American newspapers in 1871 and 1872 made great fanfare over the visit of Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovich, the third son of Czar Alexander II of Russia. It was almost as big a news story as a visit from the Pope or the Queen of England.
The most exciting event on Grand Duke Alexis' itinerary - and certainly the most newsworthy - was an excursion to southwest Nebraska to hunt buffalo with General George Custer, Buffalo Bill Cody, and others.
One hundred forty years after the "The Royal Buffalo Hunt," a team of archaeologists examined the hunt's campsite looking for any remains of the events. According to Custer, Cody, and Grand Duke Alexis: Historical Archaeology of the Royal Buffalo Hunt by Douglas D. Scott, Peter Bleed and Stephen Damm, they made exhaustive examination of the few photos intact from the visit and give detailed descriptions of the artifacts dug up, including bullets and cartridges, a brown ale bottle and miscellaneous small items. Also examined were pieces collected by nearby landowners.
The report is most interesting when the discussion concerns the visit and the grand duke’s travels in America -- before and after the Nebraska hunt -- and the detailed narrative of the hunt itself. Lt. Gen. Philip Sheridan, an important military figure of the time, was the hunt master and trip organizer. Sioux chief Spotted Tail led a band to find the bison and assist in the hunt itself, quite successfully.
Most readers may find the academic portion of the book, the archaeological analysis of the site and artifacts, a bit beyond their interest. But there is a good deal of fascination to be had in imagining a luxurious safari in the Nebraska wilds, complete with large floored tents, champagne and other spirits, plenty of wild game to eat and a company of soldiers on hand for protection and service.
Most fascinating would be to recreate those conversations late into the night, when Union heroes from the recent Civil War, such as Custer and Sheridan, and the famous scout and showman Buffalo Bill Cody got together after gorging on rich foods, puffing cigars and getting quietly tipsy on cases of whiskey, stout and champagne. Oh, what tales they would tell the grand duke, who would have had plenty of stories himself, including numerous romances.
The royal buffalo hunt has long been a staple of Western history in Nebraska and the Great Plains, and this book gives a unique view of it.
Buffalo Bill kept a diary of his experience. The following account begins as the Grand Duke's private train pulls into the station at North Platte, Nebraska:
"At last, on the morning of the 12th of January, 1872, the Grand Duke and party arrived at North Platte by special train; in charge of a Mr. Francis Thompson. Captain Hays and myself, with five or six ambulances, fifteen or twenty extra saddle-horses and a company of cavalry under Captain Egan, were at the depot in time to receive them. Presently General Sheridan and a large, fine-looking young man, whom we at once concluded to be the Grand Duke came out of the cars and approached us. General Sheridan at once introduced me to the Grand Duke as Buffalo Bill, and said that I was to take charge of him and show him how to kill buffalo.
"In less than half an hour the whole party were dashing away towards the south, across the South Platte and towards the Medicine; upon reaching which point we halted for a change of horses and a lunch. Resuming our ride we reached Camp Alexis in the afternoon. General Sheridan was well pleased with the arrangements that had been made and was delighted to find that Spotted Tail and his Indians had arrived on time. They were objects of great curiosity to the Grand Duke, who spent considerable time in looking at them, and watching their exhibitions of horsemanship, sham fights, etc. That evening the Indians gave the grand war dance, which I had arranged for.
"General Custer, who was one of the hunting party, carried on a mild flirtation with one of Spotted Tail's daughters, who had accompanied her father thither, and it was noticed also that the Duke Alexis paid considerable attention to another handsome reddskin maiden. The night passed pleasantly, and all retired with great expectations of having a most enjoyable and successful buffalo hunt. The Duke Alexis asked me a great many questions as to how we shot buffaloes, and what kind of a gun or pistol we used, and if he was going to have a good horse. I told him that he was to have my celebrated buffalo horse Buckskin Joe, and when we went into a buffalo herd all he would have to do was to sit on the horse's back and fire away.
"At nine o'clock next morning we were all in our saddles, and in a few minutes were galloping over the prairies in search of a buffalo herd. We had not gone far before we observed a herd some distance ahead of us crossing our way; after that we proceeded cautiously, so as to keep out of sight until we were ready to make a charge.
"Of course the main thing was to give Alexis the first chance and the best shot at the buffaloes, and when all was in readiness we dashed over a little knoll that had hidden us from view, and in a few minutes we were among them. Alexis at first preferred to use his pistol instead of a gun. He fired six shots from this weapon at buffaloes only twenty feet away from him, but as he shot wildly, not one of his bullets took effect. Riding up to his side and seeing that his weapon was empty, I exchanged pistols with him. He again fired six shots, without dropping a buffalo.
"Seeing that the animals were bound to make their escape without his killing one of them, unless he had a better weapon, I rode up to him, gave him my old reliable 'Lucretia,' and told him to urge his horse close to the buffaloes, and I would then give him the word when to shoot. At the same time I gave old Buckskin Joe a blow with my whip, and with a few jumps the horse carried the Grand Duke to within about ten feet of a big buffalo bull.
"'Now is your time,' said I. He fired, and down went the buffalo.
"The Grand Duke stopped his horse, dropped his gun on the ground, and commenced waving his hat. When his suite came galloping up, he began talking to them in a tongue which I could not understand. Presently General Sheridan joined the group, and the ambulances were brought up. Very soon the corks began to fly from the champagne bottles, in honor of the Grand Duke Alexis, who had killed the first buffalo."