Soldier (1855–1923) in the 7th U.S. Cavalry and a survivor of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Taylor took part in the campaign against the Lakota and Cheyenne that culminated in the battle on June 25–26, 1876. Although not present with Custer’s immediate detachment during the fatal engagement, Taylor was part of Major Reno’s command and survived the siege on Reno Hill. Later in life, he wrote a memoir, With Custer on the Little Bighorn (published posthumously in 1996), providing a vivid, firsthand account of the campaign and battle. ALS signed “W. O. Taylor,” two pages both sides, 5 x 7.75, March 14, 1922. Handwritten letter to a gentleman in North Dakota, in part: "One thing I am fully satisfied of and that is that the Indians have ever been treated in a mighty bad way. I have heard of John Grass, and many have seen him at Standing Rock where I have been sent when I was stationed at Fort Rice…The Official Report of Major Reno gives us killed 'Ree Scouts, Bloody Knife, Bob-Tail-Bull, and Stab, someone else calls him Little Horse. I suppose Reno ought to know for he got his information from Lieut. Varnum who had charge of the Scouts. Varnum in a letter to me in 1921, says he had to report 21 Rees as 'missing,' when he made out his muster roll from June 30th. Later on they were found at Powder River, where 'he paid them off and chopped them from the Rolls.' Forked Tongue and Goose remained on the hill with Reno. Goose being wounded in the hand…I think your opinion of Curley, the Crow, is all right, and you might say the same of three more of his gang who started in with Custer and Mitch Mouyer, Bouyer stayed and is there yet the other three did not. I have never heard fact where Bob-Tail-Bull and Stab, or 'Little Horse' were killed, but as the greater part of the Scouts went into the fight (on the bottom) on our extreme left I have supposed it was over there, or else when the Sioux started them on the run and perhaps killed one or two then, anyway, they, 'the Ree,' 'kept a going' until they reacher Powder riv[er] a little over 100 miles in an air line. When leaving the field they passed near Benteen's Battalion who reported them 'with a small bunch of horses' and one of the Infantry guard there at Power river in a letter to me says 'they were a badly demoralized gang with arrows still sticking in some of their horses'…I am going to enclose a list of enlisted men of L Troop killed at the Little Big Horn…I shall have to 'chew' on your story about Custer's death and who killed him, also about Gall." Taylor's list of the 44 men killed is included, headed: "Killed in L Troop, June 25th 1876, Enlisted Men Only." On the back, requests his correspondent's input on corrections to be made. In fine condition, with a rusty paperclip stain to the top and filing holes to the edges.
The Collection of Dr. Joseph Matheu.
