Not bad photo's for the time

[deadwoodgultch]

edan.si.edu/slideshow/slideshowViewer.htm?damspath=/Public_Sets/NMAI/NMAI-AO-Assets-and-Operations/NMAI-AO-Archives/NMAI_AC001.033/Series_4

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[deadwoodgultch]

Site of this early re-enactment matches the area to the west of the present entrance road leading up to LIBI entrance. This area was where the early battlefield entrance road led up to the old Custer Battlefield Archway. Of note in one scene a pan downto valley and the 1876 river channel is visible. Today it is an oxbow channel. The Torskey farm site and field area is also visible prior to any farmhouse construction.

These are important historical images capturing the early cultural and natural landscape surrounding LIBI! The area on the east side of Ford D underwent extensive gravel pit mining in the early 1960’s. Photographs like these are important to further understanding of the powerful cultural and natural landscape at LIBI.

[herosrest]

I have seen the images previously. Fort Custer and the Crow Agency were both downriver and the major cultural focus as the Crow tribe settled the valley. Fort Custer was there from summer 1877 until 1898. The agency was on Stillwater River until 1884, when it moved to Little Bighorn valley and remains. The 2nd battle of the Little Bighorn was fought against hostile members of the Crow Tribe in November 1887 with troops marching from Ft. Custer. 

It is worthwhile keeping in mind that John Stands in Timber would have seen these re-enactments being in his late thirties, age wise, and then very well known to Thomas Bailey Marquis. Marquis worked briefly as a doctor with the Cheyenne tribe in 1922, and as doctor for Crows at Lodgegrass from 1925 when he renewed contact with the Cheyenne and worked on the Wooden Leg book. John Stands in Timber knew Marquis well and helped to teach him sign talking. This is a rather important reality of Little Bighorn study because Marquis was never aware of the use of fords below Deep Ravine by either cavalry or Cheyennes in 1876 after interviewing dozens of participants. Joe Blummer was living and working in the valley and undertaking research. Marquis talked with Stands in Timber in English, was taught sign by him and then went off and interviewed dozens of Cheyenne participants. 

You can see some of Marquis's research maps here and absolutely nothing about the lower fords. That is remarkable. The same is true of Charles Kuhlman who revolutionised thinking about the battle based upon the idea that it was Weir who caused the massacre. Nothing though about lower fords. It is an issue which should be cleared up because Kuhlman was nuts and happily told this to everyone.

There is a flag flying from a pole in one of the images and I wonder if it was the yellow regimental flag?

To make the point backwards, Marquis interviewed John Stands in Timber's battle sources.


This an area of history which is fortunately documented by none other than Margot Liberty who published Marquis's photo collection in ''
 A Northern Cheyenne Album

Quote 'In 1878 the Northern Cheyennes left what is now Oklahoma, where they had been incarcerated, and began an epic journey back to their homeland. They suffered great losses, but a small group of survivors reached its destination in southeastern Montana in 1879 and eventually won the right to a reservation there. A Northern Cheyenne Album presents a rare series of never-before-published photographs that document the lives of tribal people on the reservation during the early twentieth century—a period of rapid change.

Reservation physician and expert photographer Thomas B. Marquis captured Northern Cheyenne life in numerous images taken from 1926 to 1935. After 1960, former tribal president John Woodenlegs and others interviewed tribal elders and, drawing on tape recordings, composed the photos’ lively captions. Margot Liberty, editor of this volume, has added her own descriptions, filling in details of Northern Cheyenne culture and history from a scholar’s viewpoint.

A valuable record of an all-but-forgotten generation, this volume is also an inspiring tribute to the Northern Cheyenne elders whose resilience and adaptability helped ensure the future of their people.

The linked preview page, lists the reproduced photographs which Marquis took of people, events and gatherings. A very interesting list of people whom the battle scholar obviously met and talked with.

[deadwoodgultch]

Thank you for that.