1863 Marcus A. Reno Signed Discharge, 1st U.S. Cavalry- Later 7th U.S. Cavalry – SOLD

Marcus Reno signed discharge as a mustering officer, for Private Alpheus Combs, Co. “C” 178th Pennsylvania Infantry. The discharge is dated July 27, 1863, at Harrisburg, Pa. The discharged was signed by his company commander Captain John V. Shoemaker. Reno’s signature appears at the bottom, “M.A. Reno /Capt 1stuscav’y / m.o.”

Marcus Reno, USMA graduate, and assigned to the 1st Dragoons in Washington Territory.  At the outbreak of the Civil War, the 1st Dragoons became the 1st Cavalry, and returned to the Army of the Potomac, as a captain and first saw action at the battle of Antietam, Md.

In 1864, Reno took part in the battles of Cold Harbor, Trevilian Station, Darbytown Road, Winchester (3rd), Kearneysville, Smithfield Crossing and the Cedar Creek and more. For his service at Cedar Creek, he was brevetted lieutenant colonel. In January 1865, he entered volunteer service as colonel of the 12th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, later commanding a brigade against John Mosby’s guerrillas. Reno received brevets during the war as lt.col and later brigadier general.  In March of 1866, Remo was commissioned into the regular army, and after some time in various assignments, joined the 7th Cavalry as a major at Spartanburg, SC, during the Reconstruction period, and was with the 7th when they moved to Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory.

At the Battle of the Little Big Horn, under the command of George A. Custer, during the Sioux Campaign of 1876, he was ordered to attack the large Indian village in the valley to form a skirmish line, while Custer took 5 companies up alone the ridge to the north, to attack the village from the rear. There is much more on his involvement in the battle; retreating from the valley to the bluffs and later joined up with Captain Benteen in a defensive position that day on the net.

After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Reno was assigned command of Fort Abercrombie, Dakota Territory. There, in December 1876, he was charged with making unwanted advances toward the wife of another officer of the Seventh Cavalry, Captain James M. Bell, while Bell was away. He was later caught peeping in the window of the Colonel Sturgis’s daughter.  Drunkenness, and charges of cowardice for his role in the Little Big Horn fight (largely his failure to support Custer and the main element of the 7th) brought him into a court martial in 1879.  More charges were preferred upon him with conduct unbecoming and dismissed from the service in April of 1880.

Despite his personal problems, his role in the Battle of the Little Big Horn has made him a most controversial figure in that historical event, the largest lose of troops the army ever suffered against the warring tribes of the American West.

The signature is strong, the document has been repaired with acid free type in the folds, otherwise is most suitable for framing.