Custers Last Fight; Scout Charles Reynolds

 

                                       Photo courtesy Emory Cantey from the Cantey Collection 

            *Note this photo is confirmed and appears in James Donavan's book "A Terrible Glory   

 Charles Reynolds was named the "Lucky Man" by the Arikara's because of his extraordinary hunting ability. He may have been the best hunter on the northern plains.

 "Lonesome" Charles Alexander Reynolds.   After the Civil War he was engaged in a trading expedition in New Mexico.    He became a buffalo hunter on the Republican River for a few years.    In 1872, he was a member of the Yellowstone Expedition and the 1874 Black Hills Expedition.    In 1875 he was back in the Yellowstone survey expedition.  He rode through 150 miles through Indian country to tell Custer of the gold that laid in the Black Hills.   He became a civil guide for the 7th Cavalry Quartermaster in 1876.   He was with Lieut. Charles Varnum on the trip to Crow's Nest and was killed the afternoon of June 25, 1876.   Reynolds had a premonition of his own death before the battle at the Little Bighorn, before the 7th deployed, Charley was giving away his personal belongings, and though he never touched alcohol, he had asked for a drink of whiskey before the engagement, and he was apparently ill and stated that he was depressed and feeling low. He was also suffering from an infection in his left hand, and despite being urged to stay behind, he deployed with the column anyway. He is listed as being one of General Custer's scouts at the Little Big Horn fight.    The above photo is a published photograph.   

Ref;  Cantey collections,  and A Terrible Glory by James Donavan 2008