The Production Short of
"Letters From The Field"
From an Eye-witness Account of Custer's Last Stand

Synopsis -- An Adaptation of History

Glen Swanson Photo

SYNOPSIS
“Letters From The Field”
Adaptation by Douglas Westfall

This is a film short from a one-hour Indian war movie, produced as an action-adventure film. George Daniel Wallace is the son of a senator from South Carolina, a West Point graduate, and a commissioned officer in Custer’s 7th Cavalry. At age 26, he leads his troop of some 45 men in the initial attack on the Sioux Indian village and to survive, climbs the bluff with Major Reno’s command. On the bluff as they discover the village contains over 1200 lodges, some 4000 warriors, and well over 20,000 people. Shots are now heard from behind.

This is Wallace's Story.

Resources

"I gave a lecture in Los Angeles during the summer of 1995. Afterward, a man handed me a postcard written from the Yellowstone river just one month before the Battle of the Little Bighorn. It was signed by 2nd Lt. George Daniel Wallace, one of the survivors of Custer's Last Stand. There were more postcards and letters, and I researched and wrote the book from the materials, publishing in 1997. I wrote the script 12 years later in 2009."

Author, Douglas Westfall

The postcards and letters were written from April of 1876 through March of 1877 -- one calendar year. It was Dr. Charles Frederick Knoblauch who corresponded with 2nd. Lt. George Daniel Wallace during that time. Dr. K was stationed as an Army Surgeon at Shreveport, Louisiana along with Lt. Wallace, when the call came up for the Sioux Indian wars. Lt. Wallace left for Ft. Lincoln in Dakota Territory and the two men wrote to each other over that year. It is Wallace's letter of July 4th, 1876 which is the first documenting of the history on Custer's Last Stand. Dr. K kept the letters along with his own diary and correspondence log which were passed on to his grandson.
 

Postcard

Custer's Last Stand, also known as the Battle of the Little Bighorn, became a massacre on June 25th, 1876 when Custer divided his command and led his own battalion to their doom. Attacking the Sioux Indian Village at 3:00pm the soldiers were overwhelmed when some 4,000 armed and mounted Indian Braves stormed the 7th Cavalry and annihilated them over three days. Of 650 men, only 300 survived -- and none of those who were with Custer.
 

Characters

2nd Lt. George Daniel Wallace is 26 at the start of the Battle of the Little Bighorn and turns 27 when he buries his commanding officer Lt. Maj. George A. Custer. This is his second battle since leaving West Point. He is a southern gentleman and as the recording engineer for the 7th Cavalry he is matter-of-fact about his writings to his friend.

Sgt. John Ryan is 31, a crack shot and is the hero of the story, working side-by-side with Wallace. He nevertheless rides into the valley charge without a coat, bringing his 50 caliber long range rifle. One of the first to fire a shot at the battle, he is also the last to do so, shooting long range shots into the departing Sioux as they leave the valley.

Maj. Marcus Reno is 42 and a seasoned veteran who although flippant with is command, is a tactical officer and continues to strategize throughout the three-day battle. Stocky and stalwart in his behavior, he is a risk-taker however, is key in saving all the men who survived the ordeal.

Capt. Charles French is 33, and regular army. He counters Maj. Reno’s style and disagrees with his battle decisions. Part of the Quiet generation, he is the next in command of Reno’s battalion, and is a true follower of Custer to the point of his believing it is Custer supporting them when in fact it is the Indians at their back.
 

Lt. Charles Varnum is 27, brash and fearsome, he holds together the ragtag group of Indian and non-Indian scouts. Young, balding and he has the opening line to the action scene setting the tone for the entire show: “30 DAYS FURLOUGH TO THE MAN THAT GET’S THE FIRST SCALP!”

2nd Lt. Benjamin Hodgson is 28 and a friend of Wallace. He is steady and brave, literally walking the skirmish line, promoting the men to be steady and ‘Make every shot count.’ His death in the river also gives Wallace, the position of Adjutant to Maj. Reno.

Scout Billy Jackson is only a 16 year old half-breed who had gone with Custer for the adventure. He was left behind in the valley when Reno's command reached the bluffs. Jackson rejoined the troops the following night, dripping wet from being in the river.

Glen Swanson Photos
 

"Letters From The Field"
First in the ~My American History~ series.