RARE 1875 PORTRAIT OF GENERAL GEORGE A. CUSTER AND OFFICERS OF THE 7TH CAVALRY NEAR FT. LINCOLN

[Orlando Scott Goff (1843-1916), photographer]. Outdoor group portrait of George Armstrong Custer, Col. Keough, and other officers of the 7th Cavalry. Oval vignetted albumen cabinet card. Photographed at Little Hart River, near Fort Lincoln, Dakota Territory, July 1875. Published Bismarck, Dakota Territory, D.F. Barry, [1884-1890]. Custer in Photographs, K-140. 

A rare portrait of General George A. Custer with several officers and wives of the 7th Cavalry on a pleasure trip to the Little Hart River in July 1875, enhanced by an extensive 19th-century inscription identifying most of the subjects. Custer, wearing a fringed hide jacket and a large hat, stands at center between Keogh and Asst. Surgeon Lord, with Libbie Custer, seated at his side. 

Of the 20 individuals in the portrait, 8 of the men would be killed in action at the Battle of the Little Bighorn the next summer, in addition to 2nd Lieut. W.S. Edgerly and Capt. Thomas B. Weir, who engaged in the hilltop fight but survived. 

Complete Transcription reads: "1. Gen. Custer Killed / 2 Col. Keogh [Killed] / 3. Asst. Surgeon Lord [Killed] / 4 Lt. Thompson Alive / 5. Col. Wier [sic] Dead. / 6. Mrs. Smith wife of Lt. Smith Killed / 7. Asst. Surg. Paulding Killed / 8 Mrs Calhoun, wife of Lt. Calhoun + sister of Gen. Custer / 9 Capt. Baker Alive / 10 Lt. Edgerly Alive, in Custer Massacre / 11 Boston Custer, brother to the Genl. Dead. / 12 Lt. Smith. Killed / 13 Col. Tom Custer, brother the Genl. Killed / 14 Col. Cook. Adjutant. Killed / 15 Lt. Calhoun. Killed. brother in- / law to Genl custer / Those not marked visitors at / Ft. Lincoln. / 16 Visitors Killed in Custer Massacre." 

Not listed by the inscription are Leonard H. Swett, the son of Lincoln associate Leonard Swett (1825-1899), identified only as a "visitor,"; Miss. Emily Watson, seated at center obscuring her face with a folding fan; General Custer's wife Elizabeth "Libbie" Custer (labeled as a duplicate #9 but unlisted to verso); Miss Nellie Wadsworth and Miss Emma Wadsorth, both seated near the far right between Cooke and Thompson. 

The original portrait was captured by pioneer photographer Orlando S. Goff (1843-1916), who frequently traveled to the Dakota Territory forts on photographic expeditions from his Bismarck Studio. David Francis Barry (1854-1934) first learned photography from Goff (1843-1916), hired in 1878 as his assistant to manage the studio in Bismarck while Goff was on photographic tours. In 1884, Barry purchased Goff's Bismarck studio and his original negatives, which he later printed and marketed as his own with no credit to Goff, including the example here. 

[Western Expansion, Military Expeditions, Surveyors, US Geological Survey, Field Camp, Wall Tents, Campaign Dress, Frontier Life, Officers, Victorian Excursions, American West] [Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Cabinet Cards, Boudoir Cards, Albumen Photographs, Unidentified Photographers]

Good to very good condition overall, displaying warm tones and clear detail. The print exhibits scattered minor foxing spots and light, faint surface wear. The heavy card mount shows edge softening, minor wear at the corners (with a small chip at the lower left), and light peripheral toning, retaining a flat and solid structure.