The Drift of Time.

[herosrest]

^Ducemus

Classic battle image. For now and briefly, before one of my cowpats follow, this image was taken in 1877 and the man standing at center, is Michael V. Sheridan in the act of recovering the officer's remains - July 1877. Almost without doubt, the accompanying officer is Nowlan, then commanding Company I. In some unfortunate way, this image in modern times is attributed to 1879 and that is both wrong and a trgedy. This is perhaps, the most poigniant image of the battleground ever taken.

[herosrest]

^Ducemus

Solving Custer Photo Puzzles: Some New Dates & Identifications by Neil Mangum Montana - The Magazine of Western History Vol. 31, No. 4 (Autumn, 1981), pp. 24-31 (8 pages) Published By: Montana Historical Society

JSTOR stable - www.jstor.org/stable/4518604

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A free membership registration provides access too 100 free articles per month which is comparatively far more worthwhile that digging holes all over high mountains seeking opals. When gold prospectors in Yogo Gulch came across cornflower blue Sapphires in the 1880s, they believed it was just another deposit of the Alluvial Sapphires found elsewhere in the state. As a result, the precious gemstones were cast aside. What they didn’t know was that the deposit they had happened across would later produce some of the most sought Sapphires in the world.

Yogo

In a somewhat odd twist of the fates, the early mining settlement's post office was run by the man who............. carried Custer's despatches down Tullock Ck. and onto the Far West at the Yellowstone near Ft. Pease.

"The scout Sellew arrived today (June 24th) from Gen. Custer's command with mail and dispatches. He came by way of Tullock's[sic] and reports that he saw no living Indians but observed several wounded buffalos which means they cannot be too far off. Tonight we all watch the skyline for smoke." - Diary of Lt. John Carland, 6th Infantry, 24 June 1876.

- George Kush.

2nd Lt. of Company B, 6th Infantry, assigned to Far West 24th June, 1876

[herosrest]

Image link - click

[herosrest]

^Ducemus

It's time to focus.

This images description gives - 'captain-sandersons-camp-at-the-ford-while-gathering-and-burying-bones'; and as most people interested in the battle 'know' this image must date to 1879 when Capt. Sanderson was there burying horse remains near Last Stand Hill.

This is probably an image taken in 1877, as also that of the opening post. This falls then to a trivial matter hauled together and assembled from the 1930's onwards by researchers and publishers of that time, helping to bring about revised concepts of how events in the valley of Little Bighorn unfolded during Maj. Reno's attack upon Sitting Bull's camps of Buffalo Hunters. It really is a pity that similar effort wasn't invested in Maj. Reno's time at New York in late 1876 but that's another story which I stumbled into in the hunt for Watson.

So, something of a revelation arrived when an old news image drawing of Little Bighorn valley came to light. Graham, brininstool, and many others became fascinated with it without realising that the valley of 1876 and 1877 and long after but not from the 1900's onwards - was irrigated during a relatively immense project undertaken by Walter A. Graves on behalf of the Crow tribe and its substantial allocations of funding which was appropriated under the 'we know better than you principal' of federal governance. Huge sums went into ditch digging and the Reno Canal or ditch itself and still there today with its head and headgate currently renewed during an immense project of engineering.

And of course............ I can't get to a copy of the relevant sketch at this immediate moment - isn't life like that, ho hum. Well anyway, a copy of the sketch was marked up by Benteen showing where he thought Reno halted, deployed and fought, in the valley and 1,000 new theories were launched based upon the Pitsch Farm Garryowen site and variously altering understanding of confusions about the battle. That history of the history, is what it is, in the next big thing sense which haunts research of the battle because let's face it, doing the same old stuff over and over again doesn't really help or make life easy.

But, is what it is but........ the wagon image is almost certainly of Sheridan and Company I, 7th Cavalry; in Little Bighorn valley in July 1877. How about that, eh! That's obsession with photographers for you.

More to follow, I'll dig out this darned article and sketch - quite fascinating. The valley as it was in 1877.

[herosrest]

^Ducemus

Some refined work with the image attached, a long time ago, produced a cleaned up image indicating the information included to the printed sketch by Benteen - showing locations for Reno's dismount, deployment and retreat, during the valley fight. I'm still hunting those files but attach the original online item.

The sketch returned many years later, to haunt research of the battle and spawn new thinking about where what took place, took place. Of course, by the mid 20th Century, there were two Garryowen locations on the ground to bring about the confusions injected into research and understanding today. The location nearer the retreat crossing very much suits one ilk of theory, whilst the traditional land focused on the original post office site near the Garryowen bend, suits those of more traditional realm. The classic example of the confusion introduced to understanding by Brininstool and Kuhlman with their 'latest new thing' revelation that it wasn't there but it was here' effort; is the confusion it brought to Fred Dustin.

