By: Mark Holtsberry
Sgt. Daniel Alexander Kanipe was not a Paulding County boy, but has the making of a good read. Daniel has the fame of being the only survivor of the famed Company C, 7th Cavalry under Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer.
Daniel was born April 15, 1853, in Marion, McDowell County, North Carolina. The son of Jacob and Rebecca Isabella (Mosteller) Kanipe. By 1870, Daniel was a farm laborer living at home with his five siblings and two house guests, in Marion, North Carolina.
August 7, 1872, Daniel left home and went to Lincolnton, North Carolina and enlisted into the United States Cavalry. He was assigned to Company C. of the 7th Cavalry commanded by Captain Thomas Custer, George’s brother. Daniel was engaged in the 1873 Yellowstone campaign, the 1874 Black Hills campaign, and the 1876 Sioux campaign.On June 26, 1876, as Custer’s men were heavily engaged, Sgt. Daniel Kanipe was sent back with a message to Captain Thomas McDougall, commander of the pack train, to bring up ammo quickly!
Sgt. Kanipe was able to avoid the fate that was to come to the men of Custer’s column. All on all, out of over 700 men, the 7th Cavalry losses were 268 killed and 55 wounded. On April 12, 1877, Sgt. Daniel Kanipe married a widow named, Missouri Ann Wycoff Bobo. They had ten children, but the interesting thing is that Missouri’s first husband, Sgt. Edwin Lemuel Bobo, was a friend of Daniel Kanipe. Sgt. Bobo was killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Sgt. Bobo was a member of Company C. Sgt. Bobo’s body was found near the remains of Captain Miles Keough of Company I, Was Sgt. Bobo delievering a message to Keough? Company I. and C. were the right wing of the 7th Cavalry. It is said, that Daniel identified the body of his friend, Edwin Bobo.
Daniel raised the two children that Edwin and Missouri had together. On April 14, 1879, Bobo’s widow, Missouri, received a survivors pension. By 1880, Sgt. Daiel Kanipe was still in the military serving at Ft. Meade, Lawerence County, Dakota Territory.
By eary 1900, Daniel had retired from the military and joined the United States Revenue Service. He served this post for twenty years. By 1910, Daniel was living with his wife and six children in Marion, North Carolina. During World War 1, Daniel served as Captain in the 19th North Carolina Militia.
By 1920, Daniel, Missouri and two children were still living in North Carolina in Marion on Main Street. Daniel began engaged in farming. Sgt. Daniel Kanipe passed away, July 18, 1926 in Marion, North Carolina. He died from Apoplexy, high blood presure and arteriosclerosis. On August 10, 1926, his wife, Missouri, filed for his pension. Missouri Ann Kanipe passed away May 25, 1934. They are both buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Marion, North Carolina.
… Until Next Time
