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YouTube has lots of historical content, including the Battle of the Little Big Horn.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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Peter Thompson Book Review

Peter Thompson of Company C, 7th US Cavalry, wrote his account of the Battle of the Little Big Horn which appeared in the Belle Fourche Bee in eight weekly installments. The first installment was printed February 19, 1914 and continued weekly until April 9, 1914. Thompson's account not only provided an enlisted man's perspective of the battle but it also ruffled a lot of feathers. Thompson put up with ridicule and doubt for the rest of his life.

Daniel O. Magnussen published his book, Peter Thompson's Narrative of the Little Bighorn Campaign, 1876. The book was an analysis of Thompson's 1914 narrative and of the battle itself. Today, the book, in fine condition, routinely sells for hundreds of dollars.

On February 1, 1975, The Missoulian newspaper out of Missoula, Montana, published a book review of this new book on the Custer fight. Click on the image below for an enlarged copy.

The Missoulian, Missoula, Montana, February 1, 1975

You can search used bookstores and websites for a copy of Magnussen's book, or you can download your very own copy of Thompson's narrative as it appeared in the Belle Fourche Bee in 1914. To download your copy of Thompson's Little Big Horn narrative in PDF format, click on the link below. 

Peter Thompson's Narrative, Belle Fourche Bee, February to April 1914

PETER THOMPSON PAGE

Rest in Peace Gerry Schultz

A friend of mine passed away the other day. Gerry Schultz was a scholar of the Battle of the Little Big Horn and of trooper Peter Thompson in particular. Gerry knew anything and everything about the guy. He would scour through books, magazines, and the internet looking for obscure mentions of Peter Thompson to add to his database of knowledge. He was an avid contributor to the many message boards and Facebook groups dedicated to the study of the Little Big Horn fight and the 7th U.S. Cavalry. That's where I first came into contact with Gerry... online.

Later, during one of our Montana Mayhem trips, we met Gerry in person. He was as friendly and welcoming in the flesh as he was online. Every trip thereafter we made a point to visit and catchup with Gerry. He was a re-enactor and portrayed Peter Thompson to the masses, not only during the big battle anniversary weekend but he would give presentations and talks throughout the year on his favorite subject. He loved sharing his passion for history and I'm sure he ignited the interest in more than a few people.

You will be terribly missed Gerry.

Gerry at his campsite, US Cavalry School, Little Big Horn Battlefield, June 2013.

Gerry with an old bugle. Little Big Horn Battlefield, June 2013. Also shown are renowned Custer re-enactor Steve Alexander and author Fred Wagner.

Gerry answering questions at the High Plains Western Heritage Center, Spearfish, South Dakota, June 2017.

Gerry Schultz, portraying trooper Peter Thompson at the High Plains Western Heritage Center, Spearfish, South Dakota, June 2017. On the stand next to Gerry is Peter Thompson's actual Medal of Honor, awarded for his actions as a water carrier at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Rocky Boyd

I first became acquainted with Rocky Boyd on a couple of message boards on the old Delphi forum. There have been a couple of new message boards since then. This was way back before the Facebook days. Now with the Facebook groups feature, many of the old message boards are going the way of the dinosaur. I haven't tried to log into Delphi for years so I'm not even sure if they are still around or not.

Rocky was a fixture on these early boards. He always seemed to have a beeline on the most obscure information and he was willing to help out anyone he could. He mentioned his fascination with trooper Peter Thompson and that he was always on the lookout for any mention of Thompson, no matter how minuscule. This caught my attention as I had recently started collecting information on the 7th Cavalry troopers who are buried in South Dakota (there are quite a few).

When I started accumulating this information, Rocky was an invaluable resource. I would pepper him with questions and he would always have the answers. The guy knew his history. Not only 7th Cavalry history but Black Hills history in general.

In 2005, the Little Big Horn Associates held their annual conference in Rapid City, South Dakota. I attended and met for the first time some of my buddies who would go on to form our group, Montana Mayhem. Part of this conference was a field trip to Fort Meade. When my buddy, Michael Olson, and I got to the fort we noticed a guy with long hair running around. We met him in a stairwell and his stick-on name tag said "Rocky." We stopped him and asked if he was Rocky from the Delphi boards. The rest, as they say, is history. We bumped into him again later at the conference seminars and had a chance to visit. What a super nice guy.

He helped me immensely with his incomparable knowledge and friendship. Sadly, Rocky passed away May 1, 2010. He will be greatly missed.

Rocky Boyd at LBHA conference, July 2005

Peter Thompson and the Belle Fourche Bee

Although his actual birthdate is a matter of dispute, Peter Thompson was born in Scotland. He enlisted in the army on September 21, 1875, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He listed his previous occupation as miner. He was transferred to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri and was assigned to Company C, 7th Cavalry at Fort Lincoln. He had brown eyes, brown hair, ruddy complexion, and was 5’ 8 ¾” in height.

Thompson and the rest of Company C were assigned to the battalion under Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer.  His horse gave out and he fell back and eventually joined Major Reno and the troops on the hilltop.  He was wounded in the right hand while with the water party on June 26th.  He was transported to Fort Lincoln aboard the steamer Far West.  

He was discharged on September 20, 1880, at Fort Meade, Dakota, upon expiration of service, as a private of excellent character. He was issued the Medal of Honor on October 5, 1878, as a member of the water party with the citation”… after having voluntarily brought water to the wounded in which effort he was shot through the hand, he made two more successful trips for the same purpose notwithstanding the remonstrances of his sergeant.”

Thompson later became a well-respected rancher and land owner. He ran a ranch northeast of Alzada, Montana. 

In 1914 Thompson had his recollections of the Custer Fight published in the Belle Fourche Bee. The first appeared on Thursday, February 19 and continued for eight consecutive weeks. The final installment was published on April 9, 1914. 

Thompson died in December of 1928 in Hot Springs, South Dakota and is buried in the West Lead Cemetery in Lead, South Dakota, about 5 miles from famous Deadwood.

I have transcribed Peter Thompson’s story as it appeared in the Belle Fourche Bee in 1914. You can download and read the entire story here. Please feel free to post comments below.

LINK TO THOMPSON BELLE FOURCHE BEE STORY