History from Nebraska

[terryl308]

If we have any History buffs here on AAPK, you might find this interesting. This stone marker is about 100 miles south east of where I live on the Red Willow Creek in Hayes county Nebraska. There was a camp located on this spot in 1872 for the visiting Duke Alexis from Russia for a Buffalo hunt. Buffalo Bill was the "guide" along with Gen Sheridan, Gen. Custer, and a lot of Spotted Tails Sioux Indians. Several buffalo were killed and many bottles of wine were shot down after the hunt. I have explored this country a lot and have read many accounts of what went on here. This marker is out in the middle of a farmers pasture, and if you didn't know where it was located you would never find it. (not marked very well. Rumor has it that Custer messed around with Spotted Tails good looking daughter one evening. Nothing new going on now days! Terry

[RobesonsRme.com]

And Smith & Wesson presented the duke with a matched pair of .44 Russian break-top revolvers, engraved, gold inlayed with very fancy grips in a presentation case with all the necessary accoutrements.

I wonder where they are now.

Charlie Noyes

[terryl308]

Charlie, Your right, S&W did give him a ivory handled model 3 in a case Dec. 6 1871 (if memory serves me right) In hopes that Russia would buy a contract of them chambered for .44 Russian, which they did. He took the pistol with him on the hunt and tried to shoot a buffalo with it but had to use Buffalo Bills rifle to kill one. I can't seem to locate where the revolver is now days? Probably in a Russian museum. Interesting stuff! Terry

[espn77]

That's cool history. Thanks for sharing that

[gsmith7158]

Who was the party that erected the monument?

[XX Case XX]

I guess the "Historical Society" deemed this event important enough to erect a marker in order to memorialize the event, but not important enough to preserve if all they did was plant 4 posts and wrap a cable around it. Good history nonetheless.

____________
Mike

[edge213]

Great history note.

[RobesonsRme.com]

Was it one revolver or a pair?

Memory sketchy now, since you say only one.

Russia bought a lot of revolvers from S&W.

I suspect this might have been one or this is at least what they looked like.

Here's a photo of the duke with Spotted Tail. That looks like a Smith & Wesson to me. It's nickel plated. Might be the one.

Charlie

[edge213]

Cool picture Charlie.

[deo-pa]

There is a great description of the Duke Alexis hunt in the book Blood Brothers: The Story of the Strange Friendship between Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill.

If you Google the sentence: "Day one of the the hunt, January 14, was the twenty-second birthday of Duke Alexis" the search will take you to the section of the book that describes the hunt.

Also, per Charlie's question, it was a single presentation revolver not a pair. Here is the entry from the Wikipedia article on the .44 Russian cartridge:

"In 1872, while in the US, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich visited the Smith & Wesson factory to review the progress of the Russian order. The American gun maker made him the gift of an engraved presentation Model 3 valued at more than $400, a large sum of money."

Dennis

[terryl308]

Charlie, great picture!, I've never seen that one before. I believe the Russians bought 20,000 and issued them to the Army? I love reading history, especially local history. The camp site is on private property, so I suppose that's why it was never advertised as to where it is . Just a cable around it to keep the cattle from rubbing it. There is a State historical marker about 2 or 3 miles south along a county road. I will be down there hunting in December with muzzleloaders. Just a doe hunt but fun, if I get by the marker, I photograph it and send it along. Terry

[btrwtr]

As I recall there was an item description at the San Jacinto monument in Texas that attributed the US favor for Colt revolvers over Smith and Wesson to simply be the product of supply and demand. Smith and Wesson revolvers going to Russia depleted availability in the U.S.

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks for posting that Terry! I'm a history nut, especially local history. Been known to drive miles out of the way to see and read about little known places like this. Fortunately Texas is full of state historical markers and monuments. Unfortunately it means I stop a lot, (my wife has become resigned to it).

That one reminds of the site of the Battle of Adobe Walls, which is also on private property on a ranch in the Texas Panhandle.

Ken

[terryl308]

ken, I have read a lot about Adobe Walls, and would love to visit it some day but I'm running out of time. That's where Billy Dixon made one hell of a shot with a sharps rifle (might have been some luck involved) , if my mind is functioning right. If you ever get up to the panhandle of Ne. stop and we will take a tour. Terry