A flag carried by Lt Col George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry troops into their last stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn has been sold at auction for $2.2m (£1.4m).

The guidon is the only one not captured or lost during the 1876 battle in the state of Montana.

The flag, previously valued at $5m, was bought by a private US collector in the auction at Sotheby's in New York.

The former owner, Detroit Institute of Arts, paid $54 for the flag in 1895.

"We'll be using the proceeds to strengthen our collection of Native American art, which has a rather nice irony to it I think," said Graham Beal, director of the Detroit museum.

Lt Col Custer and all his soldiers - more than 200 in number - were killed by thousands of Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors during their attempt to reclaim the Black Hills region from the Lakota as part of a US government campaign.

The flag was found beneath a dead American soldier following the Battle of Little Bighorn - or the Battle of Greasy Grass Creek, as the victors of the battle named it.

The flag was renamed Culbertson Guidon after Sgt Ferdinand Culbertson, a member of the burial party who recovered it from the field.

Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse were among the Lakota leaders who fought in the battle.

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The flag was found beneath a dead American soldier following the Battle of Little Bighorn

The account above is essentially correct, except for the reference to the Black Hills, which were already lost to the Lakotas, and were considered sacred.  They were being pursued so as to get them onto a reservation.

It is a fact that Custer died in a target rich environment. But if he weren't so greedy for Black Hills gold he may have avoided the demise of all his men and him except for one that was left to tell the story.  :o

Actually, about half his command survived.  They were split from Custer's group under another officer (whose name I forget - started with B I think).  They told a good part of  what happened.  Lesson - never divide you forces in the face of the enemy.

Actually, about half his command survived.  They were split from Custer's group under another officer (whose name I forget - started with B I think).  They told a good part of  what happened.  Lesson - never divide you forces in the face of the enemy.




Don Carlos, I knew that but they were not in the massacre.  United we fight divided we die in a target rich environment.  I used to live in the military barracks at Offutt AFB which were very old and they were the very same barracks that Custer's men left from when they headed for the Black Hills.  They are a Nebraska landmark and will never be torn down.  I think they should just wipe them off the face of the earth.  If you like living in 1800's conditions they were great.  Of course they had around 38 General officers on that base and they all lived in a place called general's row with fine houses and fine furnishings.  Screw the enlisted.  I say burn them to the ground or bulldoze them flatter than a pancake - why do we need to be reminded?

Don Carlos, I knew that but they were not in the massacre.  United we fight divided we die in a target rich environment.  I used to live in the military barracks at Offutt AFB which were very old and they were the very same barracks that Custer's men left from when they headed for the Black Hills.  They are a Nebraska landmark and will never be torn down.  I think they should just wipe them off the face of the earth.  If you like living in 1800's conditions they were great.  Of course they had around 38 General officers on that base and they all lived in a place called general's row with fine houses and fine furnishings.  Screw the enlisted.  I say burn them to the ground or bulldoze them flatter than a pancake - why do we need to be reminded?








And since Obama and others have helped to bankrupt the military they should take all those lavish houses on General's row at Offutt AFB and condo them out to the highest bidders.  Generals can afford to buy their own lavish abodes.  >:(