Noted Archaeologist Dr. Douglas Scott to Present on MSU Campus

Dr. Douglas D. Scott, RPA; Visiting Research Scientist, Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, Colorado, will present Fields of Fire: Indian and Army Tactics at the 1876 Little Bighorn Battle and the Application of Firearm Identification Methods in Revealing the Story.

More than 30 years of archaeological investigation of the iconic Battle of the Little Bighorn have found and recorded large numbers of firearms related artifacts, primarily bullets and cartridges cases, as well as human remains. These seemingly mundane artifacts are of great importance in reconstructing Indian and Army fighting methods and tactics. Application of forensic firearm identification methods and GIS-based military terrain analysis reveal that Custer’s troop deployment was according to then-current tactical doctrine, while the Lakota and Cheyenne warriors employed a culturally based fluid war group concept that made best use of available terrain as cover. Simply stated, the archaeological record demonstrates the Native Americans outnumbered, outgunned, and outfought the U.S. Seventh Cavalry on June 25, 1876.

Event is free and open to the public. RSVP requested.

For more information, please contact
MAS@missouristate.edu or 417-836-3773

Sponsored by:
The Missouri Humanities Council
Missouri Archaeological Society
College of Humanities and Public Affairs, MSU
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, MSU
Department of History, MSU

Free