Lot of 19 items from the collection of noted western historian, author, and so-called cowboy poet, E.A. Brininstool, including photographs and letters mostly related to the subjects of the Battle of Little Bighorn and General George A. Custer. Earl Alonzo Brininstool (1870-1957) was a prolific writer of western poetry and history, having written some five thousand poems over the course of his life and a number of important historical titles including his expanded work on the Battle of Little Bighorn entitled Troopers with Custer: Historic Incidents of the Little Bighorn (1952). He was an avid visitor of the Custer Battlefield and a known Little Bighorn enthusiast who had little love for the general who made his last stand there. Collection highlighted by: Ross, John M. First lieutenant, 21st Infantry. ALS, 2pp, 3.125 x 10.125 in., "Fort Townsend." July 7, 1876. With inscribed, postally unused cover. In this letter addressed to Captain J.P. Jocelyn, Ross writes of the promotion of "Spurg," referring to Captain William F. Spurgin of the 21st Infantry, and other position movements within the regiment. He then writes of a Fourth of July celebration that took place "in town" in which his company formed the procession. His letter finally turns to the unfortunate news of the Battle of Little Bighorn. He writes, "We have just received this dispatch (see inside). I am afraid we are going to have much more trouble with these indians than was at first anticipated." The dispatch, written in pencil, reads: "Salt Lake 5th The Times Extra from Boseman Montana 3rd 7 P.M. says Mr. Taylor bearer of dispatches from Little Horn to Fort Ellis arrived this evening and records the following. The Battle was fought on the 29th 30 or 40 miles from the Little Horn Custer attacked the Indians village of from 2500 to 3000 warriors on one side and Col. Reno was to attack on the other. Three Companies were placed on the hill as reserve. Custer and 15 officers and every man belonging to the five companies were killed - The whole number killed was 315 - Where the Indians left the Battle ground looked like a slaughter pen as it really was - The situation now looks serious - Lt Crittenden Son of Genl Crittenden was among the killed." Accompanied by typewritten letter from Captain Jocelyn's son explaining that E.A. Brininstool should have the letter for his collection. Silver gelatin print, 11 x 8.875 in., mounted to 12.875 x 10.75 in., featuring Brininstool standing in front of the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, surrounded by an iron gate. Handwritten inscription on image reads, "Custer Battlefield Monument / Sept. 9, 1913."Silver gelatin photograph, 10.5 x 8.125 in., featuring Brininstool standing next to the Fetterman Massacre Monument. Inscription on image reads, "Monument to Victims of the Fetterman mas-sacre, Dec. 21, 1866. Near old Fort Phil Kearney, Wyoming. Taken Sept. 1913. E.A.B. standing." Typed inscription on verso mentions updates to the monument including a stone fence and iron gate.Period photographic enlargement, 9.5 x 7.5 in., featuring Brininstool standing next to Crow Indian scout, Curley. Verso with handwritten inscription reading, "'Curley,' Custer's Crow Indian scout. at Curley's log cabin, Little Big Horn. Photo taken Sept. 9, 1913. 'Curley' died May 22d 1923, aged 66 yrs." Typed inscription affixed to image recto reads similarly. Silver gelatin photograph on heavy cardstock, 8 x 6 in., featuring a large group of men identified by inscription on image as "The Johnson County (Wyoming) Cattle War Raiders, under arrest at Fort D.A. Russel, near Cheyenne. (1892)." Image recto with Walker, Cheyenne, WY blindstamp lower right; verso with typewritten label identifying each man in the photograph and handwritten inscription identifying group and photographer.Silver gelatin portrait, 4.625 x 7 in., featuring Charley Reynolds, identified by inscription on image as "Custer's favorite Scout and Guide killed with Reno's command at Little Big Horne [sic] Battle." Image recto with D.F. Barry blindstamp lower right; verso with D.F. Barry paper label and handwritten inscriptions identifying subject and copyright information.Photograph of hand-drawn map, 9.5 x 7 in., mounted to 10.75 x 8.75 in., with white ink inscription on mount reading, "Ground plan of old Fort Fetterman / Made in 1874, by L.E. Stearns, 4th Infantry." Most map locations labeled with numbers in purple ink. Two photographic reproductions on cardstock, each 7 x 5 in. (including margins), one featuring two men with Colonel Keogh's grave marker, the other featuring Lieutenant James Garland Sturgis's grave marker. Both images with handwritten identifications on verso. Lot also includes correspondence from the White House, L. Ray Hersey, the Custer Battlefield National Cemetery, and others concerning Brininstool's books and the maintenance of monuments at Beecher Island and the Little Bighorn battlefield; a copy of a letter written by Brininstool to the editor of the New York Times Book Review (in which he vehemently defends Frederic Van de Water's book, Glory-Hunter: A Life of General Custer) that was later published; and other documents including a January, 1939 copy of a bill "To provide for the erection of a public historical museum in the Custer Battlefield National Cemetery, Montana."