters, Mrs. Mitchell Turner, San Antonio, Texas; Mrs. Mary Zeidner, Mrs.

Elmer Williams, Mrs. Lillian Schlegel, Sturgis,and Mrs. Edward Gronert, Rapid

City and twelve grandchildren. She also leaves a brother, Wm. Patterson,

Lynchburgh, Ohio; three sisters, Mrs. F.M. Smith, Waynesville, Mrs. Agnes

Weeks, Dayton, Ohio and Mrs. Ira Weeks, Springfield, Ohio, a number of nieces

and nephews. Mrs. Hammon was a member of the Rebekah and Degree of

Honor lodges.

Mrs. Hammon was a devoted wife and mother and a firm friend. Quiet and

unassuming but also possessed of a keen sense of humor and of justice, she did

her share toward making the world a better place in which to live. The love she

gave, the service she rendered, the friendships she proved, continues to abide in

many hearts and memories.

On February 4, 1937, the following Card of Thanks appeared in the Sturgis Weekly Record:

Hammon Card of Thanks; Sturgis Weekly Record; February 4, 1937

Hammon grave at Bear Butte Cemetery, Sturgis, South Dakota.

JOHN HAMMON PAGE

Mighty Fine Shootin'

When Custer and the rest of the 7th U.S. Cavalry came to Dakota Territory in 1873, they spent some time in Yankton, before moving north to Forts Abraham Lincoln and Rice. They were delayed by a spring blizzard, which caused hardship among the men, including cases of frostbite and amputations.

The 7th Cavalry ended up spending several weeks in Yankton. That time allowed them to explore the town and get to know the townspeople. One of those was the local bandleader, Felix Vinatieri. Custer was so impressed with Vinatieri that he invited him to join the cavalry as their chief musician. Vinatieri did join the 7th and ended up participating in the 1873 Yellowstone Expedition, the Black Hills Expedition in 1874, and the Sioux Campaign of 1876. He and the rest of the musicians remained at the Powder River Depot during the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

There were dinners, balls, and other activities held in honor of the soldiers. On April 30, 1873, the Yankton Press reported on a bird shooting match between a General McCook from Yankton and Captain Thomas French of the 7th Cavalry. General Custer served as referee.

Although the newspaper snippet states that McCook lost the match, it appears to me that it was a tie.

Yankton Press, April 30, 1873

Gettysburg 2024

In August 2024, I travelled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to attend the Little Big Horn Associates conference. I met up with my Montana Mayhem buddies and we hit up the sights around the area. As we are normally running around Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas, this was something different for us. And speaking just for myself, I had a blast!

It's always fun to meet up with fellow Custer/Indian War/History enthusiasts. I especially enjoy meeting people in real life that I have only known online. The Facebook pages and other message board sites are great for exchanging information and ideas. But close friendships can also be found online. Our Montana Mayhem group was formed by individuals who were fed up with the status quo of the online message boards. With the development of the Facebook groups, more and more people are getting exposed to the Custer story.

So, I apologize in the fact that this post has nothing to do with any troopers in South Dakota. But it is 7th Cavalry related. It also shows some of the fun that can be had with a membership to the Little Big Horn Associates. There are newsletters, scholarly journals, and the opportunity to attend these conferences around the country. Not to mention you meet a lot of really cool people who share your interests.

Check out my Montana Mayhem 2024 photo album on Google Photos (I know we didn't go to Montana.) Sorry for the helter-skelter organization in the photo album. But you get the gist...

Check out this video that didn't make it into the album. Watch to the end and you'll see my buddy Frank being weird. Come on...I know you want to. It's only a handful of seconds.

Battle of Little Bighorn Traveling Cemetery

Back in August, I traveled out to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to attend the 50th annual conference of the Little Big Horn Associates. I've been to these conferences before and have always had a great time. If you are interested in this period of history (which is probably why you're on this website), you definitely need to look into membership in the Little Big Horn Associates. You will receive newsletters to keep you updated on happenings, new books, battlefield news, etc. You will also receive the RESEARCH REVIEW, a high quality scholarly journal, which contains articles and photographs on this fascinating period of our country's history.

This year at the conference, I had the pleasure of meeting Jenny Niemeyer. Jenny is the force behind the Battle of Little Bighorn Traveling Cemetery. And what is the Battle of the Little Bighorn Traveling Cemetery? Here's the description from the website:

"I have visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield in southeastern Montana many times. To the Natives who called this place home it is still known as the Greasy Grass. Each time I visited I felt the presence of the dead and I wanted to find a way to honor all of them.

Many people who research this battle are focused on George Custer and his "last stand," but there's so much more to know. In total, 263 cavalrymen, eight civilian employees, three Arikara scouts, 24 Lakota soldiers, seven Cheyenne soldiers, six Lakota women and four Lakota children died over the course of the two-day battle. I am honoring each of them with a portrait and a short biography. This is the Battle of Little Bighorn Traveling Cemetery."

I have one of Jenny's portraits sitting on my desk. The eyes are particularly haunting. 

I encourage you to check out Jenny's website and library or work. Here's a video from Jenny's site explaining the project.

Monument to Horatio Ross

Although not a trooper, Horatio Ross had an impact on George Custer's life. He was one of two miners who accompanied the 1874 Black Hills Expedition. News of the expedition was followed closely in the newspapers across the country. Its mission was to look for suitable locations for a fort in the area. 

There had been rumors of gold in the Black Hills for years. Custer brought along two miners, Horatio Ross and William McKay, to investigate the possibility of minerals in the area, particularly the "yellow metal that made the white man crazy." And they found it. Later, the Homestake Gold Mine, near Deadwood in the Black Hills, would become the largest producing gold mine in the Western Hemisphere. The mine produced more than forty million troy ounces (43,900,000 oz; 1,240,000 kg) of gold during its lifetime. It closed in 2002.

