Large letterpress-style hand-held stamp with three lines of metal letters typeset on an 18 x 10 x 0.5 block of wood, reading: "US ARMY, 7TH CAVALRY, TRP H." A 3″ tall solid brass spherical knob and two metal handles are attached to the reverse, as well as a label lightly written in pencil that reads: "U. S. Army, 7th Cavalry Tp. H, Fort Lincoln, D. T." This belonged to Captain Frederick W. Benteen, and would have been used to stamp boxes, trunks, and other property belonging to his troop. Benteen was assigned to Custer's 7th Cavalry Regiment in 1867, and commanded Troop H for the next 16 years. Most notably, he was in command of a battalion (Companies D, H, and K) of the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25 and 26, 1876. Also includes a hand-addressed mailing envelope, 5 x 3, addressed by Custer to "Mrs. Genl. G. A. Custer, Monroe, Mich," with the town struck through and changed in another hand to "Fort Lavenworth [sic] Kans." Envelope also bears a pair of canceled three-cent George Washington postage stamps. Stamper is in very good condition, with general expected wear and soiling from age and use, and the envelope is in fine condition, with a few small stains and a torn right edge. A fantastic pairing of items, each scarce on its own.
