44 Winchesters

"Henryville Ridge" explained

After researching 44-40 cartridge cases at The Battle for The Little Bighorn, I decided to step back a little earlier. One thing that caught my attention is where most of the 44 Henry bullets and cases were recovered during the 84, 87 and 05 archaeological surveys of the Bighorn Battlefields.  

For years scholars have tried to figure out why Custer lost. They were only out numbered two or three to one. The failure was due to many mistakes, misconceptions and sequence of events....from there one can only speculate.

Basically only one of three 7th Cavalry Columns entered the battle. Crooks column engaged in a battle a few days before on Rosebud creek and returned home. Gibbon's column was two days late, or Custer was two days early...depends on how you look at it. Terry's column was divided into three battalions. Custer (225 men), Reno (140 men) and Benteen (125 men), down to only 490 men. Benteen was way back down Reno Creek but Custer continued up the bluffs (right flank) while Reno attacked. Reno was met by maybe half of the entire Indian force. Reno, outflanked, lost 40 men and eventually retreated up to the ridge and was met by Benteen to create the Reno-Benteen defense line. Custer's 200 men, now cut off four miles north by the other half of the entire Indian force were cut down. Close to Last Stand Hill was a place called Cahoun Hill were Calhouns men were cut down by Indians with 44 Henry, Winchester 66 and 73 "repeating" rifles. So many cartridges, cases and bullets were found in that one area, archaeologist called it "Henryville Ridge". In the mean time, by 5:30, Weir saw Custer's defeat and retreated back to Reno-Benteen. They were nearly defeated as well and would have but two days later Gibbon's Column was seen coming in and the Indians fled.

The 1860 Henry, Winchester 66 and the Winchester 73 played a huge roll in the defeat of Custer. Custer defeated himself for many reasons but eventually, the 44's made the final blow! A rifle that was turned down by the Military years before. Even during the Civil War, the Military refused to order the Henry so entire regiments bought and paid for their own guns rather than carry what the government furnished.

In a Winchester catalog dated 1873, several "articles", more like letters painted a clearer picture. "The Coming Gun" written before 1865 states the following: [referring to the 1860 Henry]..."Gentleman are ready to stake anything reasonable, that with one of these rifles they will hit the figure of a man, marked life size on a target placed at 500 yards,..." 

The writing continues and describes at what could only cause the military to be disinterested.

"There is however a cause why they are not adopted[the Henry Rifles]......It is the same cause that has always prevented all governments availing themselves promptly of any improvements.......vis. The immobility of prejudice. 

"It will never do to put such rapid firing guns into the hands of soldiers, because they will waste their ammunition." 

"Another sage remark is that "repeating arms are too delicate and complicated to put into the hands of common soldiers."

Even a high ranking ordnance officer said, "repeating arms could never be used in the army" 

Civilians and Indians thought otherwise!!!  It was said that it was estimated that the Indians used between 150-250  lever-action rifles during Bighorn. Between 1984 and 2004, 202 cartridge case and 252 bullets were recovered from the Bighorn Battlefields. All of this physical evidence represented 108 repeating rifles, Henry and the Winchester 66'. Sixty-two rifles at Custer's defeat and fifty rifles that helped pin down Reno and Benteens men at the Reno-Benteen defense line four miles south of Custer. Eight Winchester 73' rifles were represented by, 21 cases being found, seven rifles represented at Custer's battle and two at Reno-Benteen defense line. (Scott 2006) 

The Henry/Winchester leveractions made up the second highest number of firearms represented only beaten by the Springfield M1873 .45 cal. @ 130 rifles, sixty-nine at Custer and sixty-two at Reno-Benteen locations.

Shooting Distances

The two locations being discussed; Custer battlefield and Reno-Benteen area, I took measurements from those areas mentioned above via google earth pro. At the Custer battlefield, there is a knoll to the east where Indians made 265 yard shots with the 44's. "Henryville" is about a 200yrd shot to Calhoun Hill south of Last Stand Hill, as well as two areas used near the Reno-Benteen defense line that were about 200 yard shots. Two 44-40 cases were found at Weir Point, more than likely shooting at Weir's retreat to Reno-Benteen. For more 44 artifacts and information, check here: Little Bighorn 44 WCF Artifacts.