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2126

Custer Epaulets

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:7,500.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
Custer Epaulets
SOLD
5,000.00USDto i******y+ buyer's premium (1,000.00)
This item SOLD at 2016 May 14 @ 14:55UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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The following four items are from G. A. Custer, handed down through his family to Mrs. Charles A. Custer, then by gift to Richard Reyes. See the provenance listed with the Custer Indian Capture Carbine.

1) Captain’s shoulder strap. Custer entered the Army, after graduation from West Point in 1861, as a 2nd lieutenant. Later he was appointed to General McClellan’s staff after the First Battle of Bull Run. At this time he was likely promoted to captain. This shoulder strap is obviously handmade, and since a black or very dark blue background is the correct color for a staff officer, we believe that this was part of a pair of temporary shoulder straps, handmade as a local expediency of war. Libby Custer was known to make accouterments such as epaulets for her husband. These are the same Captain's bars worn by Capt. G.A. Custer in the photograph of Custer and Elbert on page 11 of Custer in Photographs by Katz.

2) Major’s shoulder strap (black background). This shoulder strap is oversize, of a kind called “extra rich.” As the leaves appear to be gold-colored on a black background, this is correct for a major as a staff officer. Again, we believe that this was part of a pair of fancy shoulder straps worn by Custer while he was still attached to General McClellan’s staff. The whereabouts of the mate to this piece is unknown at present, and may still be in the Custer family Collection.

3) US Army general’s star, made of gilt or possible silver-plated, with remnants of black cloth still glued to the back. Officer’s insignia of rank were, during the Civil War, usually embroidered with gilt thread on shoulder straps. However, officers were allowed much leeway. This could be a private purchase item, and would have been glued to the general’s shoulder straps. Since Custer was only a brevet major general from March 1865 until February 1866, it is quite possible that this star came from one of his shoulder straps. And, while most Cavalry shoulder straps had yellow cloth backgrounds, General Staff Officers’ shoulder straps had very dark blue or black cloth backgrounds, such as the cloth still remaining on the back of this star. Custer was a Major General of US Volunteers, which would have made him a Staff Officer, and he would not have gone to yellow-background shoulder straps until he was appointed a lieutenant colonel in the US 7th Cavalry in 1866. This is very likely a private-purchase general’s star from the late Civil War period.

4) Lt. Colonel’s shoulder strap (light background). This shoulder strap is the proper size and design for Civil War era shoulder straps. As the leaves appear to be silver on what was once a yellow background, this is correct for a lieutenant colonel of cavalry. Since Custer was a brevet (temporary) brigadier general by 1863 when he took command of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, it is most probable that this shoulder strap is one of a pair worn by him after the war ended. He was promoted from his permanent rank of captain to lieutenant colonel when he took command of the newly-formed 7th Cavalry Regiment in 1866. Since Custer was still a lieutenant colonel when he was killed ten years later, this is the proper shoulder strap for him from 1866-1876. The second epaulet match to this piece was sold by Reyes to a collector, then at Butterfield's sale of 1994, Lot 7.

ID# 38124
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