7th Cavalry Regimental Adjutant William W. Cooke
Regimental Adjutant William W. Cooke
First Lieutenant Cooke and Captain Thomas French of Company M were two of the best shots in the regiment.
View of the Timberline
View of the Timberline
This photo was taken in 2009 from Company M’s position on the skirmish line in the Little Bighorn valley. The line of large bushes is at what was then known as the timber line. After Company A and Company G hastily pulled off the skirmish line, leaving Company M alone to face the increasing number of warriors, Captain Thomas French and First Sergeant John Ryan conducted a fighting withdrawal to the timber line, saving the company from destruction.
Casing with Gouge Mark at Company M position in the Valley
Casing with Gouge Mark at Company M position in the Valley
Several accounts of the battle stated that soldiers experienced weapon malfunctions when the copper bullet cartridge expanded after firing and would not eject. This expended cartridge shows scarring, where a soldier used a knife to remove it from the chamber, an act that would not have been necessary with a fully functioning weapon.
