The Russian hunting expedition that served as the basis for conflict with the Sioux tribes of the Dakotas in this mini-series, was based on an actual highly publicized state visit to the U.S. by Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia in 1871 to 1872. This mini-series fictionalized the historic meeting amongst the Sioux, the visiting Russians, and their U.S. Army hosts into fabricated subplots of hostility and violence that devolved into a melodramatic tale of poaching, kidnapping, murder, political crisis, warfare, and genocide before the absurdity reaches its climax with a ritual suicide. Thankfully, history records a far more benign encounter with the Sioux during the Grand Duke's visit. U.S. Army preparations for the hunt were conducted well in advance of the Russian hunting expedition. The assistance of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody was employed in negotiations with the Sioux. Rather than being itinerant poachers on Sioux lands, as utilized in this mini-series, the U.S. government provided the Sioux tribes under Chief Spotted Tail with a wagon train containing tons of coffee, sugar, tobacco, and other provisions in exchange for the use of the Sioux hunting grounds. Chief Spotted Tail and hundreds of warriors greeted the expedition at its camp, and received the Grand Duke and his party as guests of the Sioux nation. Not only did the Sioux approve of the hunt, they participated in it, being eager to demonstrate their style of horsemanship and marksmanship to the "great white chief from across the water."
The chief of the Sioux in 1868 was the legendary Red Cloud, not this fictional Satangkai played by Mexican actor.
A Sioux chief's war bonnet headdress would have been made with eagle feathers and not turkey feathers as seen in this show.
Whoever wrote the Lakota language translation for James Arness at the prisoner exchange was completely wrong. The expression HOKA HEY means 'pay attention' and not the words of the General being translated to Santangkai who already spoke English. Bad writing. Bad research.
Ricardo Montalban was 6'0" and James Arness was 6'7" but when they meet at the 50 min mark they are the same height. Montalban must have been standing on an apple box.
Some of the men's trousers have belt loops but belt loops were not invented until 1922.
Bruce Boxleitner's feathered hair style looks more like the 1970s than the 1870s.
The Russian feast table has giant bowls of extravagant tropical fruit like bananas, grapes, peaches, kiwis etc. Even if those items could be found, they surely would have rotted long before reaching Fort Sully South Dakota.