September 9, 10, & 11, 2025 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/9/2025
Part of the first contract of Colt Single Action Army revolvers received at Springfield in 1874, this example falls into the Lot 5 range, 4507-5504. According to Kopec and Fenn, it is estimated 600 of these revolvers were among those issued to Custer's 7th Cavalry prior their July 1874 service in the Black Hills. The 7th Cavalry also received some revolvers from Lot 6 and a few from Lot 7, although considering the majority of Lot 5 was issued to Custer's men, attributions of these revolvers to the Battle of Little Bighorn are far more likely. An included John Kopec letter on this revolver confirms the 7th Cavalry connection, noting 2 other 4800 range Colts with Custer associations. 4878 was turned in by Fools-Bear after Little Bighorn in September of 1876. 4895 is also noted as coming from the North Dakota family of Little-Eagle. Indian capture of such arms was common during the Battle, and Kopec points out that this revolver has its "U.S." obliterated rather crudely, which "speaks of Indian capture"; other examples are known with the markings crudely removed. Kopec also confirms this revolver to be authentic. Other than the removal of the "U.S." from the frame, it remains in its original configuration. The cavalry length barrel is roll marked with a single line italic address and fitted with a blade front sight. Ejector housing is first type with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Frame is marked on the left with 2-line patent dates. Orville W. Ainsworth's "A" sub inspector touch marks are present on the barrel, cylinder, trigger guard, and backstrap. Matching serial numbers are also observed on these components as well as in the grip channel. The 1-piece walnut grips have traces of an inspector cartouche on the left side, now illegible, as well as a pair of ochre dots which are attributed as the Big Medicine mark of Cheyenne leader Two Moons. The fascinating story of this revolver does in fact begin with the 7th Cavalry, issued to a Lieutenant William Van Wyck Reily as a replacement for another Colt which was stolen. On April 26, 1876, his fellow officers brought him to trial for the loss of his original gun, requiring him to reimburse the government. Although not recorded on official documents, a copy of a letter about this unofficial trial listing the revolver by serial number is included. It is believed the original letter was discovered by a crew when they were demolishing structures at the old Fort Lincoln. William Van Wyck Reily was a somewhat storied figure already. He had failed out of the Naval Academy although he, through the lobbying of his mother, still received a Presidential appointment as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 10th Cavalry, the famed Buffalo Soldiers. Still, service with black troops was of some concern, and his mother continued lobbying until he was transferred to the 7th Cavalry stationed at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the Dakota Territory. On June 25, 1876 Lt. Reily was with Company F at the Little Big Horn and was killed in action there. An account of the Battle from a Sioux chief named Runs-the-Enemy was first recorded by Dr. Joseph K. Dixon for his 1913 book "The Vanishing Race" purportedly detailing the death of Lt. Reily. Another author, Ivan Starr, also wrote the same story in the Lakota language and translated it into English. This account reads in part "I follow Arapahoe man Waterman. He kill horse soldier chief who point six-shooter at Waterman, he remove little finger with tomahawk. Horse soldier chief drop 6-shooter pistol. He hold hand and cry. Waterman shoot horse soldier chief with rifle. Waterman take horse soldier chief 6-shooter pistol. Waterman say hair too short to scalp. I scalp.” An account given in 1974 by Melvin Spotted Elk as was passed down through his family from the perspective of Two Moons, records the killing of the officer by Waterman as well, but continues reading "Later that night at my lodge, the Arapahoe decided to give the pistol to me for saving their lives from the Sioux. Little Powder - Medicine Chief had Waterman mark it with Big Medicine to protect me in battles to come. Yellow Eagle and Yellow Fly gave the squaws of my lodge gifts and a ring that they had removed from the officers that Waterman had killed." Lt. Reily's signet ring, which he was wearing the day of the Battle, was purchased in 1877 by Lt William Philo Clark from a Cheyenne, purportedly from Two Moon's daughter, as they surrendered at Fort Robinson. It was returned to Reily's mother and later donated to the Smithsonian where it still resides. It is believed Two Moons carried this revolver as well as another he captured during the Battle as a government scout in the late 1870s. Supposedly, one of the guns was sold to a Nevada miner in 1919. According to Russ Sirlant of The Ole Firearms shop in Vallejo, California who sold this revolver in 1954 to Joseph Huff, it was found in the fireplace mantle of a house in the mining town of Volcanic, Nevada. These stories are published alongside photos of this historic revolver in Wendell Grangaards's "Documenting the Weapons Used at the Little Bighorn" on pages 104-112. CONDITION: Good. Revolver displays an honest gunmetal patina with areas of cleaned oxidation on the loading gate, cylinder, ejector rod housing, and barrel. Traces of blue are preserved on the underside of the ejector rod housing. Muzzle has been re-crowned at some point, likely correcting a bur or other frequently encountered damage. Grips show some expected heavy wear. Right panel has a large divot, which appears to be a cut, possibly from the tomahawk which took Lt. Reily's pinky. Strong, well defined bore. Crisp mechanics. A tremendous piece of Indian Wars history.
Paperwork
Extensive Provenance