A Companion To Custer And The Little Bighorn Campaign

An accessible and authoritative overview of the scholarship that has shaped our understanding of one of the most iconic battles in the history of the American West Combines contributions from an array of respected scholars, historians, and battlefield scientists Outlines the political and cultural conditions that laid the foundation for the Centennial Campaign and examines how George Armstrong Custer became its figurehead Provides a detailed analysis of the battle maneuverings at Little Bighorn, paying special attention to Indian testimony from the battlefield Concludes with a section examining how the Battle of Little Bighorn has been mythologized and its pervading influence on American culture

Few figures in American history inspire more interest than the enigmatic George Armstrong Custer. From his early service in the Civil War to his later years fighting Indians on the frontier, Custer's image has been indelibly imprinted on the pages of American history. His last stand at the Little Bighorn has been retold over and over and remains one of the most infamous stories of the American West. Author and historian Thom Hatch has scoured the historical record to prepare this exhaustive compendium of information of and relating to Custer. It will, he believes, come to be known as "the classic reference source" for the enigmatic cavalryman.

'Easily the most significant book yet published on the Battle of the Little Bighorn."--Paul L. Hedren, Western Historical Quarterly "[Gray] has applied rigorous analysis as no previous historian has done to these oft-analyzed events. His detailed time-motion study of the movements of the various participants frankly boggles the mind of this reviewer. No one will be able to write of this battle again without reckoning with Gray"--Thomas W. Dunlay, Journal of American History "Gray challenges many time~honored beliefs about the battle. Perhaps most significantly, he brings in as much as possible the testimony of the Indian witnesses, especially that of the young scout Curley, which generations of historians have dismissed for contradictions that Gray convincingly demonstrates were caused not by Curley but by the assumptions made by his questioners . . . The contrasts in [this] book. . . restate the basic components of what still attracts the imagination to the Little Bighorn."--Los Angeles Times Book Review "Gray's analysis, by and large, is impressively drawn; it is an immensely logical reconstruction that should stand the test of time. As a contribution to Custer and Indian wars literature, it is indeed masterful."--Jerome A. Greene, New Mexico Historical Review John S. Gray was a distinguished historian whose books included the acclaimed Centennial Campaign: The Sioux War of 1876. Custer's Last Campaign is the winner of the Western Writers of American Spur award and the Little Bighorn Associates John M. Carroll Literary Award.

Every aspect of the career of General George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Bighorn is covered here. The people around Custer and his native American counterparts are detailed, as are related military campaigns, battles, historical events, equipment and terminology. There are also entries on Plains Indian culture and customs, artists and artwork, movies and other subjects associated with the battle. Following the entries is a listing of suggested sources for further research.

This illustrated book is a complete pictorial history of George Armstrong Custer. From his early days at West Point to death and glory at Little Bighorn. Custer was one of the most flamboyant and colourful officers ever to have served in the US Army.

"General Custer and 261 Massacred!... No Survivors to Tell the Story! So read newspaper headlines after Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer's command of the 7th Cavalry was annihilated by a host of Indians at the Little Bighorn River on 25 June 1876. Since then, Custer and his tragic fate have become a legend enshrouded in myth, controversy, and the celluloid fantasies of Hollywood." "Over the years, historians have focused primarily on the Last Stand, Custer and his troops making a desperate effort to save themselves from inevitable disaster. Too often this approach has ignored the great panorama surrounding the event. In The Little Bighorn Campaign, Custer authority Wayne Michael Sarf investigates the 1876 campaign against the Plains Indians, a play in which Custer acted a part along with many others. Sarf describes the personalities and events that led to the disaster at Little Bighorn from a failed attempt to subdue the Indians at the Powder River to Brigadier General George Crook's defeat at the Rosebud to Buffalo Bill's first scalp for Custer." "Sarf also investigates and describes the nature of Plains warfare, the weapons that were used, the forces involved, and the strategies and tactics employed by Army troops and the Indians. Special sidebars include such topics as the personalities involved, Indian allies of the Army, and a history of the 7th Cavalry. Answers are given to some of the most nagging questions of Little Bighorn: was Custer betrayed? could gatling guns have spared him from his awful fate? and what actually happened there? The Custer buff will enjoy the orders of battle for both the Indians and Army, while the interested novice will find useful the suggested books and movies to read, see, or avoid."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

March-September 1876