2004 Survey

- Glemmed from a 2006 Archaeological Mitigation -by Douglas Scott

Underestimating the range and accuracy of the 44 Henry and 44-40 cartridges

• 44 Henry - 108 Rifles (Henry and Model 1866') Represented

  1.  58 rifles represented at Custer Battlefield

  2.  46 rifles represented at Reno/Benteen Battlefield

  3.    4 rifles represented at both battlefields

• 44-40 - 12 Rifles (Model of 1873') Represented

  1.   7 rifles represented at Custer Battlefield

  2.   3 rifles represented at Reno/Benteen

  3.   1 rifle represented at Weir Point

  4.   1 unknown

The below images show both location over-lays [LSH and Reno-Benteen] of 44 cal cartridge cases and bullets. Although they do not seem to merge on troops from Last Stand Hill or Deep Ravine, they certainly do seem to have played an extreme roll from Greasy Grass Ridge following Co. C back up Calhoun Ridge to Calhoun Hill as well as pushing what was left of them, to include Co. I, back toward Last Stand Hill. I feel this defeat at Calhoun Ridge, Calhoun Hill and the retreat towards Last Stand Hill (with the loss of 100+- troops) was a major turning point to loosing Last Stand Hill. Dr Douglas Scott personally emailed me the color maps. THANK YOU Dr. Scott!!!!!!!!

Reno-Benteen really took a beating from everything the warriors could shoot at them throughout the night and all of the next day. Because of the distances to the south and southeast, much focus was on the closer distances from the bluffs. Some warriors close enough to throw dirt clots at the troops, most 44 shots seem to be from 100 to 200 yards.

Books by Douglas D Scott

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• Archaeological Insights Into the Custer Battle: An Assessment of the 1984 Field Season - 1987

• Archaeological Perspectives on the Battle of the Little Bighorn - 1989

• Uncovering History: Archaeological Investigations at the Little Bighorn - 2004

**Scott notes that during the 2004 survey, twenty-one .44-caliber bullets were recovered. They were not able to distinguish which bullets, if any, came from any of the Winchester 73 rifles because the 44 Henry, Winchester 66'and 73' used the same 200gr bullets. They discovered 5 different designs...Flatbase-flat nose, flatbase-crimping groove, raised base, recessed base and the two ring flat base. Scott also notes that the 21 bullets recovered in the 04' survey basically duplicated the 252 bullets in the 84' survey.

"We found many of the 220 grain bullets with 6 right land and groove impressions indicating they had been fired in either a Henry, Model 1866, or a Winchester M1873.  The bullets, as you know, and the rifling are indistinguishable in these guns.  We found many that had hit at high velocity suggesting they were fired from relatively short ranges.  We have little direct evidence of their effectiveness, but there is one case in particular, where a .44 bullet found its mark.  We recovered a nearly complete skeleton of a soldier in one of our marker excavations. His remains were overlooked by the later reburial parties.  There is evidence on his ribs of a bullet passing through from right to left. Perhaps coincidentally, there is a fragment of a bullet embedded in his left arm bone, near the wrist. The bullet is impact damaged, but could easily be .44-caliber." (Scott 2018) I believe this to be the remains found at Marker 128 and described in Scott's book, Archaeological Perspectives on the Battle of the Little Bighorn, page 76-78. I thought I saw a photo of the lodged bullet in the wrist but can't seem to find it".

I will continue to read the three books and one on-line article sources for any additional information. Somewhere I saw something about a rifling twist rate but it must not have been to important for me not to make note of it. I will recheck.

These examples should be 44 Henry bullets. The photos show what should be 44 Henry bullets recovered from the Bighorn site. They are either 225 gr. Henry bullets or early 2xxgr 44-40 bullets. Notice the groove designs.....my bet would be 44 Henry. The two bullets to the left are enlarged in the second photo. Of the two, the bullet on the left is obviously Heeled, (below the first two driving bands). 

The bullet to the right seems to be of the same design but the rifling embedded into the lead looks different and the heel, if any, is not visible. I can not tell if the rifling is right or left handed but could very well be a recovered 44-40 bullet.