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THE SUNDAY CONSTITUTION, AUGUST 1, 1976 3ANoted Artist’s Work Depicting Custer On Display At Sill4 4/^OME on — Big Village — Bring vy packs . . ”This is the title of an oil painting, on loan and on display through August at Fort Sill’s Old Post Guardhouse, that shows how it was with Gen. George Custer and his men in a moment of waiting and strange repose an hour or less before they rode to their deaths 100 years ago at the Little Big Horn.The 24-by 42-inch painting, in vivid and authentic detail, is the work of one of America’s great artists and historians. Randy Steffen. The painting is on loan to the Fort Sill Museum from Mr and Mrs Dave B Hott of Dallas Both the subject of the painting and the painter knew travail and courage, and both are in the long gray line of fabulous characters who cast long shadows across Fort SillCuster and his 7th Cavalry troopers were here in early 1869 when Fort Sillwas established. He was one of America’s foremost horse soldiers. Steffen, a century later, is the foremost authority on American horse soldiers.Last Feb. 22, he won a standing ovation when he was awarded the American Exemplar Medal, top award to an American bv the Freedoms FoundationBy PAUL McCLUNGat Valley Forge The plaque reads, “Proud of his American Indian ancestry, this philanthropist has continually striven to inculcate in the public mind a sense of civic pride and appreciation of national heritage SpeakingArtist Randy Steffen, foremost authority on U S Cavalry, in hisstudio at his ranch near Dublin, Texeloquently through pen, brush and clay, he preserves for future generations the spirit of the old west This spirit of fidelity to truth, personal responsibility and freedom has sustained him through personal adversity just as it has sustained America throughout its history.”Steffen four years ago was told by doctors that, because of a heart condition, he had only six months to live. He lost sight in one eye because of the heart condition, but learned to focus with one eye. and, even though he had to spend time in a wheelchair, because of the heart ailment, still works a full day in his studio on his ranch near Dublin. Tex.Gillett Griswold. Fort Sill Museum director, says *‘ln his personality and outlook Randy blends both the pioneering traditions of his white American forebearers and the spirit of his American Indian ancestry He is one-fourth Indian and a great-grandnephew of the noted Oglala Sioux war chief Crazy Horse, leader of the forces that defeated Custer Steffen’s “The Horse Soldiers.” in four volumes, is to be published in four volumes simultaneously in 1977 by the University of Oklahoma Press It is the biggest publishing project the press has ever undertaken Randy did the enormous, detailed research and work without any grant or subsidy He was bom In Texas and is a 1940 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy He has worked as a wild horse hunter in Death Valley, a horse trainer and Hollywood stunt man. in addition to his work as a wnler, painter, sculptor, wnter and historian He has the uncanny ability to bring back to life under his drawing pen the exact detaiLs of U S cavalry gear of any penod Every museum m America that has a collection relating to mounted military services has benefited from his knowledge of uniforms, anns, men. mounts and equipment of the past 200 years He has served without compensation as a consultant to the Fort Sill Museum In September 1975. as a governor and fellow of the Company of Military Historians, he was the principal speaker at the annual meeting of the Fellows held at Fort Sill The Custer painting on display at the guardhouse typifies Steffen's passion for authenticity and his eye for detail The bay horses of C© F can be seen, as can the light sorrels of Co C He studied the site thoroughly before painting, and he and his wife, Dorothy, even brought back soil and rork samples from the Little Big Horn Custer, egotist and dashing cavalryman. was at agr 23 the youngest major general in the Civil War Even then he was a controversial character who received Mime credit for the work of others In one battle. Oorge Crook'sdian village from the south.In the painting Custer and his brother, Tom, commander of Co. C, both mounted, chat as Custer points to an Indian village. A short distance away,Custer in less than an hour. Randy Steffen writes, “In less than an hour from the moment pictured in this painting, Custer’s five companies of the 7th Cavalry were attacked by hordes of warriors under Crazy Horse, Gall and other warrior leaders of the Sioux and Cheyenne . . not a man was left in the five companies that rode into glory with Custer”’This painting by Randy Steffen who was awarded the American Exemplar Medal this year, shows Custer and his men shortly before their “last stand.“ The painting will be on display through August at the Old Post Guardhouse.and out of sight of the Indians, is the rest of the column Adjutant W W.Cooke is scribbling a message on a sheet torn from a small notebook, to be delivered by another horseman, a bugler named MartinThe message, the last ever received from Custer, was ' Benteen . . . Come on. Big village Be quick Bring packs W W Cooke P S. Bring packs The packs he men turned were ammunition packs Marlin deli vert'd the final messageThe U S dead (that day) totaled 270 (X these, perhaps 212 were killed withCARD OF THANKSMay we take this additional method of thanking our neighbors and friends for their kind expressions of sympathy in our bereavement. These expressions have been deeply appreciated. We especially thank the members of the 8th .Lee Church of Christ Brother Gregg.The Family of Sue Wooten
Newspaper Details
Lawton Sunday Constitution
Lawton, Oklahoma, US
Sun, Aug 01, 1976
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Metropolitan L.
Oklahoma, USA 09 Jul 2024
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