April 12, 2019 Gold Rush, Western, & Native American, Las Vegas
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/12/2019
Circa 1870's, Sioux arrow with iron tip collected by Lt. Luther Hare, 7th US Cavalry. During the June 1876 expedition to the Little Bighorn River, Lieutenant Hare was on detached service assisting Lt. Charles Varnum with the Crow Indian scouts, being appointed assistant on the evening of the 24th of June. During the siege on Reno's Hill, he served as Maj. Marcus Reno's adjutant, since Lt. Benjamin Hodgson had been killed during the retreat from the woods. This arrow was found in a burial tipi 48 hours after the battle by Lt. Hare along with a number of other ceremonial items. Arrow is interesting as it never had fletching, has long series of red painted stripes at the base, and was meant to be a ceremonial arrow used to accompany the deceased into afterlife. Hare entered West Point in 1870 and graduated 17 June 1874, joining the 7th Cavalry later that year. By the time of the Great Sioux War, he was a second lieutenant in Company K (Lt Godfrey Commanding), serving in the battalion commanded by Capt. Frederick Benteen. Hare later gave testimony at the subsequent Reno Court of Inquiry in 1879. Hare participated in the Nez Perce War (1877), Spanish-American War (Philippines Theater), and Philippine American War, notably in the recovery of captured US forces following the Battle of Pulang Lupa. He retired on medical disability in July 1903, but served several stints on active duty after that, retiring for the final time in February 1919. Luther Hare died at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. By direct acquisition from the Hare-Mason family to late Custer authority and author, John Carroll with a 1985 dated notarized letter attesting to such. This is the only known Luther Hare collected war trophy in private hands. Arrow is professionally framed and mounted along with an original albumen image of Lt. Hare in his cavalry dress uniform. Photo is signed on the reverse, "Yours sincerely, L.R. Hare, Capt. 7 Cavalry." Complete Little Bighorn attributed arrows are extremely rare and most are in private collections or museums and rarely surface. PROVENANCE: Dr. Frank Wagner cavalry museum collection.
Condition: (Good).
Item Dimensions: Case: 19" x 37 -1/2". Arrow: 26".