Identified Pine Ridge Indian Police 1875 Remington Discovered

[JJTrading]

I wanted to share a really fascinating and important discovery. In 1883 the US Interior Department purchased 639 nickel plated 7 1/2" Model 1875 Remington revolvers to arm thirty-six Indian Police agencies throughout the West. Of these the only revolvers which received any identifying markings were the 50 guns received by the Pine Ridge Agency in Dakota Territory. Agent Valentine McGillycuddy stamped the left side of the web on each gun with "P R" along with a sequential rack number presumed to be 1-50. Presently there are about 10 of these guns known to exist all of which are marked with the same "P R" and various inventory numbers, which brings us to our subject revolver.

This example, with it's barrel neatly shortened in period, is stamped with the same "P R" but instead of a rack number it is marked "1LT" - First Lieutenant. The Pine Ridge Indian Police consisted of a captain, two lieutenants, nine sergeants and corporals, and thirty-eight privates. With the court martial of First Lieutenant Cloud Shield in 1882, Standing Soldier became the new First Lieutenant and would have held that rank when this gun was issued the following year. He remained First Lieutenant until he was employed as First Sergeant among Lieutenant Charles Taylor's US Army scouts in late 1890 and single handedly brought in sixty-three Indians from Big Foot's band who had left after the killing of Sitting Bull. He seems to have remained active with the Pine Ridge police into the 1900's and I believe some of his descendants remain there today.

Standing Soldier can be seen seated at left in the black & white photo with agent McGillycuddy at center and he is standing at far right in the photo of Lt. Taylor's scouts.

This is a significant development in the history of the Indian Police 1875 Remington's as it is the first Pine Ridge gun to surface who's markings deviate from the accepted 1-50 numbering and as far as I'm aware it is the only known Indian Police revolver which can be positively identified to an individual. I will update as my research continues.

[Cloverleaf]

Super cool
Thanks for posting.
I can just about believe the "Story"

[Cloverleaf]

The 44 on the rear of the trigger guard indicates it is one of the latest '75's???????
I hope the experts will chime in