Title: Historical Value of Buffalo Bill Series

Periodical: The Moving Picture World

Date: October 18, 1913

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Historical Value of Buffalo Bill Series

The Buffalo Bill series of moving pictures by Essanay promises to be unusually complete and possessed of valuable historical interest. Lieut. Gen. Nelson A. Miles, retired; Brig. Gen. Charles King, soldier and author, and several other distinguished soldiers of the Indian wars passed through Chicago on their way to the Pine Ridge Indian Agency, near Rushville, Neb., September 30, where they will join the Buffalo Bill forces.

Gen. Miles and his companions were persuaded to take part in the drama by the approval of Secretary Garrison, of the War Department, and Secretary of the Interior Lane. The object is to perpetuate in moving pictures some of the scenes of the Custer campaign, with the principal roles taken by men who actually figured in the fights of that period.

Gen. Miles' principal activities in the Indian wars were as leader of the expeditions against Geronimo and Natchez. Gen. King figured in the wars as captain of artillery and cavalry. Equally interesting was the work of Brig. Gen. Frank D. Baldwin, brevetted major for gallantry in his attack on the camp of Sitting Bull on Red Water River, Mont., and also recipient of two medals of honor.

Others with the party were Major Gen. Charles F. Humphrey and Brig. Gen. Marion P. Maus. The latter graduated from West Point at the outbreak of the serious Indian troubles and saw many years of service in the numerous campaigns down to the Sioux campaign of 1890, on the exact spot where he is now to appear before the camera.

Earlier he had fought the Nez Perces and Sioux and Apaches all the way from Montana to Mexico. Then he served through the Spanish War and returned to fighting Indians of a little different color in the Philippines. Gen. Humphrey, who won his medal for Indian service in Idaho, was retired only six years ago after forty years of service.

The assortment of Indians will be picked from the reservation, and a liberal detachment of regulars will be assigned by the War Department. The Department attaches considerable importance to the probable historical value of the pictures to be made, on which it is asserted $100,000 will be expended.

V. R. Day, manager of Essanay, left a few days earlier for the agency, a sixty foot baggage car being used to carry carbines, soldiers' uniforms of the period in which the Buffalo Bill scenes arelaid [sic], Hotchkess guns, equipment, provisions, etc.