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Post by rodthomas on Jul 9, 2015 12:37:17 GMT -5
Folks, thanks...first thing - source of Crows present at the Fetterman fight see "What Half Yellow Face Knows" in the Bradley Papers at the Montana Historical Society. Second source is narrative by Spotted Blue Body, Miniconjou said there were four Crows present in testimony May 9, 1867, at Fort Laramie at investigation into the fight - Roll 1, microform M740, Record Group 75, Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Half Yellow Face said there were three men and one woman.
Circumstantial indications, as well tracts about Crow society, cause me to "feel" a relationship of long standing between Half Yellow Face and White Swan - mentor-pupil sort of bond. Records - written and oral - are silent as to Half Yellow Face being one of the four but his story is verified by Lakota narrative. It would be a stretch perhaps to place both he and White Swan in that fight. Or would it? Pure, unadulterated speculation at this point in time and until the silence is broken will probably remain as such. However, we still have the vignette.
Weapons - that makes two of us (hconroy and I) looking at the soldier's sidearm as a Spencer carbine, model 1865. However, the soldier is shown also carrying a shoulder weapon on a sling (ala the Springfield carbine). The Spencer fits the immediate post-Civil War period. Later I'll post some images of the Spencer.
I'll have to find the source but I've mostly considered portrayals of wearing capotes on raids as just that - a sign it was a horse raid or war not cold weather.
My initial thinking and research focused on the Crows engagements with the Montana Militia and have yet to finish up details of those.
Several folks have spent lots of time trying to locate this vignette during or after 1876. To find more solid indications of it being in the mid-1860s is encouraging and a bit breathtaking.
THanks for help and we'll continue down this trail!
Regards, Rod...
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Post by rodthomas on Jul 7, 2015 18:58:25 GMT -5
Sometime in White Swan's warrior "active duty" life, he attacked a US soldier. We argued in Rubbing Out Long Hair against it being an event at the Little Big Horn fight in 1876. He is dressed differently and carries a bundle - leader, horse, arrow - and shows himself mounted on a different horse than the Little Big Horn. I don't know of anyone who has argued against this conclusion. That leaves us with the "five W's" and not much to go on. I've researched US Army casualty lists, engagement histories, unit muster reports, Crow histories (oral and written), and have yet to pinpoint this engagement. Last night, while reading up on another subject, I soon found myself standing in front of my library and pulling down references about the Bozeman Trail/Powder River history (aka "Red Cloud's War"). I've spent most of today reading over as much as I have on this time. Most histories of the Crow - US relationship point out the positive alliance crafted by the folks of the time. Imagine to my surprise when a "re-read" of those times points out some very definitive Crow demands and goals missed or not appropriately recognized the first time around. So then I started looking more closely at unit reports, musters, and accounts from both sides. Despite repeated and popularly accepted "norms" that the Crow people have never "waged war" against the United States, it is very clear from those records Crow warriors did combat not only civilians (especially miners) but US soldiers as well. As late as 1868, Crow leadership demanded that the Army leave the Powder River region. White Swan was born in 1850 or 1851 as backdated from his enlistments and pension files. He would have been 16 to 17 years old in 1866-1868. James Dempsey's point about most Blackfoot warriors "were young teenagers in their first forays" comes immediately to mind. More importantly, Two Leggings, Plenty Coups, and others relate the same age group for entering combat. The question is: Would a young Crow warrior of this age cohort be adorned with a bundle? Secondarily, but just as importantly, where else may I look for help in identifying this vignette? Thanks everyone...and hope all is well! Regards, Rod... Attachments:
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Post by rodthomas on Jun 2, 2015 16:17:20 GMT -5
As I put together "answers to enigmas" for White Swan's bio, I'll add some things such as this comparison of the tipi identified as White Swan's in Riebeth's book and whose tipi it really was. The photo may in fact be Sharp's but the tipi is Blackfoot. tipi comparison.pdf (1.61 MB) Regards, Rod...
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Post by rodthomas on May 19, 2015 12:17:42 GMT -5
Good morning all...Carolyn Reynolds Reibeth in her book J. H. Sharp Among the Crow Indians 1902-1910 included a photograph ostensibly by Sharp of a painted tipi cover on page 125. "Custer battle depicted on the tepee of White Swan, a Crow warrior" reads the caption. In the attached file it is shown and then two more images of the same tipi cover (one by an unknown photographer and one by McClintock) for comparison. It is NOT White Swan's tipi. Instead, it is Running Rabbit's, a Blackfoot. Sharp may very well have taken the photo in Riebeth's book as he visited the Blackfeet as much as he did the Crows. This is one of many examples of incorrectly attributed stories and artifacts to people such as White Swan. Riebeth's family did know White Swan and her father gave a White Swan painting away to a person who expressed interest. Still though, we now know the real story of the painted tipi used in her book. And yes, we think we have "figured out" which painting was given away by then Major Reynolds. The manuscript is coming along even as we finalize some research issues - one of which was the tipi described above - along with getting all the art and photo permissions. This has turned out to be quite a story. Everyone enjoy a grand day! Regards, Rod... PS...now I hope I've learned how to "do" attachments!
