Lakotas in "The Indian Wars" movie of 1913

[Dietmar]

Koos van Oostrom from the Netherlands has allowed me to post the following analysis about some photos, which are available on Cowan´s Auction site. Fascinating research, thank you Koos!:

"In a recent auction, Cowan’s offered 4 prints “providing views of Sioux Indians at the Cheyenne River Agency”.
From the write-up, it appears that they got the idea of the location from the figurative design of the tobacco bag held by one of the photographed Indians - a bit naive.
Right away, I recognized Short Bull and his wife in one of the photos - which was my starting point for some further research."

www.cowanauctions.com/lot/cheyenne-river-agency-sioux-indian-silver-gelatin-prints-ca-1910-1920-lot-of-4-3902302











After recognizing Short Bull, I had a good look at the photo with two elderly men wearing war bonnets. In the one at left, I saw a close resemblance to the Oglala Woman’s Dress. The other man appeared to be an aged No Neck.

From there on it was easy:
The photos were taken in 1913 at Pine Ridge, during the filming of Buffalo Bill’s movie “The Indian Wars” - in which Short Bull, Woman’s Dress and No Neck were participating.
In a news clipping, Woman’s Dress and No Neck pose with Major Burke.

The Ghost Dance outfits seen in the group photos were worn for the re-enactment of the Wounded Knee Massacre...

Short Bull, Sicangu/Brule

Woman's Dress, Oglala

No Neck

"Buffalo Bill and Sitting Bull: Inventing the Wild West"by Bobby Bridger, Univ. of Texas Press, 2002, page 432

newspaper clipping (Woman´s Dress, Major John Burke, No Neck)

Woman’s Dress’ shirt is now in the NMAI.
The beaded strips and neck pieces were recycled from a shirt worn by Painted Horse in a 1909 photo.

Woman´s Dress' shirt

same shirt at the NMAI

Painted Horse


Koos van Oostrom

[Dietmar]

I´ve found a few other newspaper articles that cover the activities of Buffalo Bill Cody at Pine Ridge in 1913. They contain photographs of Short Bull, William F. Cody and interpreter Philip Wells:

[grahamew]

Great work!

[grahamew]

This can be found in the Cody archives at buffalobill.org and I wonder if it's another Indian Wars still. That's Jack Red Cloud, isn't it?



There are several other images, including one of a procession of Lakota led by men in bonnets with men in ghost shirts bringing up the rear. There's one showing an unhorsed Indian and I wonder if he's meant to be Yellow Hand

[Dietmar]

Yes, Grahame, I´m sure he is Jack Red Cloud (on white horse).

Don´t know who the white officer is, but I believe the man next to him (far right) is Joseph Horn Cloud. Probably it is his brother Dewey Beard (aka Iron Hail) right to Jack, wearing a feather-bonnet, although I would love to see a better scan to be sure.

[grahamew]

Found these images of the filming at the Heritage Auction site.

The following image was part of the set, but you can see it's not part of the same group by the Southern Plains clothing and the notation on the print itself.

[Californian]

hi Grahame, that's a great find - when were these offered at Heritage Auctions ? I regularly go into that site - even occasionally bid on thing - but that one has escaped me. My hope remains that somewhere someplace a surviving print or at least more stills exist of this motion picture. Perhaps if one knew more about the picture, the production company, the contracted actors and set workers - among the descendants and heirs of those people might yet be a treasure to be found. In any case, thanks for posting these images.

[grahamew]

Sorry; I can't remember which auction it came from.

Here's an article on the film that some might not have seen. history.nebraska.gov/sites/history.nebraska.gov/files/doc/publications/NH1990BuffBillMovie.pdf

[Californian]

thanks for sharing this article - much appreciated