It's Coming Down Fast

"This channel focuses on Custer's Last Stand & the Seventh Cavalry-- officers and soldiers, military spouses and families, enemies and allies, newspapers and books, artists and writers and lifestyle, events leading up to the 1876 Little Bighorn fight, as well as those that ripple out from it (the Reno Court of Inquiry in 1879 to the Custer Equestrian Statue in 1910, etc)."

That's from the introduction on Siobhan Fallon's YouTube channel. I highly recommend subscribing to her channel. You'll be alerted whenever she posts a new video. Typically, she focuses on a specific topic or person involved with the Little Big Horn battle per video. Sometimes, it's short book reviews. And other times, it's to pass out valuable information on current topics. This year marks not only the 250th birthday of our great country, but it's also the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, or if you prefer, the Battle of the Greasy Grass.

It will eventually be for the best of the battlefield, but for now all the construction is causing some stress for those with the Park Service, interested parties, and visitors in general. Siobhan put together a great, informative video on the current state of everything, along with travel tips, and known scheduling. Please verify dates/times, as things are very fluid.

If you're planning on visiting the battlefield over the anniversary, this is required viewing. Even if you're going out after the big weekend, off season, whatever, give the video a watch for the great visitor/tourist tips.

I'll be in Sheridan, Wyoming, for the LBHA Conference. Then the next weekend, I'll be in Hardin for the CBHMA Conference. So if you see me, please say hello. I'll probably be with my buddies, but they don't bite. For the most part anyway. I'd love to meet you.

And now... here's Siobhan.

 

The Big 1-5-0!

Summer 2026 is a big one. Especially if you're a Little Big Horn student/enthusiast. In addition to our country's 250th anniversary, it's the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn. There are plenty of events to keep a person busy in the Billings/Sheridan area, particularly around the June 25/26 anniversary dates.

Both the Little Big Horn Associates (LBHA) and the Custer Battlefield Historical & Museum Association (CBHMA) have events planned near the anniversary dates. You can find membership and conference information on their respective websites. If you have an interest in this period of our history, I encourage you to explore both organizations. Please also check out these groups as well - Custer Association of Great Britain (their Crow's Nest publication alone is worth the cost of membership), Friends of the Little Big Horn, and the Order of Indian Wars (also covers battles and skirmishes not on the Great Plains).

The anniversary period is a great time to visit the battlefield, but it takes a bit more planning as there are more visitors, traffic, and over all congestion. Many of these places don't experience large visitor numbers so when they are bombarded, there may be some struggles. Please be patient. Especially 2026. With the battlefield visitor center under construction (hopefully but unlikely to be complete before the anniversary), there will be new rules and regulations governing your visit. Again...patience and pre-planning will be key.

I have three favorite things about visiting the battlefield around the anniversary timeframe:

1. My buddies. I am fortunate enough to have a group of buddies who share my interests and we make regular trips to historical battlefields, forts, graves, museums, and other sights that pique our fancy. We also enjoy having more than a few drinks and are always on the lookout for the perfect bison steak. I have experienced more with my buddies than I ever would have on my own. The nightly after action review discussions at the hotel are just as valuable and educational as the visits themselves. I have learned a lot from those knuckleheads.
2. As I mentioned earlier, there will be more people running around during the anniversary period than at any other time. This can be both great and troublesome. More people means more crowding, traffic, etc. But it also means there are more people who are interested in this period in history running around the area. It's a wonderful time to reconnect with old friends and also to make new ones. Most of us are doing our studying solo. It's fun to talk to and meet people with like-minded interests.
3. Number three is books. MORE BOOKS. This is also the perfect time to shore up your history library. Many authors are also in the area, so it gives you a good chance to get your new book inscribed and signed. Or just to ask a quick question about a book you particularly enjoyed. Every author I've ever approached to sign a book has been very friendly and accommodating. Just use common sense and good manners.

If you're on Facebook, there are a number of groups that cater to this period in history. I would suggest checking these groups out. Please keep in mind, that there are many opinions that are thrown around in these groups, and the discussions can get heated. There are moderators but it helps to police yourself. If you do decide to post, just know that you may be asked for clarification or the sources you used. This will help solidify your post and also promote discussion. Don't take everything too personally and have fun. There is a wealth of information in these groups and it's searchable. Using the (sometimes hard to find) tools on Facebook will help you locate the information that interests you. Some of these groups are public and others are private. Either way, they are free to join whether you are a member of the organization or not.

Little Big Horn Associates Facebook group.

CBHMA Facebook group.

Order of Indian Wars Facebook group.

Bozeman Trail and Powder River Wars Facebook group.

