MESSAGE  FROM  THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,  JULY 13, 1876…..INFORMATION IN RELATION TO THE HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE SIOUX INDIANS,  AND THE DISASTER TO THE FORCES UNDER GENERAL CUSTER.” Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1876.  44th Congress, 1st Session. Senate. Ex. Doc. No. 81. July 13, 1876. 8vo., 6pp., wraps. [In sleeve]. VG.

A rare and important report, believed to be first official government pertaining to the Custer massacre. OCLC locates just three copies [Yale; Smithsonian; Univ. Alberta; OCLC 22411981]  See Carroll, GENERAL CUSTER AND THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIG HORN: THE FEDRAL VIEW, PP. 161-166; Carroll characterizes all of the reports that pertain to Custer/Battle of Little Big Horn as being rare, and regarding the present document, notes:  “Although this document was not included in either of the two major bibliographic checklist by Dustin and Luther, it was deemed invaluable since it does officially open the door to the flood of Federal publications involving this single incident in our history. This publication raised points that enabled other reports to be written and published; in fact there seems to be a lot of doubt generated by Secretary George C. Gorham when transmitting various reports, one of which was to resolve ‘whether the recent reports of an alleged disaster of our forces under General Custer in that region are true.’ These reports ended with the following statement by General Alfred Terry: “I have as yet received no official reports in regard to the battle, but what is stated herein is gathered from the officers who were on the ground there, and from those who have been over it since.”

The President’s message on the Little Big Horn. An essential collectible for serious Custer/ Little Big Horn buffs.

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