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Days in Horse Country – Comanche
The Battle of Little Bighorn, which took place in 1876 is
famous for the fact that General George Custer and all his men were wiped out
by the Sioux and Cheyenne. One of few
equine survivors of this historic battle was a remount horse named Comanche.
Comanche, a 15 hand bay gelding, was the personal mount of Captain Myles Keogh, who led two of the companies defeated in the battle. Keogh chose Comanche in 1868 after the horse was reportedly captured on the range and trained by the U.S. army as a remount. Comanche was reportedly a Morgan/Mustang cross.
Keogh and Comanche fought in many battles, and Comanche was badly wounded in one. According to legend, Comanche continued to obey his rider despite his injury, endearing him even more in Keogh’s heart.
Two days after the Battle of Little Bighorn, Comanche was found seriously wounded among the many dead men and horses on the battlefield. He was taken to North Dakota by steamboat and nursed back to health by army veterinarians. He was later shipped to Fort Riley in Kansas and became a pet to the soldiers at the fort. He was never ridden and only served as a mascot in parades.
When Comanche died in 1890, he was granted full military honours. His remains were sent to the University of Kansas, where he was taxidermied and put on display in the university’ s National History Museum. He can still be viewed there, and he is the museum’s most popular exhibit.
Michael