Custer, South Dakota, celebrates its gold rush history every year with Gold Discovery Days.

Ross Monument in Custer, South Dakota

Forest City Press; Forest City, South Dakota; February 16, 1911

HORATIO ROSS PAGE

Daniel Newell at the 50th Anniversary of the Little Big Horn Battle

It's 2024 and we are only two years away from the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, on June 25/26, 2026. They are currently working on a new and updated visitor center at the battlefield to be ready for the big anniversary in 2026.

The 50th anniversary was one of the biggest so far. There were still a fair amount of participants, both Indian and white, alive to participate. Battle tactics were discussed and former enemies compared notes on the biggest event of their lives.

Daniel Newell, who is now buried at the Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis, attended the 50th anniversary celebration with his wife, Mary. Before returning home, they stopped and visited with friends and former Sturgis residents, Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Bullis at Hardin, MT.

Below is coverage of the anniversary festivities from the Sacramento Bee. General Edward Settle Godfrey was in attendance. He was a first lieutenant during the Little Big Horn battle and was in command of Company K. 

Sacramento Bee; June 25, 1926

Edward Settle Godfrey was a first lieutenant at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Daniel Newell, in 1926.

Newell had fought with Reno, and was wounded in the left thigh during the retreat from the valley. He was taken to Fort Lincoln aboard the steamer Far West. His story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn was published in The Sunshine Magazine on September 30, 1930, as “The Story of the Little Bighorn Campaign of 1876.” This was his first time seeing the battlefield in fifty years. Newell was able to locate the former site of the makeshift hospital, where he had been treated for his injuries.

Some of the crowd gathered in 1926 at the battlefield for the anniversary.

Daniel Newell died in Hot Springs, South Dakota, on September 23, 1933.

The Newell grave in Sturgis, South Dakota.

Daniel Newell is buried beside his beloved wife, Mary, in Bear Butte Cemetery, Sturgis, South Dakota.

DANIEL NEWELL PAGE

Burri - National Indian War Veterans of America

John Burri enlisted in the 7th U.S. Cavalry on March 13, 1871, at St Louis, Missouri.  He was detailed to Company G under Lieutenant McIntosh, where he served 5 years.  Upon the expiration of this term he re-enlisted in the same regiment but was assigned to Company I under Captain Henry J. Nowlan, serving another 5 years.

He came to Dakota with Custer in 1873.  In that same year, he was stationed along the Union Pacific Railroad in Nebraska and Wyoming and often told of the many skirmishes with the Indians there.  He was again with Custer in 1874 on the expedition into the Black Hills.  

Elizabeth Custer included the following in her wonderful book, Boots and Saddles, referring to 7th Cavalry musician, John Burri:

"There was a Swiss soldier in our regiment who had contrived to bring his zither with him. My husband would lie on the bearskin rug in front of the fire and listen with delight as long as he ventured to tax the man. He played the native Tyrolese airs, which seemed to have caught in them the sound of the Alpine horn, the melody of the cascade, and the echo of the mountain passes. The general often regretted that he had not had the opportunity to learn music. It seemed to me that it was a great solace and diversion to officers if they knew some musical instrument well enough to enjoy practice. They certainly gave great pleasure to those around them."

The following article appeared in the Sioux City Journal of November 21, 1926, a little more than 50 years after the Little Big Horn battle.

Sioux City Journal; November 21, 1926

There are a couple things to note about the article above. 

First, the peak mentioned that Custer climbed during the 1874 Black Hills Expedition, was Harney Peak. It was since been renamed Black Elk Peak, but was never known as Custer Peak. There is indeed a Custer Peak in the Black Hills, but it is further north. Custer Peak is one of the more prominent peaks in the north central area of South Dakota's Black Hills. Located about 7 miles south of the Deadwood-Lead area.

The article also mentioned that "at the time that Custer's band was wiped out, Burri was in the east." Part of that statement is true. Burri was not present at the Little Big Horn battle. He was in the east visiting his sister who had been ill. But Custer's band was not "wiped out." The band members did accompany the column on the campaign, but were left behind at the Powder River Depot when the 7th headed to the Little Big Horn. Instead of the musicians, Custer needed their horses.

Burri married the widow of fellow 7th Cavalryman Henry Haack, on December 8, 1881, at Fort Totten. After retirement from the Army at Fort Meade in 1885, Burri located on a ranch west of Bear Butte where he resided until he moved to Whitewood in 1899 where he made his home until his death.

Among his civil honors may be cited his yearly presence in the Museum building during the “Days of ‘76” celebration in Deadwood each year since its establishment where he helped to entertain visitors to the Black Hills with sketches of early frontier life, both military and civil.

Burri died on December 1, 1927, in Whitewood, South Dakota. He is buried in the Whitewood Cemetery.

His funeral was a full military funeral by a detachment from Fort Meade.  The funeral services were conducted at the Presbyterian Church in Whitewood by Chaplain Albert K. Mathews, U.S. Army.  At the funeral, a march composed by Burri, “The Black Hills March”, was played by the 4th Cavalry band.  This march was also played by Burri himself at the 50th anniversary of the Little Big Horn fight.  “Taps” was sounded by Corporal Bugler Swift, 4th Cavalry, with the bugle so often used by Burri himself.  As he was also a charter member of the Black Hills Society of Pioneers, they assisted at the funeral services.  

John Burri's grave at Whitewood Cemetery in Whitewood, SD. 
Notice the misspelling of his last name on his headstone.

JOHN BURRI PAGE