This is a rare, original albumen photograph dating to circa 1870s-1880s showing Fort Sully near Pierre, South Dakota. The photo shows the U.S. Army members playing a friendly game of American baseball. Early baseball photos from the Indian Wars era on the Plains are incredibly rare. The photograph is by R.L. Kelly of Pierre, South Dakota Territory. He is said to have taken photographs as early as the 1860s-1870s from the Pierre, South Dakota Territory. He later worked with partner, M.B. Odell of Deadwood, South Dakota who is known for taking the iconic photograph of Sitting Bull with a Monarch Butterfly pinned to his hat in 1883. Like the other photo listed prior to this piece, it shows Officer Barracks and a group of U.S. Infantry and Cavalry men playing a game of American baseball. The back of the image is marked Parade Grounds, Fort Sully, S.D. In the foreground you can see the U.S.A. flag flying from the fort’s flag pole, and in the distance, the American baseball game, same as the previous photo taken at the exact same time from a farther distance. Like the other photo, the game in the background is in front of various officers' tents. This is both a rare and unseen image of Fort Sully during the Indian Wars by a noted photographer of the area. It also shows a rare image of early American baseball on the Plains. Front cabinet card shows the albumen photograph and below marked R.L. Kelly, Pierre, S.D. The image is in good condition. Provenance: From the Jim Aplan Piedmont, South Dakota collection. Measures 6.5”L x 4.25”W. U6.*

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