Accounts of Frank Finkel's enlistment in the
United States Army vary. John Koster, author of the book
Custer Survivor and a supporter of the Finkel claim, argues that he enlisted under the name "August Finckle" in
Chicago in January 1872. August Finckle's reported place of birth was
Berlin,
Prussia, which Koster argues was Finkel's attempt to use his actual German heritage to capitalize on the Prussian military's popularity in the United States at the time. Koster also uncovered a document revealing that Finkel's widow believed he enlisted in September 1874 in Iowa, under the alias "Frank Hall". At the time of the Battle of the Little Bighorn he was second sergeant of C Company of the
7th Cavalry under the command of
Tom Custer. Finkel claimed that, early in the battle, both he and his horse were shot, and the horse bolted from the battle site with Finkel still riding. After riding for several days, Finkel left his already dying horse and continued on foot. He came upon a white man cutting wood outside his cabin; the man initially demanded Finkel leave at gunpoint but, when Finkel fell unconscious in front of him, he took him into his cabin. The man, known to Finkel only as "Bill", helped treat his wounds; Finkel remained with him for several months, then departed for
Fort Benton, where he learned of the deaths of Custer and all of his men. He claims that he reported to an Army officer to request a
discharge, but gave up on the matter when the officer required him to provide two witnesses to vouch for his identity. ==Later life==