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Post by rodthomas on May 14, 2015 11:46:47 GMT -5
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Post by rodthomas on May 12, 2015 17:45:40 GMT -5
Was just working with some Miller photos for the White Swan biography and thought I'd check something and saw an addition to this topic. It is not a cape as Carlo notes. I'm suggesting it is his bundle - leader/pipe/horse - that he wears. I've attached the Miller photo of Curley's tipi with the bundle attached to a guy rope as was the custom. Note the eagle feathers on the ends as well as the light strip on the edges. The feathers and the light stripe are visible with careful inspection of the mounted Curley photo (yes, by Miller). He is also wearing it in the 1903 photo of him and White Swan at the Sheridan Fair. I'll try to get a better image of the mounted Curley and post tomorrow. Regards, Rod...
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Post by rodthomas on Mar 23, 2015 18:02:51 GMT -5
Rubbing Out Long Hair is now back in print with second printing. This version is softcover and corrected some formatting errors but otherwise the same. Please contact me directly for information and purchase.
rodneygthomas@outlook.com
Regards, Rod...
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Post by rodthomas on Feb 13, 2015 12:17:28 GMT -5
Thanks for the plug about Rubbing Out Long Hair...really good to have it back in print. Here is the caped vignette NOT painted by White Swan (although it is his event) next to other events painted BY White Swan in the Dyck muslin. The oeuvre of the caped event appears only once in all of White Swan's art - this once - and comparison with that known to be by White Swan and this depiction shows clearly not by his hand. I've directly seen almost all his art - excepting the Burgess drawings, the robes in Browning and Nebraska State Historical, and the Snite muslin - and am most certain he did not paint this version. Now, the rest of the Dyck muslin IS White Swan. It is just this one vignette. I thought for a long time that perhaps a non-Indian artist had "helped" but Bill Holm has convinced me it is by an Indian. Research continues... Hope all is well and please have a great day!
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Post by rodthomas on Feb 11, 2015 19:35:09 GMT -5
...chuckle...as he hit the send button way to quickly. What the old guy meant to say was "EMPHASIZING"...I think
:-)
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Post by rodthomas on Feb 11, 2015 19:33:26 GMT -5
Great discussion. First, I was privileged to attend the opening ceremonies of the Diker exhibition at the Seattle Arts Museum last evening and must say that seeing things "for real" is another whole universe-sized realm of wonderment! More on this later. As I capitalize below I am not shouting but EMPHASING... :-)
Now, on to Crow scouts on 25 June 1876...and the several narratives that talk of their "dressing" for battle to include wearing eagle "breath feathers" to help their journey to the other world if they were killed. They went forward, until four of them were "released" from their duties by Custer via Bradley. Two - Half Yellow Face and White Swan - were ordered to go with Reno and they did. And from that we have the wonderful telling of the battle by White Swan in the art shown in my book. Sorry, dT...but they did "go forward" until told to leave. Curley did as did White Man Runs Him, Hairy Moccasin, and Goes Ahead. This is probably left to another discussion topic but for now...they lived because they followed orders. I discuss this at some length in the White Swan biography.
The vignette above from the White Swan painting now curated at the Buffalo Bill Cody Center of the West was NOT done by White Swan. ALL other examples of this event DO NOT show the two individuals attired as shown in this particular piece. I have a fairly firm idea of who "helped" in this particular painting but this vignette is not by White Swan's hand.
I'll go through all his art once more - only the Little Big Horn art is in Rubbing Out Long Hair - and by the weekend be able to post some other examples of robe wearers I'm sure.
Yesterday I also set in motion a second printing of Rubbing Out Long Hair. Enough interest has been expressed to do so and viola' - let me know if interested.
Please have a great day!
Regards, Rod...
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Post by rodthomas on Jan 19, 2015 15:36:27 GMT -5
Well, sorry...now I know how to properly add attachments AND not send at the same time!!!
White Swan shows himself in this event wearing a white-trimmed red cape in all his portrayals with it.
Hope all is well...
Regards, Rod...
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Post by rodthomas on Jan 19, 2015 15:19:09 GMT -5
Crow and Nez Perce warriors also wore red capes. White Swan's painting at the Heard shows him with one on in the upper right as well as attacking a cape wearing foe in the bottom line to the left. [entered to upload the photo - Dietmar]
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Post by rodthomas on Jan 15, 2015 11:38:02 GMT -5
Hi David...great to hear from you...will get an email off momentarily...
REgards, Rod...
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Post by rodthomas on Nov 17, 2014 14:22:29 GMT -5
Wonderful news that the Symposium was able to go ahead despite weather. Can't wait til we can learn of the presentations!
Regards, Rod...
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Post by rodthomas on Nov 13, 2014 11:37:59 GMT -5
All...hope everyone is warm and safe and the symposium goes as planned. Look forward to hearing about the folks in attendance and their presentations...
Regards, Rod Thomas...
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