In October of 1913, Gertrude Price, a "movie expert" for the Evansville Press (Evansville, Ind) traveled to the location of William "Buffalo Bill" Cody's epic movie set for the Wounded Knee, S.D. scenes, where "the final slaughtering battle between the white men and the last of the redskins took place." She said about 500 "regulars" were on set, plus "a great horde of Sioux Indians." She described life there - with Sioux tepees set up not far from Calvary tents, food having to be hauled in 43 miles by six-mule wagon teams, "Rations for the Indians are given out each night just before taps sound," and how she was to sleep on a "hunk of hay on the ground in a tent."
She reported for several days, traveling with photographer W. Durborough, who snapped the photos below.
I've taken snippets from her articles, and included the full works at the end of this post. Her writings provide and excellent description of how she felt on that set, creating an interesting diary of events.
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| 1913, Oct 18 Evansville Press |
Oct 18th: "Here at last! Hundreds of miles from a city, 43 miles from a railroad and right in the heart of the wildest part of our country - in the basin of the famous "Wounded Knee" district of the Dakotas, a place replete with historic associations, pathos and sentiment. I am here to witness the accomplishment of the next great thing in the world - the actual re-enactment of the picturesque last wars of the white race with the American Indians - and BEFORE A CAMERA. For the first time in the history of any country, battles fought years and years before are to be repeated on the identical ground where they took place.... Gen. Miles and many of the commanders who led the United States troops against the Indian in those last wars are in the field here today, acting over again their famous parts in the great battles! ... A thousand gay-blankered Sioux are camped in this basin of Wounded Knee, just as they were the night before that awful battle 20 years ago! Many of the Indian who actually took part in those last encounters are even acting the very parts they played then in such desperate reality... One of the greatest points of interest in connection with the production is the fact that a complete picture will be presented to the government to be placed in the archives at Washington for all time! (Source:
1913, Oct 18 Evansville Press )
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| 1913, Oct 21 Evansville Press |
Oct. 18th: "I am going to show you the LAST OF THE GREAT SIOUX INDIANS in the unique role of moving picture players, staging the history of their own past in a great amphitheater of nature - among the yellow hills of the Bad Lands of the Dakotas, where they used to roam! And as they act again the joys and tragedies of their lives, scores of moving picture machines will record it all for you to see at 'the nickel show!' First, today the Indians staged a scene of peace, depicted again, in their valley, their accustomed occupations. They hunted and gave tribal dances, as they used to do before the white men came into the land. Then came the great council of war - the parleyings with the new WHITE men: friendly visits of frontier scouts and then rumors of war! Then in the twinkling of an eye came the scene of battle; the sound of war whoop; the weird incantations of the squaws before their tepees in the hillside, and the smoke of rapid-fire guns. And after that a parley again between soldiers and red men, the accidental shot; the order to fire on the Indians - the encounter; the deafening boom of cannon -- the battlefield STREWN WITH DEAD! ... You could scarcely realize that the superstitious red man, with his strong hatred and bitter memories, would go through the thrilling story of his last stand for freedom JUST FOR THE CAMERA MEN TO RECORD ON THEIR FILMS.... Surprisingly as it may seem, the Indian, with his supposedly slow comprehension of the white man's ideas, has caught the new notion of pantomine before a camera, with remarkable aptitude."
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| 1913, Oct 23 Evansville Press |
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General Miles
1913, Oct 23 Evansville Press |
Oct 19th: "The most unique event in the whole history of the moving picture industry was completed here today! It was the recording of the thrilling scenes of the terrible massacre of "Wounded Knee" on the identical spot where it actually took place 23 years ago! The US Cavalry in their blue uniforms stood at attention on the brow of the distant hill as they did on that memorable day! The Copper Indians, in their bright blankets and strange war paint, sat AGAIN in the basin of the Wounded Knee at their council of war! Col Forsyth AGAIN sent his messages of peace and his assurance of kindness to the chief of the Sioux! Interpreter and Chief of the Scouts Philip F. Wells AGAIN stood in the center of the little scene imparting the message of the whites to his brothers, the red men! The war dance of the medicine man was repeated again with all its weird incantations and strange movements! And AGAIN, in the midst of apparent peace, a shot rang out through the clear air and echoed in the hills! THEN THE BATTLE WAS ON! ... The blue coated cavalry charged down the hill at a breakneck speed as they did on the day the battle actually took place. Infantry on guard dropped to their knees, fired, loaded and fired again! The war-painted warriors rushed across the basin toward the ravine as they did in the real encounter, firing and falling and firing again as they flew! A great dust and a perpetual smoke filled the air - and then, as quickly as it had started, the shooting ceased. ... When the picture is complete it will tell the story of the life of the Indians before civilization found them and the last wars before the red man finally laid down his weapons.
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| 1913, Oct 25 Evansville Press |
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| 1913, Oct 25 Evansville Press |
Another still of a scene from Buffalo Bill's movie.