Point of note. The skirmishline information given by Benteen, is relevant far (light years) beyond the actual locations of the lines. This is because it raises the issue of Benteen seeing (watching) Reno dismount, deploy and retreat. That is worth a million bucks. Was Benteen waffling, or did he slip up bearing in mind this information dates to 1877, and then 1879.

W.A. Graham mentions the sketch in his work HERE

It is printed and annotated HERE

We have a potential smoking gun to which the likes of Brininstool in his poetic justices, and Kuhlman with his moronic militaryness, were utterly blinded by sympathy for the Indian distresses and dilemmas of their plight. In truth, academics or is it acamedics such as these, have no glimmer of insight beyond feet on the ground prose and emotional heartache. Had Indian Tribes 'understood' the opportunities which reparations for land and rights, and legal intent and process, offered - they would by now own the place and be running it. having invested the not unsubstantial funds alloted them, in the economy and endevour. The sums of money provided in settlements were actuslly staggering amounts of money which the tribes never got to control. My how things have changed. A case in point recently has been re-engineering the Reno Canal Headgate project. That's worth sniffing out in recent record and press but of course.... sssssh. Did you know that the Strikes First family at Benteen recently won tribal sporting excellence as champions. Boxing didn't go so well but traditional sports....... run up the flag. Play the anthem. Superb athlete.

Here's a wonderful coffee break - just admire some beautiful artwork

Fine Art America

Concerning the sketch. Some info from work done with G. Schultz.

Jul 26, 2016 12:40:49 GMT -6 Gerry said:

Legend of Wren Map: New York NY Daily Graphic 1877 - text

Lieutenant McIntosh's remains were found and buried at G11

G Reno's skirmish line formed here. (Dotted in by Benteen)
G1 Farthest advance of Reno's skirmish line.
G11 Reno dismounted here. (Inked in by Benteen)

From Wren's article: 4 points

1. Reno at once charged down the valley. At G1 he was overwhelmed

2. and fell back to G11,

3. dismounted his battalion and

4. threw the entire command out as skirmishers from the point of woods to rising ground on his left, as indicated by the dotted line G, the horses being meantime sheltered in the woods under charge of the horse-holders.

This is interesting series of events. Now lets look at Private Thompson's account as viewed from above the bluffs watching Reno Charge down the valley: 4 points

1. The cavalry dashed into the village where one of the noncommissioned officers halted and stuck up the company’s guidon alongside of a teepee before he was shot from his horse. The halt was but for a moment, for the Indians came rushing towards them

2. Major Reno, seeing that he was greatly outnumbered, ordered an immediate retreat to a grove of cottonwood trees, which stood on the bank of the river about half a mile from the upper end of the village, where they found shelter for their horses and protection for themselves.

3. Major Reno dismounted his men in the usual manner, number four remaining on horseback to hold the horses of the others.

4. A skirmish line was formed which advanced to the edge of the timber "

Both accounts have the same basic understanding of the 4 points:

1. Reno charged down to G1, Thompson says into the village and stopped.
2. Reno retreated back to G11
3. Reno dismounted
4. Reno formed skirmish line at G and advanced back to G1.

Gerry

Of course, Gerry had unbreakable faith in Peter Thompson, which I cannot share although I believe theat soldier's account of it.

So, did Benteen watch Reno dismount, point and do what was done?

Good luck, this year, one and all. China's coming and she is truly one noisy little puppy.

[herosrest]

^Ducemus

In regards China, the father of the doctor, who removed Lt. Harrington's skull from the battlefield (according to Walt Cross) was Rear Adm. R.W. Schufeldt, who, had some choice advice about China in denigrating the character of the powerful Chinese he had to deal with, and stating that American higher motivation was misplaced because only selfishness and force would be understood. This was during the 1880's and underlays the problems with China and Korea today. We know, through more than 100 years now, since 1905, that communism sucks so badly that it can only be run by people who have football's up their bottoms.

[herosrest]

^Ducemus

Time and porcelain knots which, of course is 'Tie Ming".

HERE are period images containing some of the people with 7th Cavalry, in 1876, in 1886, at the valley retreat ford, and on the skyline of the bluffs some 750 yards distant. The photographer was stood in the valley on the river's left bank, with the party of riders opposite across the river at around 200 yards distant. Mounted figures can be seen on the bluffs about 700-750 yards (880 yards is a half mile) distant.

Map link

Hello George!