The Passing of Frederic Wagner III

[napesintekiyamani]

Fred Wagner has died. Rest in peace

[moderator]

Fred Wagner, a longtime member, and prolific contributor of this message board, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, at the age of 82 after undergoing treatment for cancer. Fred was a good friend of mine who I first met at Grand Central Terminal's Oyster Bar along with the late Ray Hillyer in 2009. Since then we had spent many hours discussing Little Big Horn topics at LBHA Roundtable meetings held in various locales in and around NYC, including P. J. Clarke's, McSorley's, Neir's, and Don Horn's Pals Cabin in West Orange, NJ, to name but a few. My sincere condolences go out to his lovely wife Lisa during this difficult period. Life will not be the same without Fred's larger than life presence.

Bill Rini

Below is a list of Fred's publications and articles, which were prolific:

BOOKS—

1. The Great Sioux Campaign of 1876, Day-by-Day, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, Jefferson, NC, 2022.
2. Marcus Reno in the Valley of the Little Big Horn: Limited Means, Excessive Aims, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, Jefferson, NC, 2021.
3. Participants in the Battle of the Little Big Horn, 2nd edition, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, Jefferson, NC, 2015.
4. The Strategy of Defeat at the Little Big Horn, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, Jefferson, NC, 2014.
NOTE—The above book won the 2018 Little Big Horn Associates’ Jay D. Smith Award for making a strong contribution to the field of Custeriana.
5. Participants in the Battle of the Little Big Horn, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, Jefferson, NC, 2011.
NOTE—The above book received the highest ranking— “Excellent”—in the two-volume set, “Custer, the Seventh Cavalry, and the Little Big Horn: A Bibliography,” compiled by Michael O’Keefe. Norman, OK: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 2012.

ARTICLES—

1. “A Deadly Delay… or Was It?” Custer Battlefield Historical & Museum Association, Greasy Grass, Volume 32, May 2016.
2. “Trains Along the Yellowstone,” Custer Association of Great Britain, The Crow’s Nest, Spring/Summer/Autumn 2015, Volume 15.
3. “Impaled on the Horns of Keogh’s Dilemma,” Little Big Horn Associates, Research Review, Vol. 29, No. 1, 2015.
4. “Perception versus Intention: Case A,” Little Big Horn Associates, Newsletter, Vol. XXIV, No. 3, September 2015.
5. “Shaving the Dilemma’s Horns—Curley and the Scouts at the Little Bighorn,” Little Big Horn Associates, Research Review, Vol. 28, No. 2, 2014.
NOTE—The above article won the 2015 Little Big Horn Associates’ Lawrence A. Frost Award for the most outstanding article written about the events at the Little Big Horn.
6. “Boston Custer and the Reno Dilemma,” Little Big Horn Associates, Newsletter, Vol. XXIII, No. 2, June 2014.
7. “Marcus Reno, Time, & the Little Bighorn Valley,” Little Big Horn Associates, Research Review, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2013.
8. “3,411 Revisited,” Little Big Horn Associates, Newsletter, Vol. XXII, No. 1, March 2013.
9. “Godfrey’s Lightning,” Little Big Horn Associates, Research Review, Vol. XXIV, 2010.
10. “Gray and Blue,” Little Big Horn Associates, Newsletter, Vol. XIX, No. 1, February 2010.
11. “Benteen Meets Lee,” Little Big Horn Associates, Newsletter, Vol. XLIII, No. 4, May 2009.
12. “From A Different View to the Same Kill,” Little Big Horn Associates, Research Review, Vol. XXII, No. 2, September 2008.
13. “Frederic Francis Gerard: A Questionable Cause and an Unforeseen Effect,” Little Big Horn Associates, Research Review, Vol. XXI, No. 1, Winter 2007.
NOTE—The above article won the 2007 Little Big Horn Associates’ Lawrence A. Frost Memorial Award for the most outstanding article written about the events at the Little Big Horn.
14. “Regiment! … Forward into line… Charge!” Little Big Horn Associates, Newsletter, Vol. XL, No. 6, July 2006.
15. “A Divisive Division,” Little Big Horn Associates, Research Review, Vol. XX, No. 1, Winter 2006.
NOTE—The above article received a rare “Recommended” review in the two-volume set, “Custer, the Seventh Cavalry, and the Little Big Horn: A Bibliography,” compiled by Michael O’Keefe. Norman, OK: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 2012.

