.: Lee R. Christensen and Bob Scanlon Join Re-Enactment of Custer's Last Stand

Monday, June 15, 2015

Lee R. Christensen and Bob Scanlon Join Re-Enactment of Custer's Last Stand

Lee R. Christensen's Photos and Stories From Mt. Pleasant

KATHY;

In June 1986 I motored to Billings ,Montana where I met Bob Scanlon who had flown in to save energy for the ride . We rented a trailer that opens into a tent and headed for the Little Big Horn Battle field I think in '86 it was still called the Custer battlefield. We were spectators at the military burial of the remains of a Custer trooper who had been discovered on the battlefield summer of '85 following a brush and grass fire that exposed parts of the battlefield.

   Following the services we joined a group that included re-enactors and motored the roughly 15 miles to the "crow's nest" where we spent the night in our rented trailer and near the re-enactors in their tents. The crow's nest if a high point (not too high) on the divide between the Rosebud river and the Little Big Horn and the point historians say Custer first had a chance to survey the Indian camp. He stopped there long enough to take a deep breath and his men time to check the cinches on their horse and continued what turned out to be about 24 hours in the saddle. Scanlon and I spent a restless night wondering if we could live thru 6 hours in the saddle.

Next morning we got up to the "rise and shine" bugle call of the reenactors, ate breakfast ?, were given our rented horses, Seabicuit was not one of them and as a group headed towards the battle field.. We had been joined by other mounted riders on their own horses and with the re-enactors may have been one hundred riders and horses.

We departed our camp ground about 9am, not far off Custer's time. The re-enactors had a semblance of military order the rest of us none and some were having trouble staying on their horse. Custer was in hurry and as I remember covered the distance in about 4 hours. Our re-enactors were shooting a documentary and stopped frequently to re shoot. The ride took us about eight hours and gave us a taste of what Custer's troopers were experiencing after 24 hours in the saddle.

As had been my practice on trips for some years I was carrying my camera and plenty of film. Shot a folder full of reasonably good photos and when U tube came along ,with the help of my daughter Tracy, we made a U tube presentation. You can certainly use it and any of the other photos I took on the ride. Both Custer and I need the espouser - he to lighten his blemished reputation, me, to enhance mine. Some photos to follow. lee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVFgwJtKKEM