Charles Windolph
Encyclopedia
Charles Windolph was a soldier in Company H of the George Armstrong Custer
's Seventh U. S. Cavalry who survived the Battle of the Little Bighorn
and was the recipient of the Medal of Honor.
, Germany
, December 9, 1851, to Joseph and Adelphina Koch Windolph. He arrived in the United States
in 1871, and enlisted in the army
's 2nd US Infantry November 12, 1871. He deserted
July 18, 1871, and promptly reenlisted as Charles Wrangel in 7th US Cavalry. He later surrendered
and was restored to duty without punishment. He was a shoemaker
and did cobbler work among his comrades. He was a participant in the Yellowstone Expedition of 1873 and the Black Hills Expedition in 1874.
Windolph took part in the Reno-Benteen hilltop action at the Battle of Little Bighorn, and was wounded in the buttock. He later received the Medal of Honor
for his actions during that fight, specifically for providing covering fire for his comrades (including Medal of Honor recipient Peter Thompson
) who went for water for the wounded on June 26, 1876. He was also awarded the Purple Heart
many years later. He was discharged in 1883 as a Sergeant
. Like Thompson, he moved to Lead, Dakota Territory
, and took a job with the Homestake Mine
, where he worked for 49 years. He married twice and had three children. His wife had a bakery. He was the source/subject of a book I Fought With Custer, The Story of Sergeant Windolph which is listed as written by Frazier & Robert Hunt, published in 1947. He died in 1950 at age 98, the last of the white participants in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. His remains were interred in the Black Hills National Cemetery
.
Windolph first married in 1882 to Mary Jones who died in 1883. He later married a childhood friend, Mathilda Lulow. Mathilda Lulow was born ca. 1861 on the Isle of Rugen to Karl Christian Christoph Lulow and Marie Sophia Henrietta Kagelmacher. Mathilda died on 23 March 1924 and is buried with Charles Windolph in the Black Hills National Cemetery. They had children: Marie Elizabeth, Robert Nicholas, and Irene.
Citation:
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
's Seventh U. S. Cavalry who survived the Battle of the Little Bighorn
Battle of the Little Bighorn
The Battle of the Little Bighorn, also known as Custer's Last Stand and, by the Indians involved, as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, was an armed engagement between combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho people against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army...
and was the recipient of the Medal of Honor.
Biography
Windolph was born in BergenBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, December 9, 1851, to Joseph and Adelphina Koch Windolph. He arrived in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1871, and enlisted in the army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's 2nd US Infantry November 12, 1871. He deserted
Deserted
Deserted may refer to:*Desertion, the act of abandoning or withdrawing support from an entity to which one has given*"Deserted", a song by Blind Melon from their 1992 album Blind Melon...
July 18, 1871, and promptly reenlisted as Charles Wrangel in 7th US Cavalry. He later surrendered
Surrender (military)
Surrender is when soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and eventually become prisoners of war, either as individuals or when ordered to by their officers. A white flag is a common symbol of surrender, as is the gesture of raising one's hands empty and open above one's head.When the...
and was restored to duty without punishment. He was a shoemaker
Shoemaking
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand. Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or...
and did cobbler work among his comrades. He was a participant in the Yellowstone Expedition of 1873 and the Black Hills Expedition in 1874.
Windolph took part in the Reno-Benteen hilltop action at the Battle of Little Bighorn, and was wounded in the buttock. He later received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions during that fight, specifically for providing covering fire for his comrades (including Medal of Honor recipient Peter Thompson
Peter Thompson (soldier)
Peter Thompson was a Scots-American soldier who was awarded a Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.-Biography:...
) who went for water for the wounded on June 26, 1876. He was also awarded the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
many years later. He was discharged in 1883 as a Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. Like Thompson, he moved to Lead, Dakota Territory
Lead, South Dakota
Lead is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3,124 at the 2010 census. Lead is located in western South Dakota, in the Black Hills near the Wyoming state line.-History:...
, and took a job with the Homestake Mine
Homestake Mine (South Dakota)
The Homestake Mine was a deep underground gold mine located in Lead, South Dakota. Until it closed in 2002 it was the largest and deepest gold mine in North America, producing more than 40 million ounces of gold. The Homestake Mine is famous in scientific circles for being the site at which the...
, where he worked for 49 years. He married twice and had three children. His wife had a bakery. He was the source/subject of a book I Fought With Custer, The Story of Sergeant Windolph which is listed as written by Frazier & Robert Hunt, published in 1947. He died in 1950 at age 98, the last of the white participants in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. His remains were interred in the Black Hills National Cemetery
Black Hills National Cemetery
Black Hills National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located south of the city of Sturgis in Meade County, South Dakota. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 19,147 interments.- History :...
.
Windolph first married in 1882 to Mary Jones who died in 1883. He later married a childhood friend, Mathilda Lulow. Mathilda Lulow was born ca. 1861 on the Isle of Rugen to Karl Christian Christoph Lulow and Marie Sophia Henrietta Kagelmacher. Mathilda died on 23 March 1924 and is buried with Charles Windolph in the Black Hills National Cemetery. They had children: Marie Elizabeth, Robert Nicholas, and Irene.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Private, Company H, 7th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Little Big Horn, Mont., 25-26 lune 1876. Entered service at: Brooklyn, N.Y. Born: December 9, 1851, Germany. Date of issue: October 5, 1878.Citation:
With 3 comrades, during the entire engagement, courageously held a position that secured water for the command.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Indian Wars