Jess Harper switches his saddle from his horse to another at Fort Preston and the rifle scabbard on the saddle is quite empty. Several seconds later he's mounted and there is a rifle in the scabbard.
Red Sticks, also Redsticks or Red Clubs, actually refers to Creek warriors of the early 19th Century. They got their name from the 2' war clubs with red painted wooden handles.
The only commanding General Howard in the Wyoming Territory during this era was Gen. Oliver O. Howard --- a Brigadier (one star) general, not a Major General (two star) as seen in the office scene --- and this General Howard had only one arm (lost it in the Civil War), not two as shown. Also, Howard was commanding officer beginning in 1882; General Custer died in 1876.