News Update October 3rd, 2022 - Thunder on the Plains (1 Viewer)

Julie

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JJDESIGNS NEWS UPDATE 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] OCTOBER 2022
THUNDER ON THE PLAINS
THE BLACK HILL WARS 1876-1877
THE BATTLE OF THE ROSEBUD, 17[SUP]th[/SUP] JUNE 1876
UNITED STATES CAVALRY

As settlers spread westward across North America after 1780, armed conflicts increased in size, duration, and intensity between settlers and various Indian and First Nation tribes.
In 1875, the Great Sioux War of 1876-77 erupted when the Dakota gold rush penetrated the Black Hills. The U.S government decided to stop evicting trespassers from the Black Hills and offered to buy the land from the Sioux. When they refused, the US government decided instead to take the land and gave the Lakota until January 31[SUP]st[/SUP], 1876 to return to reservations.

An United States cavalry regiment in 1876 consisted of 12 companies.
A cavalry company, at full strength had 3 officers and 70 enlisted men.
The US cavalry of 1876 used Lt. Col. Emory Upton’s Cavalry Tactics, which was an unified system of drill, which was compatible among the cavalry, infantry and artillery. This meant an officer could move from one branch of service to another.
Upton’s tactics incorporated a “set of fours” as the basic, or smallest, cavalry unit or squad. This was designed to simplify operations, increase speed, and eliminate cumbersome manoeuvres.

Dismounted skirmishing became the main cavalry mode of engagement with the enemy, which facilitated the dispersal of men on a firing line.
On campaign and in battle, cavalrymen did not always perform as mounted skirmishers but rather served as mounted infantry. By dismounting and kneeling under fire, the trooper presented a much smaller target for the enemy and could take aim much more accurately.
The preparatory command “to fight on foot”, followed by “As skirmishers”, required each cavalryman to dismount and deploy along a firing line at 5yd intervals, with 15yd gaps between each set of four men.
Odd numbered skirmishers in each set of four fired a round on command and then reloaded as even numbered skirmishers fired on order. Each man then continued to fire roughly in an odd-even sequence without regard to the others until “Cease fire” command was given. Skirmish tactics could be employed by the platoon, company, battalion or even at regimental level.
Dismounted skirmishing required one of every four men, designated as a horse holder, to remain with the horses of the other three. Horse holders retired to a safe position in the rear.

ROSECAV01-M.jpg


On 28[SUP]th[/SUP] May 1876, Brigadier General George Crook assumed direct command of the Bighorn and Yellowstone Expedition at Fort Fetterman. Crook had gathered a strong force. Leaving Fort Fetterman on 29[SUP]th[/SUP] May the 1,051man column consisted of 15 companies from the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] and 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] Cavalry, 5 companies from the 4[SUP]th[/SUP] and 9[SUP]th[/SUP] Infantry, 250 mules and 106 wagons.
On the 14[SUP]th[/SUP] June, the column was joined by 261 Shoshone and Crow allies.
Based on intelligence reports Crook ordered his entire force to prepare for a quick march. Each man was to carry only 1 blanket, 100 rounds of ammunition, and 4 days rations. The wagon train would be left at Goose Creek, and the infantry would be mounted on the pack mules.

ROSECAV02-M.jpg


On 17 June, Crook's column set out at 0600, marching northward along the south fork of Rosebud Creek. The Crow and Shoshone scouts were particularly apprehensive. Although the column had not yet encountered any sign of Indians, the scouts seemed to sense their presence. The soldiers, particularly the mule-riding infantry, seemed fatigued from the early start and the previous day's 35-mile (56 km) march. Accordingly, Crook stopped to rest his men and animals at 0800. Although he was deep in hostile territory, Crook made no special dispositions for defense. His troops halted in their marching order. The Cavalry battalions led the column, followed by the battalion of mule-borne foot soldiers, and a provisional company of civilian miners and packers brought up the rear.

ROSECAV03-M.jpg


The Crow and Shoshone scouts remained alert while the soldiers rested. Several minutes later, the soldiers heard the sound of intermittent gunfire coming from the bluffs to the north. As the intensity of fire increased, a scout rushed into the camp shouting, "Lakota, Lakota!" The Battle of the Rosebud had started. By 0830, the Sioux and Cheyenne had hotly engaged Crook's Indian allies on the high ground north of the main body. Heavily outnumbered, the Crow and Shoshone scouts fell back toward the camp, but their fighting withdrawal gave Crook time to deploy his forces. Rapidly firing soldiers drove off the attackers but used up much of the ammunition meant for use later in the campaign. Low on ammunition and with numerous wounded, the General returned to his post.

Historians debate whether Crook’s pressing on could have prevented the killing of the five companies of the 7[SUP]th[/SUP] Cavalry Regiment led by George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING
GA-40 PANTHER #223 has been delayed. Will now be shipping with the November shipments.

