In the summer of 1876, as George Armstrong Custer faced defeat at the Battle of Little Big Horn in Montana, paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope was engaged in fossil hunting in the vicinity. Despite the ongoing conflict and potential danger surrounding Indian territories, Cope chose to continue his pursuit of fossils, motivated by the success he was experiencing in his work that season.

Cope's decision to ignore the risks highlights a remarkable moment in history where the pursuit of scientific discovery collided with significant cultural and military tensions. His determination to collect specimens amidst such turmoil speaks to the passion of 19th-century scientists and the often-overlooked historical contexts in which they operated.