REVIEWS—

• Peer Review: Adolfo Ovies, The Boy Generals: George Custer, Wesley Merritt and the Cavalry of the Army of the Potomac, Volume 1, Savas Beatie Publishing, 2020.
• Book review, Montana The Magazine of Western History, Winter 2016, Volume 66, Number 4, “Bang, bang… You Broke the Law,” a review of Charles E. Wright’s, Law at Little Big Horn.

FILM DOCUMENTARIES—

• Co-writer, Custer’s Strategy of Defeat, as listed on the IMDb site.

PRESENTATIONS—

• Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce, Zoom presentation: A HISTORYtalks lecture: “Marcus Reno in the Valley of the Little Big Horn: An Opposing View,” March 15, 2021.
• Saint Paul’s Church National Historic Site, Mount Vernon, New York, “Myths of the Little Big Horn,” August 17, 2019.
• Edgehill Retirement Community, Stamford, Connecticut, “George and Elizabeth Custer, Bronxville, and the Battle of the Little Big Horn,” October 21, 2016.
• Battlefield tour and lecture, Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument, Montana, “The Casper Platoon,” 173rd Airborne Brigade, Vietnam Veterans, June 22, 2016.
• Crestwood Historical Society, Crestwood Library, Crestwood, New York. “George and Libbie Custer, the Little Big Horn, and New York,” April 16, 2011.

[researcher]

"Wagner...Wagner... Captain Frederick C. Wagner, III"

Present - ARMS!

Thanks Bill...he and I were emailing each other over the last few weeks about his fight. Despite his battles, he and Lisa were always making sure to ask about our daughter fighting the same disease. Had not heard from him since just before Thanksgiving and now I know why. Soldier, scholar, gentleman...and he called me a friend. I miss him already.

Rod Thomas...

[robb]

Bill,

Wonderful tribute to a person who embodied the definition of "character" in the best tradition.

Robb

[terryoswald]

Thanks Bill for this wonderful post.

We all get our turn at this, but there's no denying Fred ran the race of life hard and finished well. I will never forget him during my years remaining here and will always find inspiration in the example he set for all of us.

All the best to you, too, Bill. Thanks again. - Terry

[herosrest]

His legacy through the body of work left to us is substantantial and admired. His fascination with timing was poigniantly relevant and perhaps, driven. He found fools difficult to suffer but unfortunately I am not one and our relationship (online) bittered eventually because I found him bitter. That said, I understand there are many who respected and admired the guy and his studied works. Rest in Peace, fred.

[strange]

I had the best time with him when we reconnnected on facebook.. it's one of those things where it came at just a moment where I believe he was going on to a better place, and leaving us on very good terms. He was an exceptional researcher who contributed greatly to the subject. I would warn the reader that he at least had his bitter side and was sometimes all or nothing to disagree with but he was much better about that when, at last, towards the end, we were getting on a similar page about something he had researched. It took him a while to finally admit that Benteen and Reno were not always telling the truth and he did not particularly hate Custer but also didn't like anyone lionizing him either. I'm sure that Fred would have his own ammunition which he would undoubtedly have to this, but I loved burying the hatchet with him and it came at a great time in my life where I felt that we need to do a better job of recognizing our independant researchers rather than favoring the big media that doesn't always care, and when Fred got on top it was somewhat to my dismay, because oour differences, until I finally realized just how much he is one of us, or that one of us made it and became so well beloved in the field. And, when I got up the courage to talk to him again, it was all positive.

I for one clashed with him big time over Chivington and I was never one to particularly hedge on timelines, which were his specialty. He also began to question some of the famous authors who studied on the native American side of things using his good military sense which I also had to grow into to appreciate. I am now fat and old, and may never make it into a military career let alone function how I thought I would in this world, but Fred is someone who did and I appreciate him having a place for little old Strange in his magnificent heart. I was afraid of him for years but am now thankful for everything he contributed as an online friend. God bless you and may we ever hope to come fill circle for everyone else as you did for me.

[herosrest]

I wasn't afraid of him or what he thought. I found him broadly pleasant though prone to arrogance when he was, for sure, deeply troubled and at war. His study helped him and he got where he was going. There's an online discussion he gave floating around, where he was at his best and good nature to the fore. He could however blow it all up and didn't realise he was not the only one with problems, or suffering. Also.............

His work was good, and very well thought of. Timing is a huge clue with the guy.

Regards.