Lot 90

Little Bighorn Dog Soldier Remington Navy Revolver

Estimate: $15,000 - $25,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
The lot features an important Northern Cheyenne Dog Soldiers Plenty Crows used Battle of the Little Bighorn Remington New Model Navy Conversion Revolver chambered in .38 RF. The revolver is a Remington New Model which has a factory conversion to fire .38 RF done in the early 1870’s for the U.S. Navy, only 1,000 total revolvers were converted making this a very scarce pistol. The revolver was examined by Wendell Grangaard from The Guns of History, Inc in Sioux Falls, South Dakota an found the name Plenty Crows written in Lakota Togia on the left side of the frame as part of the following message, “Cheyenne-Plenty Crows-kill-Shoshoni-Bull Bonnet-Cheyenne-Plenty Crows-Dog Soldier-Cheyenne-kill many-horse soldier-Battle Little Sheeps Creek” (shown in illustration 1). The piece is also marked in Lakota Togia as follows: on the right side, “Medicine Man-Plenty Crows-Cheyenne-Dog Soldier” (illustration 2); left side “Plenty Crows-double cross-Dog Solider-Cheyenne-Plenty Crows” (illustration 3); right grip “Plenty Crows-Dog Solider-rode together-Dog Solider-Bear Above” (illustration 4); and on the bottom of the grips and backstrap “Cheyenne-Plenty Crows-rode with-Cheyenne Dog Solider-Plenty Crows-Dog Soldier-Plenty Crows-Dog Solider-Plenty Crows” (illustration 5); and finally Plenty Crows Cheyenne is found written on the trigger guard in illustration 6. Plenty Crows was born in 1831 to Arikara parents along with brothers Bob Tail Bull and Little Solider / Little Brave. According to John Stands In Timber, he was a great warrior as well as fought in many battles and at a young age fought against the Shoshonis of present day Wyoming. He was taken at around age 7 by the Northern Cheyenne and fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn / Greasy Grass (ultimately fighting against his two brothers who were both Scouts for the 7th Cavalry). His brother Little Soldier gave testimony at Walter Camp that he was attached by a party of Sioux and Cheyenne. He saw a Dog Solider with yellow ribbon in his hair, face painted red and rode a bay horse with a bald face, he shot at this Cheyenne and wounded him, this was Arikara Plenty Crows. Plenty Crows survived this attack and became a high-ranking member of the Dog Soldier Society and practiced the high art of medicine man of the Northern Cheyenne. This revolver with a serial number of 22714 and conversion factory number of 1399 was believed to have a cord strung through the grips, now filled, and hung from a lanyard. Some remnants of green paint can be seen on the bottom, the Dog Soldiers considered the color green as victory. The firearm is considered to have been carried by Plenty Crows a Northern Cheyenne Dog Soldier into the Battle of the Little Bighorn, worn about a lanyard. Plenty Crows surrendered later with Two Moon in April 1877 and he and his family were sent to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in present day Lame Deer. Plenty Crows did not surrender this revolver as it was hidden by his wife. Included in the lot is the signed historical examination from Wendall Grangaard, the multiple illustrations of the markings as well as the Diane Merkel Little Bighorn registry which marks Plenty Crows a Northern Cheyenne; Arikara captive as being present. This is truly a very scarce object as Dog Solider items of any kind are immensely valuable let alone one attributed as being involved in the most historic Native American battle. Antique Firearm does NOT require an FFL transfer.
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