1. Charles Albert Varnum was a career United States Army officer.
18 Facts About Charles Varnum
1. 2.
Charles Varnum was most noted as the commander of the scouts for George Armstrong Custer in the Little Bighorn Campaign during the Great Sioux War, as well as receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions in a conflict at Drexel Mission following the Wounded Knee Massacre.
3.
Charles Varnum was the son of Civil War major John Varnum, who relocated to Pensacola, Florida, and became a political and civic figure.
4.
Charles Varnum was appointed as a Florida cadet to the United States Military Academy and graduated June 14,1872.
5.
Charles Varnum was involved in a number of expeditions and excursions of the regiment, including the Yellowstone Expedition and Black Hills Expedition.
6.
Charles Varnum was in charge of the scouts, who were civilians, army personnel, Crow Indians, and Arikaree Indians.
7.
Charles Varnum's duty was to delegate scouting missions and coordinate the resulting reports.
8.
Charles Varnum accompanied the troops of Marcus Reno and Frederick Benteen and survived the battle.
9.
Charles Varnum served as Regimental Quartermaster from November 1876 through October 1879.
10.
Charles Varnum continued to serve on the frontier in various forts and married Mary Alice Moore.
11.
In 1890, Captain Charles Varnum commanded Company B of the 7th Cavalry at the Wounded Knee Massacre on December 29, against the aging Sioux Chief Big Foot and some 350 of his followers.
12.
Charles Varnum was promoted to major on February 1,1901, then transferred to the 4th Cavalry and promoted to lieutenant colonel in April 1905.
13.
Charles Varnum sailed under orders for the Philippines from San Francisco in September 1905.
14.
Charles Varnum received a Silver Star Citation for gallantry in action.
15.
Charles Varnum was retired from the Regular Army for disability on October 31,1907, continued serving with Idaho militia troops for another year.
16.
Charles Varnum was recalled to active duty and promoted to colonel during World War I as finance and disbursing officer at Fort Mason, California.
17.
When he died in 1936 at Letterman Hospital in the Presidio of San Francisco at the age of 86, Charles Varnum was the last surviving officer of those who had participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, although not the last surviving combatant.
18.
Charles Varnum was buried in the San Francisco National Cemetery.