Both the LBHA and the CBHMA are having conferences near the battlefield this year. They offer tours, bookrooms, symposiums, and lots of other activities to keep you busy. Check out their websites and Facebook groups for more information.

A portion of one of the bookrooms at the 2024 LBHA Gettysburg conference.

The bookroom at the 2009 LBHA Billings conference.

The one and only Robert M. Utley, signing my copy of
Custer and Me; 2005 LBHA Rapid City conference.

The cover of the LBHA newsletter, September 2005. That lower
right-hand photo is us at the hotel bar, 2005 LBHA conference.
L to R: Frank Bodden, Michael "Max" Reeve, Greg Michno, Michael Olson,
Father Vince Heier, Perry Baker (RIP), and yours truly, Scott Nelson.

If you are out and about in Montana or Wyoming this summer, and happen to see me stumbling around, please come up and say hello. I love meeting fellow history enthusiasts. None of us bite.

1926 - 50th Anniversary of Little Big Horn Battle Video Footage

The 50th anniversary of the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1926, was one of the largest. There were still battle veterans from both sides who were alive and attended the event. Troopers who attended the celebration included Daniel Newell, John Burri, Peter Thompson, and Charles Windolph. The anniversary was also attended by Edward S. Godfrey, the former first lieutenant who was in charge of Company K at the battle.

YouTube has lots of historical content, including the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The below footage is only 1:07 but is well worth a watch or two. Godfrey appears in the video and that fact alone makes it a must watch. Godfrey is in all the Little Big Horn books and accounts. Yet, here he is walking and moving around in a video. It just goes to prove that in the grand scheme of things, the Old West wasn't all that long ago. 

As I type this, I'm also organizing, planning, and packing to head out to Montana in a couple days for the 149th anniversary of the battle. If you happen to see me running around, don't be shy, say hello. I enjoy connecting with other crazy people who share an interest in Great Plains history.

Daniel Newell at the 50th Anniversary of the Little Big Horn Battle

Re-Enact Famous Custer Struggle

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Daniel Newell at the 50th Anniversary of the Little Big Horn Battle

It's 2024 and we are only two years away from the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, on June 25/26, 2026. They are currently working on a new and updated visitor center at the battlefield to be ready for the big anniversary in 2026.

The 50th anniversary was one of the biggest so far. There were still a fair amount of participants, both Indian and white, alive to participate. Battle tactics were discussed and former enemies compared notes on the biggest event of their lives.

Daniel Newell, who is now buried at the Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis, attended the 50th anniversary celebration with his wife, Mary. Before returning home, they stopped and visited with friends and former Sturgis residents, Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Bullis at Hardin, MT.

Below is coverage of the anniversary festivities from the Sacramento Bee. General Edward Settle Godfrey was in attendance. He was a first lieutenant during the Little Big Horn battle and was in command of Company K. 

Sacramento Bee; June 25, 1926

Edward Settle Godfrey was a first lieutenant at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Daniel Newell, in 1926.

Newell had fought with Reno, and was wounded in the left thigh during the retreat from the valley. He was taken to Fort Lincoln aboard the steamer Far West. His story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn was published in The Sunshine Magazine on September 30, 1930, as “The Story of the Little Bighorn Campaign of 1876.” This was his first time seeing the battlefield in fifty years. Newell was able to locate the former site of the makeshift hospital, where he had been treated for his injuries.

Some of the crowd gathered in 1926 at the battlefield for the anniversary.

Daniel Newell died in Hot Springs, South Dakota, on September 23, 1933.

The Newell grave in Sturgis, South Dakota.

Daniel Newell is buried beside his beloved wife, Mary, in Bear Butte Cemetery, Sturgis, South Dakota.

DANIEL NEWELL PAGE

Re-Enact Famous Custer Struggle

 The 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn was a huge event. People came from all over the area, all over the country actually, to see the terrain where the battle was fought. There were special ceremonies, speeches, and re-enactments of the battle.

The automobile allowed people to more easily travel
to the 50th anniversary festivities.

Several battle participants were on hand to reminisce about the action that took place fifty years earlier. Former lieutenant, Edward S. Godfrey, was among those who visited during the anniversary. There was a ceremony held where Godfrey and warrior participant White Bull "buried the hatchet" between the two sides. Elizabeth Custer did not attend the anniversary. She actually never could bring herself to visit the battlefield where her husband and several family members died, but her niece did attend the 50th anniversary celebration.

A portion of the crowd at the 1926 anniversary. Notice
the people standing and sitting on the marble markers.

A re-enactment of the battle was performed, much as it is today, for the entertainment of those attending. The following is a story from the Rapid City Daily Journal which appeared on Friday, June 25, 1926, outlining some of the activities.