US Soldier killed at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Regimental Color Sergeant Hughes enlisted into the army at Cincinnati, OH on September 17, 1868. He was described as 5'9", brown hair, blue eyes with a fair complexion. His civilian occupation was laborer. On November 10, 1868, Hughes reported for duty at Camp Sandy, KS. He was assigned to Company I, 7th US Cavalry Regiment. Company I was commanded by Captain Myles Keogh. At the completion of his enlistment on September 17, 1873, Hughes was discharged. He reenlisted on October 1, 1873. He was assigned to Company K, 7th US Cavalry. During his second enlistment, Hughes became one of LTC George Armstrong Custer's orderlies, and the standard bearer of his personal battle flag. Following the Battle of the Little Big Horn, there were reports from surviving officers that a few days before the battle, Hughes had stuck the staff of Custer's flag into ground. When a sudden breeze came up, the flag fell rearward. Lt George Wallace, who saw the flag fall and was known to be superstitious, commented to fellow officers that it was a bad omen. At the beginning of the Valley Fight, soldiers with Major Marcus Reno's command recalled seeing Hughes, holding Custer's flag, on a ridge above them. It was the last time Hughes was seen alive. Two days after the battle, Lt Edward Godfrey reported finding Hughes near LTC Custer's body on Last Stand Hill. Hughes was likely first buried where he had been found. In 1881 all known battlefield burials were moved to a mass grave on Last Stand Hill. Hughes was survived by his wife, Annie, and their 3 children, Maggie, Miles W. and Thomas Hughes. His wife was awarded a widow's pension on August 7, 1877.
US Soldier killed at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Regimental Color Sergeant Hughes enlisted into the army at Cincinnati, OH on September 17, 1868. He was described as 5'9", brown hair, blue eyes with a fair complexion. His civilian occupation was laborer. On November 10, 1868, Hughes reported for duty at Camp Sandy, KS. He was assigned to Company I, 7th US Cavalry Regiment. Company I was commanded by Captain Myles Keogh. At the completion of his enlistment on September 17, 1873, Hughes was discharged. He reenlisted on October 1, 1873. He was assigned to Company K, 7th US Cavalry. During his second enlistment, Hughes became one of LTC George Armstrong Custer's orderlies, and the standard bearer of his personal battle flag. Following the Battle of the Little Big Horn, there were reports from surviving officers that a few days before the battle, Hughes had stuck the staff of Custer's flag into ground. When a sudden breeze came up, the flag fell rearward. Lt George Wallace, who saw the flag fall and was known to be superstitious, commented to fellow officers that it was a bad omen. At the beginning of the Valley Fight, soldiers with Major Marcus Reno's command recalled seeing Hughes, holding Custer's flag, on a ridge above them. It was the last time Hughes was seen alive. Two days after the battle, Lt Edward Godfrey reported finding Hughes near LTC Custer's body on Last Stand Hill. Hughes was likely first buried where he had been found. In 1881 all known battlefield burials were moved to a mass grave on Last Stand Hill. Hughes was survived by his wife, Annie, and their 3 children, Maggie, Miles W. and Thomas Hughes. His wife was awarded a widow's pension on August 7, 1877.
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