US Cavalry

Another, fine addition to our ‘John Ford Cavalry’ series this one depicts a character from “She Wore A Yellow Ribbon”. As you can see this officer is wearing his cavalry coat and cape and stands ready with both pistol and sword.

In the climactic scene of the movie Pike Bishop (Willian Holden) leads three of his gang, “Dutch’ Engstrom, (Ernest Borgnine) and two brothers, Lyle and Tector Gorch (Warren Oates and Ben Johnson) to bring back another member of their gang who has been held and tortured by a rebel Mexican General. This leads to the final ‘shoot-out’ which is one of the bloodiest in film history. But before that there is the long tension-filled sequence where the gang make their way, guns in hand, towards the General’s headquarters. This is the image we’ve chosen to portray ... Now you’ve seen the figures ... Go watch the movie again or see it for the first time. - See more at: http://www.kingandcountry.com/pike-bishop-gang-p-10452.html#sthash.Dj5uHWeM.dpuf

Corporal / Bugler John Martin, was an Italian-American soldier who was attached to Custer’s force that attacked the great Indian village on the Little Big Horn. Just prior to the fateful charge Custer sent Martin back to Captain Benteen urging him to bring forward reinforcements and more ammunition. That lone mission undoubtedly saved Martin’s life as Custer and the rest of his 210 man command perished in the coming battle. - See more at: http://www.kingandcountry.com/bugler-john-martin-p-9965.html#sthash.XLUSSTrz.dpuf

One of the most controversial figures of the battle… He and his command were supposed to ride to Custer’s aid… He held back, preferring to support Major Marcus Reno’s beleaguered position than ride forward to almost certain death with Custer. - See more at: http://www.kingandcountry.com/captain-frederick-benteen-p-9963.html#sthash.Y50h1I8e.dpuf

And now we mix ‘fact’ and ‘fiction’ with this figure of swashbuckling Errol Flynn as he appeared in the classic 1941 Warner Brothers Movie, “They Died With Their Boots On”. This highly fictionalized life of George Armstrong Custer climaxes at the Battle of the Little Big Horn with Flynn /Custer dressed in his buckskin jacket (and being the last man standing) as the Sioux and Cheyenne warriors prepare to make their final charge. And that’s how we show him.

Reynolds had been a trader...a buffalo hunter and many other things before he became one of Custer’s guides and scouts. The night before the battle he had a premonition of disaster and stated that he had never felt so discouraged or depressed in his life! Some accounts have him protecting a wounded trooper when he was killed. - See more at: http://www.kingandcountry.com/lonesome-charlie-reynolds-p-9005.html#sthash.zrt9L2un.dpuf

The commander of the famous 7th Cavalry and already a hero from the Civil War. Custer together with 210 of his men would perish on and around "Last Stand Hill" just above the Little Bighorn river. Here we show him wearing buckskin trousers with a decorative blue shirt and colourful red neckerchief. In his hands a pair of matching Royal Irish Constabularly revolvers.

At the same time Custer and his men attacked the great Indian village, Reno and his troops were supposed to mount their own diversionary attack on a different part of the village. Forced to retreat to up above the village the attackers soon found themselves under attack from all sides. As stated earlier Benteen now joined them to reinforce their position. Reno’s career and military career suffered a similar fate to Benteen. - See more at: http://www.kingandcountry.com/major-marcus-reno-p-9964.html#sthash.8u0epzyJ.dpuf

An Irish soldier-of-fortune who somehow ended up in the 7th Cavalry. Tough, experienced and reliable Keogh is seen wearing a Civil War kepi and the black embroidered "Patrol" jacket. With one hand he keeps Custer's personal guidon upright... with the other he takes careful aim.

This dramatic figure of the Seventh Cavalry's Regimental Adjutant portrays the wounded Cooke just as he is about to fire his revolver. The buckskin-clad Cooke was easily recognized by his long side whiskers and straw hat.

Already wounded this seated Bugler attempts to contact the other units of the 7th.

Constant firing caused many of the carbines to “overheat” and made spent cartridges difficult to extract… This trooper is using his knife to desperately try and clear the cartridge chamber.

“Curly” (1856-1926) was a Crow Scout during the Sioux Wars...Although he did not fight in the battle, he watched it develop and was the first to report Custer’s disastrous encounter with the Sioux and Cheyenne. Here, we show him, wearing a corporal’s uniform jacket and carrying an army carbine. - See more at: http://www.kingandcountry.com/crow-scout-curly-p-9009.html#sthash.mW6R1wAQ.dpuf

Although many horses were killed by Indian bullets and arrows others were shot by their riders to provide some cover on the sparsely covered hillside.

Clutching a serious head wound and his carbine by his side this wounded trooper will not last long.

With no ammunition left this corporal has no choice but to use his carbine as a club.

If there was one thing U.S. Cavalry troopers feared most it was the possibility of falling into Indian hands...alive! Many Sioux and Cheyenne warriors at the battle reported seeing several “blue coats” take their own lives during the last desperate struggles.