The WSP-57 set has had the set name changed. Please note it is now the following

WSP-57
THE FUR TRADE,
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN RENDEZVOUS,
2 WOMEN WRAPPED IN BLANKETS,
(2 pcs)


Best wishes and many thanks,
john jenkins
 
Absolutely outstanding looking figure sets as well as a wonderfully written historical perspective introduction. I'm in!

Mike
 
Going to be hard not to take on this series. Looks outstanding. Robin.
 
Lovely announcement from John. Will be interesting if John includes a Little Bighorn vignette in the series.
 
"Calamity" Jane supposedly made an appearance in Crook's Goose Creek camp just days before the Rosebud battle. She would make a nice addition.
 
I really appreciate John's attention to & presentations of recorded historical tactics.

The horse handlers will sell out in a jiff.

Bests
OD
 
.............The U.S government decided to stop evicting trespassers from the Black Hills and offered to buy the land from the Sioux. When they refused, the US government decided instead to take the land and gave the Lakota until January 31st, 1876 to return to reservations..........................

Shared this with an acedemic, US historian, she thought it was well written. Mentioned the context was non-judgemental, but the whole period or expansion has echos of what Putin and Russian are doing today, even the government santioned genocide/ethnic cleansing. With Crimea and Texas having mirror similarities, group moves in [white settlers in US and Russians in Crimea] then decide they do not want to be part of the country, start a rebellion and declare independant, with support from a larger bullying empire building country.

https://www.vox.com/2015/5/27/8618261/america-maps-truths

Pointing out that the US Government/military were the aggressors and Custer was massacred because he led a force into Indian territory against the agreed treaty.

Showed her the JJD and the K & C ranges covering the period, thought they were well made, but too 'Hollywood'. She thought the Indians were more realistic, but a bit 'well fed', as there was always a lot of hunger and starvation, they looked a bit too healthy. Thought the settlers and Mexicans [K & C] were idealised, but liked the design and whole look of the JJD pieces, was surprised at the price, but most people are. Asked me if they would do a Trail of the Tears range? I said probably not.

She does have the point of view that the US was built on the genocide of one ethic group, the enslavement of another and the continued exploitation of the ethnic groups from countries to the South. Not critical, just stating an opinion and what happened. Thinks Americans have not addressed this, but why should they? They did not do it, with it being impossible to link the vast majority of individuals to what their ancestors did and can we really judge out of context in time and place.......
 
We cannot judge the past with the mentality of the present. Regarding the cavalry uniform, I prefer the Hollywood style, even if it was not the real one, it is more colorful.



Francisco
 
We cannot judge the past with the mentality of the present. Regarding the cavalry uniform, I prefer the Hollywood style, even if it was not the real one, it is more colorful.



Francisco

I agree, as someone once said, the past is another country, but we have to learn and teach about it, even if it makes us uncomfortable with what happened in the past.

On style of figures, i like the style of JJD and K & C.
 
I wonder how John will sell them. Maybe each is a set of 4 men and figures. I will be into that. Less boxing than buying them individually.i would even buy these 12 men and horses as one set. A big investment but worth it
 
I would say 2-3 per set, maybe horse holder and horse as 1 set.
Mark
 
.............The U.S government decided to stop evicting trespassers from the Black Hills and offered to buy the land from the Sioux. When they refused, the US government decided instead to take the land and gave the Lakota until January 31st, 1876 to return to reservations..........................

Shared this with an acedemic, US historian, she thought it was well written. Mentioned the context was non-judgemental, but the whole period or expansion has echos of what Putin and Russian are doing today, even the government santioned genocide/ethnic cleansing. With Crimea and Texas having mirror similarities, group moves in [white settlers in US and Russians in Crimea] then decide they do not want to be part of the country, start a rebellion and declare independant, with support from a larger bullying empire building country.

https://www.vox.com/2015/5/27/8618261/america-maps-truths

Pointing out that the US Government/military were the aggressors and Custer was massacred because he led a force into Indian territory against the agreed treaty.

Showed her the JJD and the K & C ranges covering the period, thought they were well made, but too 'Hollywood'. She thought the Indians were more realistic, but a bit 'well fed', as there was always a lot of hunger and starvation, they looked a bit too healthy. Thought the settlers and Mexicans [K & C] were idealised, but liked the design and whole look of the JJD pieces, was surprised at the price, but most people are. Asked me if they would do a Trail of the Tears range? I said probably not.

She does have the point of view that the US was built on the genocide of one ethic group, the enslavement of another and the continued exploitation of the ethnic groups from countries to the South. Not critical, just stating an opinion and what happened. Thinks Americans have not addressed this, but why should they? They did not do it, with it being impossible to link the vast majority of individuals to what their ancestors did and can we really judge out of context in time and place.......

