Standing with Custer

Sometime shortly before 3pm on the 25th June 1876 Private Joseph F.Broadhurst of the U.S.7th Cavalry was killed in action at the Battle of Little Bighorn otherwise known as 'Custer's Last Stand'.

Surrounded by several well-armed Sioux on a small hill overlooking the Little Bighorn river, Pvt.Broadhurst, Lieutenant Colonel George Custer, and around 250 others were massacred in a short but ferocious battle - lasting perhaps no more than two hours. As part of I Company (The 'Wild I') it is likely that Broadhurst was one of a group of troopers whose bodies were found circled around their company bugler, flag bearer, and commander - Captain Myles Walter Keogh. Found three days after the battle the bodies had all been mutilated save that of Keogh. The remains of the men were buried on the battlefield. The following year these were exhumed for reburial elsewhere.

We have some infomation on Joseph Broadhurst and his genealogy. He was born c.1852 in Philadelphia PA. He was the eldest son of John and Harriet (Fox) Broadhurst. John was the second son of Samuel and Sarah Broadhurst. John had a brother George Broadhurst. Joseph had a sister Hannah Broadhurst. Joseph enlisted on 22 Sept 1873 at the age of 21. His previous occupation was a weaver. He had brown hair and eyes, a ruddy complexion and was 5'5". He is listed on the Custer Hill monument as J.F.Broadhurst. He was only 24 when he died.

Additional Notes:
(1) Some sources list Joseph as Joseph E or Joseph H Broadhurst. (2) I Company lost 38 men in total at the last stand battle.

Principal Sources:
courses.dsu.edu/dakwriters/tribuneonbighorn.htm
genforum.genealogy.com/broadhurst (messages July 18 1997 - June 15 2001) Re:BROADHURST at Little Big Horn
members.iinet.net.au/~ronb1/7th_Cavalry_1876/Custer.htm
www.bufordsboys.com/Keogh'sBiography.htm
www.tasc.ac.uk/shp/resources/7th.xls