A small number of these original Sharps cartridge conversion carbines were retained by the cavalry following issue of the M1873 Trapdoor Springfields in .45-70. The retained Sharps were issued to some of the civilian employees of the QM Dept. for use when the employees accompanied the troops in the field. Most of those civilians were teamsters or packers. At least one accompanied the Big Horn & Yellowstone Expedition of 1876, the column commanded by BGen George Crook. Likely this young lad, a teamster, stayed with the wagon train at Camp Cloud Peak, where Sheridan, WY, is now, although it is possible he went along and was involved in the Rosebud Battle, 17 June 1976.