Buff Peters, Karlee Jane (makeup & efferts), Pou Williamson (prod asst).
Bottom of pic: Mary Schaan (asst set photographer), Taylor Haxton (sound recording artist)
Every year, people flock to the Little Bighorn Battlefield to watch an amazing reenactment of the titular battle take place on the same ground. With cavalry soldiers performing as Custer’s 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment as they are routed by the combined forces of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho led by Crazy Horse, Chief Gall, and Sitting Bull. This year, the battlefield is also the set for a docu-drama based on the famous battle. “Custer’s Strategy of Defeat”, written and directed by Chris Hoffert, will be a truly historical look into the events that occurred on June 25th, 1876 in Crow Agency.
The Little Bighorn Battlefield is one of the highest traffic national landmarks there is, with over 400,000 people visiting annually. It’s easy to tell why as you walk through green hills with white gravestones jutting out of the ground, dotting the landscape as markers of where the dead fell on that day. The entire place feels surreal and it holds a special place not just within Montana history, but the history of the United States. The Battle of Little Bighorn was the biggest loss by U.S. forces during the Indian Wars, and even though it marked a great victory for the Sioux, it also spurred the government to send more troops to subjugate the native peoples as quickly as possible. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
Reenactors ford the Little Bighorn River on their way back to camp.
Custer and some of his officers stand in front of a teepee on the Real Bird property after filming a scene. Front left to right: Michael Bondurant holding the flag, Gary Stewart acting as General Custer, W.W. Cook, Pat daly, Jeff Reno, Rich Bright, and Kevin McNiven. (Jonathan McNiven Photo)