As usual the much maligned U.S. army of the Indian wars gets the blame for the settlement of the West by civilians.
If the Army were hell bent on wiping out native Americans why did the post Civil War Army take 25 years to do the job ? The reason is that there was never enough of them. Even when they got to brigade strength (Rosebud) it still wasn't enough to overawe the Indians . From 1866 when the regular army was reduced because of post Civil War financial constraints, their main role was actually protecting reconstruction in the conquered South. In what you could class as Sioux territory there was one main Infantry regiment from 1866 (18th) spread over hundreds of miles with no main strike force. They were armed and equipped as per the Civil war and even when a new fixed ammunition rifle eventually arrived it was the Civil war Springfield which had been altered (Allin conversion) .Ten years later at Rosebud it was a similar single shot weapon that was only slightly more refined.
During the battle both sides exhibited bravery. Once Crook got over the initial shock of the aggressive attack, (unusual for Indians to show such determination against a substantial force) and he got organised , the combined tribes were never going to win. Apart from a period of time when elements of Colonel Royall's third cavalry were roughly handled at Kollmar Creek because of the rough terrain. Crook managed to consolidate his force even sending a battalion under Captain Mills to search for the supposed Indian camp (it was no where near) Crook changed his mind and recalled Mill's command . It was this movement by Mill's who re entered the battle fortuitously behind the tribes that ended the battle. The tribes withdrew from the field leaving it to the army. Crook sent men to follow the retreat but they returned after being unable to catch up to the enemy. At that moment in time Crook could claim victory. It was Crook's inaction after this time that put his victory in doubt. Some historians believe that LBH may not have happened if Crook had stayed in the field cooperating with Terry/Custer. For such a large battle casualties were light . Indian sources said they lost 39 dead and 63 wounded (13 Indian bodies remained on the battlefield proving the tribes were under pressure too.)The army lost 9 killed (mainly at Kollmar Creek) and 21 wounded.
I have often wondered if Crook had sent couriers with immediate despatches to Terry/Gibbon/Custer if the outcome of the summer campaign would have been different?

This next section is fictional but could and should have happened:

Headquarters in the field
Big Horn and Yellowstone Expedition.
Goose Creek
18th June 1876
Brig Genl. Crook Commanding.

My dear Custer ,
I had a terrific engagement with the Sioux and Cheyenne's yesterday. I eventually outfought them and they retired from the field. However I would like to offer you some advice as the tribes fought well and seemed motivated more than usual. They appear to be in great numbers which were difficult to estimate as they appeared in "clouds" on all parts of the field. However they must have been at least 1000. I camped the night before in my line of march and therefor was at a defensive disadvantage when they attacked.
I would advise you to keep your command well together and in supporting distance. I had a problem with Royall's command because of distance and terrain, he suffered a few casualties but was very lucky getting away with it. My infantry companies were useful at longer ranges and if they had had the Gatling's with them I'm sure the tribes would have suffered more. If possible try and keep the Gatling's with you.
Try to keep your regiment together at all times and try to avoid tactics that appear to the Indians that you are retreating as they will be on you in seconds. If you heed this advice you may well have a wonderful victory on your hands. I will be leaving my wounded here with the infantry and I leave immediately with the cavalry to join you perhaps at the Little Big Horn river.
Crook.
 
I will be adding these sets to my collection.
I would like to have a couple "fours" on a skirmish line.
So Four horses, and a "holder" x's 2. and six troopers firing or preparing to.
If I had lots of money, I'd have a full company.

The Cavalry usually directed the men falling out for a skirmish line to hand their reins to the fourth rider when mounted.
Rider, #1 handed his right rein to the #4 rider, then #2, and #3. they dismounted.
this way the #4 rider can more easily control the three horses and his own mounted. keeping his horse calm and
using it to impart that to the others. so they won't bolt.

If the troopers were dismounted, the Cavalry headstalls have a link strap. this was a strap on the horses headstalls that
had a hook on the end. as the #1 trooper held his horse, he snapped the link strap hook to the #4 dismounted riders headstall.
and then the #2 rider did the same hooking his horse to the headstall on the #1 horse. the #3 rider did the same to the headstall of the #2 horse. this way the horses were tethered closely to the head of the adjoining horse.
keep them calmer and each horse controlled the strength and weight of the other.
the #4 soldier only had to control HIS horse. connected to the other three. And he stayed mounted, or could be dismounted. When needed, he could bring the horses to the other 3 men if they had to retreat quickly.

They did I guess, in an emergency, hold all four horses reins on foot, but the strength of four horses frightened and trying to get away would be much to hard to control by one man, and loss of all would be easy.

Typically the straight standing trooper holding all four horses seems to be what the models depict, (First Legion has a trooper holding two horses and they accurately show how hard that is).

I would like to see JJD have a fourth rider mounted holding the other three horses.
 

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