A Song for the Horse Nation

[Philip S]

The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington has a very fine temporary exhibit on the relationship between American Indians and their horses (http://nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/horsenation/).
Below are pictures of rifles owned by famous chiefs.

[Pat Holscher]

What's that repair (?) near the front of the action on Geronimo's trapdoor Springfield?

[Philip S]

What's that repair (?) near the front of the action on Geronimo's trapdoor Springfield?

Probably rawhide. Indians were pretty rough on guns and their repairs were often crude.

[Pat Holscher]

Stock repair?

[Trooper]

.55 caliber
carbine

[Philip S]

Stock repair?

Yes...notice the stock repair on the Sharps too.

Below are Indian saddles on display:

[Philip S]

"American Horse" hat ca 1880

[Couvi]

Stock repair?

Yes...notice the stock repair on the Sharps too.

Below are Indian saddles on display:

I have always thought that Indian women’s saddles had the look of Grimsley Dragoon saddles.

[Rick Throckmorton]

Dusan,
I picked up on the .55 caliber description as well. It is .50 caliber. I don't know about you, but it is a little disturbing for me when I see things mislabeled like that, in a place where people should know better. For many people, just because it is described as such in a recognized facility, it becomes "fact", and from now on bonafied information. Where's the attention to detail we should expect with displays like that? That is a very famous weapon and should be of interest to many students of the Indian Wars. I don't think I'm simply becoming old and crabby. This stuff is happening too much. This is a nice display of rare pieces.

By the way, the length of the barrel and the sling swivel on the front of the trigger guard should identify it as a cut down rifle, not a carbine.
Rick T

[Rick Throckmorton]

Phillip,
I just read the descriptions for the Sharps and Winchester 1866. They belonged to Rain In The Face and Chief Joseph. Wow! Three very famous long arms relative to the Indian Wars, all in one display case. Tremendous! Phillip, thanks for sharing! I wish I was closer so I could see it first hand.
Rick T.

[Pat Holscher]

Dusan,
I picked up on the .55 caliber description as well. It is .50 caliber. I don't know about you, but it is a little disturbing for me when I see things mislabeled like that, in a place where people should know better. For many people, just because it is described as such in a recognized facility, it becomes "fact", and from now on bonafied information. Where's the attention to detail we should expect with displays like that? That is a very famous weapon and should be of interest to many students of the Indian Wars. I don't think I'm simply becoming old and crabby. This stuff is happening too much. This is a nice display of rare pieces.

By the way, the length of the barrel and the sling swivel on the front of the trigger guard should identify it as a cut down rifle, not a carbine.
Rick T

I have the same reaction as you and worry about the errors being accepted as fact. Indeed, on odd occasion I've tried to make note of an error to museum staffs, and haven't always received more than a pilot "thanks", knowing it'd be ignored. I guess I can't blame them, as they must get a lot of patron advice.

Having said that, last time I was at the Wyoming Vets Museum, now under a new curator, I received a really welcome thanks from that curator on an M1 Garand display that hand an error. He actually spent a fair amount of time with me to make note of it in order that he could make a correction.

[Pat Holscher]

Phillip,
I just read the descriptions for the Sharps and Winchester 1866. They belonged to Rain In The Face and Chief Joseph. Wow! Three very famous long arms relative to the Indian Wars, all in one display case. Tremendous! Phillip, thanks for sharing! I wish I was closer so I could see it first hand.
Rick T.

Me too.

Indeed, as a Westerner, it's a bit of a bummer to see pieces associated with two regional figures all the way back there. I can't complain about it, as history belongs to the nation, but as my chances of making it back there are slim, it's a bit of a bummer. Glad they are on display somewhere, however.

[Pat Holscher]

"American Horse" hat ca 1880

I wonder on what occasions he wore this? Very interesting. But for the display here, if I saw this elsewhere, I'd suspected it to be made up.

[Philip S]

Some Indian bridles in the exhibit: