Amazon.com
On June 25, 1876, Gen. George Armstrong Custer and some 200 cavalrymen under his command blundered into a coulee along the banks of Montana's Little Bighorn River. They never came out; several thousand Cheyenne, Sioux, and Arapaho warriors saw to that. The name and the event of the Little Bighorn have subsequently entered into American mythology, reverberating throughout the nation's history. Custer's famous demise has yielded thousands of books, and Son of the Morning Star is exceptional among them: part anthropological study of Plains Indian life, part military history, and part character study of the principal actors in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Evan Connell's work presents the first truly balanced account of Custer's career.
Book Description
Custer's Last Stand is among the most enduring events in American history--more than one hundred years after the fact, books continue to be written and people continue to argue about even the most basic details surrounding the Little Bighorn. Evan S. Connell, whom Joyce Carol Oates has described as "one of our most interesting and intelligent American writers," wrote what continues to be the most reliable--and compulsively readable--account of the subject. Connell makes good use of his meticulous research and novelist's eye for the story and detail to re-vreate the heroism, foolishness, and savagery of this crucial chapter in the history of the West.
Customer Reviews:
A Fantastic Read.......2007-06-22
Evan S. Connell doesn't care about preconceptions about what happened at Little Big Horn. Instead he weaves a narrative that explores and explodes every myth and legend surrounding the battle and everything leading up to it. The writing is absorbing and magnificent, and Mr. Connell takes his time to explore the lives of not only the leading participants, Custer and Sitting Bull, Gall and Sherman, but digs down in the dirt of the geography and even the lives of what most would consider secondary characters. He even lays down a fascinating side story about the fate of Custer's horse.
One of the best books I've ever read.......2007-05-22
I didn't find this book hard to follow at all. Even when I was sleepy I knew what I was reading about. It is the characters in this book and the back drop that brings this story alive. Connell does a great job of bringing unknown and well known characters to life and giving them more than just a name and place of death. What a story this is when you add up all the sum parts. And, I was able to get a bigger picture than just the death of Custard from reading this great book.
History with the eye of the fiction author.......2007-05-16
This is not a traditional history book and it seems that those who object seem to do so primarally on those grounds. There is no question that this book does not read or even flow as a typical history which in my view is a tribute to the creative author and a a risk taking publisher both of whom deserve high praise.
It is the reader rather than a historian who benefit from this treatment. The myriad of detail adds color and depth to the men's characters in a way that no regular history book has ever done. Yes the detail slows the narative and yes the author is all over the place, retrospection, current event, future writing all withing a page or two and yet somehow the whole thing holds together and the information is assimilated in a lasting and meaningful way.
The reasonings are so logical and fresh given the years and speculation and outright lies that they shine from the page. One example - why was Custer not scalped. Reasons given over the years run from Indian admiration for his courage to contempt. The author's take, Custer's hair was cut short for the campain, he was also going bald. In short his scalp was so unatractive as a trophy, that no one bothered.
The author engages in speculation and unlike regular historians, he readily admits when he is doing so. For example he openly shared his puzzlement as to why certain versions of Custer's death are rejected by one generation only to be viewed as the most credible by furture generations.
All and all this is a wonderful read and anyone with an interest in this history would benefit even if some of the facts shared conflict with previous ideas.
Custer remains an inegma but this book comes as close as we are ever likely to get to understanding him and the men who served with him.
Politics disguised as history.......2007-01-23
A morose and spiritless rendition of the plains Indian Wars, told from the perspective of a late 20th Century San Francisco mentality that sees nothing good in America, past or present. Contains a total of four or five pages worth of vivid and memorable prose - the "funnel of a tornado" image is unforgettable - nearly half of which is repeated on the jacket blurbs and photo captions. The bulk of the book consists of endless excerpts from hundreds of primary sources, most of which are not cited. (The bibliography is the most rewarding aspect of the book.) Clearly a fan of the Kurosawa-Rashomon school of epistemology, Connell repeatedly wastes the reader's time with hypothetical scenarios concerning facts and events of little importance, only to inform the reader in the end that we can't know for certain, and anyway it doesn't really matter. One assumes that had Connell been born a 19th Century Sioux, he would have spent his time castigating the tribe for having stolen the lands of whatever tribes claimed it before them. The one thing Connell is certain of, it seems, is that anything, even the savage inter-tribal warfare that went on for tens of millennia before the "wasichus" came on the scene, was preferable to the way of life that replaced it. This reviewer guesses that more than a few Native Americans past and present would take issue with such a conclusion, but what do they know.
huge disappointment........2006-10-21
i have had this book in my library for a long time and very much looked forward to reading it. a book that got rave reviews by critics, an outstanding novelist (evan s connell) writing about the legendary downfall of custer at little bighorn, how could i go wrong with this one. well, i guess that there is no such thing as a sure thing, because i found this book way too long & way too tedious. the author digresses all throughout the book, dropping the narrative and taking off on dull useless sidetracks that should never have been included. dozens and dozens of characters are introduced that you will never rememeber (and will never need to remember). strange and poor organization make this book a real dud. too bad.
Book Description
On the morning of June 25, 1876, soldiers of the elite U.S. Seventh Cavalry led by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer attacked a large Indian encampment on the banks of the Little Bighorn River. By day's end, Custer and more than two hundred of his men lay dead. It was a shocking defeat--or magnificent victory, depending on your point of view--and more than a century later it is still the object of controversy, debate, and fascination.
What really happened on that fateful day? Now, thanks to the work of Herman J. Viola, Curator Emeritus of the Smithsonian Institution, we are much closer to answering that question. Dr. Viola, a leader in the preservation of Native American culture and history, has collected here dozens of dramatic, never-before-published accounts by Indians who participated in the battle--accounts that have been handed down to the present day, often secretly and accompanied by oaths of silence, from one generation to the next. These remarkable eyewitness recollections provide a direct link to that day's events; together they constitute an unprecedented oral history of the battle from the Native American point of view and the most comprehensive eyewitness description of Little Bighorn we have ever had.
Here are the dramatic stories of the Cheyenne and Lakota warriors who rode into battle against Custer, the yellow-haired Son of the Morning Star, an adversary whose valor they admired--but who became a mortal enemy after breaking his peace-pipe oath, a scene described vividly in these pages. Here in their own words are the stories of the Crow scouts, allies of Custer, who advised against attacking Sitting Bull's village on the Little Bighorn. Here are tales of valor told by the Arikara scouts who fought side by side with Custer's men against the Lakota and Cheyenne; although the Great Father in Washington rewarded their heroism with silence, it is celebrated to this day in tribal stories and songs that come to us from beyond the grave with hair-raising immediacy and power.
Lavishly illustrated with more than two hundred maps, photographs, reproductions, and drawings, this remarkable book also includes:
An account of the battle, including startling descriptions of Custer's conduct, collected from the Crow scouts by the famed photographer Edward S. Curtis in 1908. Curtis never published this report--President Theodore Roosevelt advised him not to--and it remained a secret until his ninety-year-old son recently gave the material to the Smithsonian.
New archaeological evidence from the battlefield that casts fresh light on the Seventh Cavalry's movements, along with discoveries from the site of Sitting Bull's village--including the complete skeleton of a cavalry horse with its rider's well-
preserved saddlebags and personal items.
A series of illustrations made soon after the battle by Red Horse, a remarkable tableau that is reproduced here in its entirety for the first time.
Three letters written by Lieutenant William Van Wyck Reily just days before he died at Little Bighorn that provide key and potentially controversial insights into the conduct of the cavalry under Custer's command.
In short, this landmark book takes us much closer to knowing what really happened on that June day in 1876 when Custer died and a legend was born.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting, but. . ........2007-01-18
I wished I had known (should have read the reviews!) that this is a coffee table attempt to deal with an extremely complicated subject. The pretty pictures and artwork were fine, but the book claims to have important historical information from the Crow scouts. When I read (reread and reread) the accounts, I was no closer to understanding what happened. Indeed, one descendant of the Crow scouts admitted that the versions of the events told to him by the scouts were not the same.
The book's strength is in its modern work at the site. The articles about what items were found at both sites with metal detectors (a whole horse!) was fascinating and worth the purchase price. For instance, that bullets with the same rifling were found all over the Custer battle site is fascinating. I hope more metal detector search can be done.
The best book I've ever read!!.......2004-05-01
This book is so ground-breaking and thorough and clever that I'll read it again as soon as I get time. The narratives and recollections of native Americans combined with the most up-to-date scholarship make this book a small masterpiece. Our view of the battle was so slanted and biased, generally without intention, because of an overemphasis on the records of European participants, etc. This book gives another view, and thus B-A-L-A-N-C-E.!!
A major work........2001-05-28
In general I'm not really big on modern history (my notion of "modern" being everything after 1200 BC!), but Viola's book "Little Bighorn Remembered," featured as it was as the "untold Indian story of Custer's last stand," intrigued me. I have to admit to having had to take a second run at it before I really got into the subject. It isn't that the work is poorly written; it isn't. I think that the up front and in your face brutality of the 19th Century US government in dealing with the Native American population was just hard to deal with for me. It`s not that I am myself Native American; I just have a strong sense of fairness and fairness had no part in it. When I finally did settle into the material, however, it read rapidly. In fact it probably classifies highly with some of those I-couldn't-put-it-down novels over which people burn the midnight oil. (In my case I should have been getting a quick nap between patients while I was on-call for the OR on a night shift).
The first two chapters of the book concern the antecedents leading up to the Indian confrontation with Custer and the 7th Cavalry. These included Custer's own pre-dawn attack on a sleeping Cheyenne village under the leadership of Chief Black Kettle on the Washita River in 1868 and an earlier similar attack on Plains Tribes camping at Sand Creek in 1864. In both instances dozens of men, women, and children were hunted down and shot and their bodies butchered. In the 1868 attack even the Cheyenne pony herd, some 900 animals, was also killed, severely crippling the people's ability to pursue their traditional lifestyle. The narrative of these two chapters is filled with unfulfilled promises and broken treaties with Native Americans in the furtherance of US territorial expansion during the 19th Century. Certainly anyone familiar with the attitudes of Europeans toward technologically less advanced populations world wide in areas they wished to exploit will recognize the pattern.
The remainder of the book is divided into chapters each dealing with various perspectives on the battle of the Little Bighorn. Here is where the book rises above others on the subject, for Viola makes use of very diverse sources in his effort to thoroughly and fairly cover the subject .
Included are the oral histories passed on by the Indian participants, stories from the Cheyenne and the Dakota on one side and from the Crow and Arikara scouts with Custer on the other. Probably the most interesting part of this material is the fact that not all Plains Indians felt the same about the coming of the army into the area. In fact the imperialism of the US government was actually superimposed upon on-going events among traditional enemies within the community of local people. The long standing enmity of certain groups actually facilitated the ultimate defeat of the Plains Indians. Even allies weren't necessarily of one mind and still are not. A popular saying among the modern Cheyenne is that "The Sioux got the glory, the Crows got the land, but the Cheyennes did the fighting(p. 27)."
Also among the narratives are notes left by Edward S. Curtis who undertook the mission of creating a photographic preservation of Native American Indian lifestyles before they disappeared. During the pursuit of this work Curtis took the opportunity of covering the battle site in the company of three of Custer's Crow scouts. From information about events provided by these individuals he came to the conclusion that the battle had not proceeded as recorded thirty years previously. His intent to publish his conclusions in his project was discouraged by President Theodore Roosevelt, primarily because the latter was concerned that pro-Custer factions would ruin Curtis. The information was preserved and given over to the National Museum of American History by his son Harold just prior to Harold's death at the age of 95 in 1988.
Among the "documents" preserving the Battle at Little Bighorn are the Indian drawings of the event of which Viola includes illustrations of many. Though simple line drawings they give every bit as clear an image of the violence and carnage of the battle field as do the photo images of the Civil War. Included are drawings by the Dakota, Red Horse, and some etched drawings by an unknown artists on flattened metal from trade kettles. Also presented, many for the first time, are some of the victory memorabilia collected from the battlefield and preserved by family members of the Indian participants through the generations.
A fire across the battlefield in 1983 made an archaeological examination of the site possible and almost imperative. Application of modern techniques to the charting, recovery and analysis of the material remains on the site by professionals and trained volunteers in the decade between 1985 and 1995 have allowed a reinterpretation of what occurred and an external verification of the stories of various participants. (For a more in-depth account of which see my review of "They Died With Custer : Soldiers' Bones from the Battle of the Little Bighorn.")
Among the most amazing reports of the battle and its events is that of the contribution of suicide to the death toll. Apparently the notion of torture at the hands of Indian combatants, fostered in part by the tradition of post mortem mutilation of enemy bodies (to prevent their full enjoyment of the afterlife) produced a "save the last bullet for yourself" mentality that led to a far higher mortality than might have occurred. One Indian witness reported having seen a man "murder" a compatriot and than shoot himself. Apparently he was not the only individual to have seen this puzzling behavior either.
Probably the most arresting facets of Viola's book, and certainly the ones I found most enjoyable, were the many rotogravure/tintype portraits of the various American Indian personalities involved in the drama of the Plains. The faces are filled with dignity, composure, and intelligence. It leaves the viewer with a sense of compassion and loss. One wonders what the country might have been like had the two worlds learned to coexist more peacefully and to learn from one another.
Crow accounts are valuable.......2000-03-04
I found this book to be fascinating pictorially and in its presentation of Indian viewpoints of Little Bighorn.
Some other reviewers have criticized Herman Viola's inclusion of the accounts of Custer's Crow scouts, as if Viola is somehow doing a disservice to scholarship. However, I don't think he is necessarily presenting these accounts as gospel. Viola acknowledges the inconsistencies between witnesses' stories, but he gives the Crow a chance to speak for themselves, which seems like a good thing to me.
Perhaps by publishing these little-known testimonies, Viola will encourage other Indian sources to share their knowledge of Little Bighorn while that knowledge still exists.
A Pretty book but flawed.......2000-02-19
Read without knowledge of the other Indian based accounts available; this is an interesting book. There are other books available also which are based on Indian accounts and seem more coherent. This book is pretty and interesting but adds very little to a serious student of the event. Some of the vignettes are interesting when compared with other indian accounts and blended with them. The story of Custer sitting around at Weir point while Reno's battalion was being routed is not well placed in time or detail. In short, the book is a quick and easy read. It is an interesting contrast to the "old" accounts of the Little Big Horn saga. In light of other recent works on the subject; it is a lightweight.
Book Description
The Battle of the Little Bighorn has long held an eminent position among the chronicles of the mythic West. None of the men who rode with Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer to his "Last Stand" survived to tell the tale, but this stunning photography book provides a view of the battlefield as it must have existed in 1876.
The authors James S. Brust, Brian C. Pohanka, and Sandy Barnard searched for elusive documents and photographs, made countless trips to the battlefield, and scrutinized all available sources. Each chapter begins with a concise, lively description of an episode in the battle. The narratives are graphically illustrated by historical photos, which are presented alongside modern photos of the same location on the battlefield. The book also features detailed maps and photographs of battle participants and the early photographers who attempted to tell their story.
Customer Reviews:
Another Pile On!.......2007-09-11
Ditto with the author reviewers. This is a wonderfully written and beautifully photographed book that is written by three authors who definitely share a love for the subject. You won't be disappointed.
Interest in Custer and his 'last stand' have been the subject of countless books, articles, and films........2007-05-13
Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and the men of the Seventh U.S. Calvary have long ago entered western legend with their hard fought demise at the Battle of Little Bighorn against overwhelming Native American forces in 1876. Interest in Custer and his 'last stand' have been the subject of countless books, articles, and films. Now the team of James S. Brust (a specialist in historical photographs and prints), Brian C. Pohanka (an accomplished military historian), and Sandy Barnard (an independent scholar specializing in the Indian wars) have collaborated to produce "Where Custer Fell: Photographs Of The Little Bighorn Battlefield Then And Now". An informed and informative text is accompanied by 217 black and white historic photographs and illustrations, plus fifteen maps associated with the battle and the landscape. The product of years of painstaking research, meticulous scholarship, countless trips to the battlefield site, and drawing upon both common and uncommon source material, "Where Custer Fell: Photographs Of The Little Bighorn Battlefield Then And Now" is essential reading for anyone studying the 19th century Indian wars in general, and the life and times of Custer in particular.
Well done!.......2007-01-28
Good work and a refreshing perspective for long-time LBH historians. A great source book for artists. Take note! A great value for the price as well.
Where Custer Fell.......2006-07-29
Wonderful book - perfect gift for a spouse hooked on the Plains Indian Wars.Reminded us of the priviledge of walking the battlefield in 1991, following the ebb and flow of the battle.Made us want to come again. Thanks Amazon, for such a great find
Just be forewarned about exactly what this book is and is not.......2006-04-29
I read all the glowing reviews here of this book. I decided to buy it. That was a mistake. If I could have looked inside this book beforehand, I could have saved myself the money.
Let's get one thing straight. This book is NOT a photographic tour of the LBH battlefield. It is basically a history of the battleFIELD in photographs. It takes an old photograph taken some 80-120 years ago and matches it to a modern day photo taken from the same angle.
It's two basic themes are:
A. "Gee, look how little things have changed in the last 100 years" and B. "Look! they don't have a grave marker where it should be."
ALL the photographs, even the current day ones, are in black-and-white. I found this disappointing. The photos are small, average size about 5.5" x 3.75". If you expect to see much detail in a B&W photo this small of a vast battlefield landscape, you'd better get out your magnifying glass.
Let's go over a few things this book does NOT show:
1. Contrary to what another reviewer said, there is NO picture of the Crow's Nest. There is one picture of 4 guys standing NEAR the Crow's Nest, and the camera taking the picture is pointing to the northEAST. So not only do you NOT see the Crow's Nest itself, you CANNOT see the view of the Little Big Horn valley from it.
2. There is no photo of the Lone Tepee site.
3. Incredibly there is NOT a single photo of the location of Reno's skirmish line. This alone is a fatal omission.
4. There is NO photo of the timber where Reno made his brief stand (and started his "charge" to the rear). The closest you'll get in this regard is a photo of Charlie Reynold's grave marker.
5. There is no view from Sharpshooter Ridge to the Reno hilltop position.
6. There is no view from Henryville toward Finley Ridge or Calhoun Hill.
7. There is one extra small (4.5" x 3.25") photo of Medicine Tail Coulee ford, and the camera is on the east bank pointed toward the southeast, a rather bizarre angle.
8. No photo of the depression northeast of Custer Ridge where Crazy Horse, White Bull, Lone Bear, and Rain-in-the-Face and others gathered to cut through C and L Companies assembled on Custer Ridge.
9. There is no photo of the big Indian village site east of the LBH river.
I could go on (and on and on) but that's enough. You get the idea. If there is not a ~100 year old photo of a particular part of the battlefield, you will not find a present day photo of it in this book. Tourists of ~100 years ago apparently did not take pictures of these more obscure, but still VERY IMPORTANT sites, but they took plenty pictures of Custer Hill.
Let's go over what this book has in spades:
1. No less than 54 photos of Custer Hill taken from nearly every point of the compass. If you're really fascinated by where each marker should be, this should interest you.
2. Ten photos of the Cemetery. This has nothing to do with the actual battle at all. Like I said, this book is a photo history of the battleFIELD.
Some reviewers have remarked on the text in this book, but the text is not the raison d'etre for this book. This book is all about its photographs. Nobody is going to buy this book for its text.
I wish someone would publish a big high-quality color photo book that shows how the battlefield scene unfolded in Reno eyes, Benteen's eyes, Sioux-Cheyenne eyes, and probable Custer's eyes. "Where Custer Fell" doesn't do this. Don't expect it to.
Book Description
This historical fiction dramatically tells the story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn through the eyes of ordinary soldiers and warriors and vividly describes the fatigue, grime, sweat, fear, heartbreak, and carnage of frontier warfare.
“I have never seen a better, clearer exposition of the problems that occur when two cultures collide.”—Stephen Coonts, author of Flight of the Intruder
“A Road We Do Not Know . . . brings a fresh and moving sensibility to the story of Custer, Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse, those icons whose lives came together at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. A fine novel, compellingly written.”—W.E.B. Griffin, author of Brotherhood of War
“Frederick Chiaventone tells an important, gripping and instructive tale.”—Winston F. Groom, author of Forrest Gump
One of the most gripping fictional accounts-- based on twenty years of historical research--ever written on the Battle of Little Bighorn and Custer's demise.
Customer Reviews:
A PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION OF A HUNDRED-YEAR OLD PUZZLE.......2006-12-11
A ROAD WE DO NOT KNOW takes the reader on the June 1876 campaign against "hostile" tribes that ended, as every schoolboy should know, in the defeat of the 7th Cavalry at the battle of the Little Big Horn, a river also known as the Greasy Grass to the Sioux. Mr. Chiaventone's first novel is not a great work of literature but it holds up pretty well against a lot of other historical fiction. A ROAD is told from the perspective of captain and corporal, chief and warrior, indian and trooper, white and red. Wrapped in fiction, the author provides a plausible explanation for why and how the battle developed, a puzzle debated by historicans for over a hundred years. The novel explores General Custer's decision-making prior to the battle, when presented with information from his scouts, and during the battle, when pressed by overwhelming numbers of warriors. It makes for a fascinating read to be especially enjoyed by history buffs. Mr. Chiaventone also is able to get into the motivation and thinking of the Ogala, Hunkpapa, Cheyenne, Arapaho and other Indians engaged at the Greasy Grass, showing the reader how these native Americans viewed the world without dragging down the novel with unnecessary and distracting "spiritual" discourse. A ROAD is a realistic novel, describing the rigors of the campaign as well as the violence of battle. A side note is that some 7th Cavalry survivors of the Little Big Horn were later killed at Wounded Knee, where a total of 26 troopers were killed and 35 wounded. Highly recommended.
The best book on Custer, period........2006-02-28
I've read this book with great interest and excitement. I also comuunicated with the author by email several years ago, and consulted many "experts" on Custer after I read the book. Most of the stories we've heard about GAC are pure trash. GAC was a great hero in the Civil War, for which he has not been given near enough credit due to the despicable stories that have been told about him in the years since the Little Big Horn.
His dear wife, Libby, spent the rest of her life trying to correct the defaming and hostile stories written about him. Because most of his family died at the Little Big Horn, only his enemies, such as Benteen and Reno, were left to tell the story. They were both jealous of Custer, and all the evidence points to Reno as the biggest flaw in the campaign, as he and his troops turned and ran in the face of an assault. This is explained in several writings about this event.
Custer did what most any soldier would have done in his situation. This book explains some of that, so I will not repeat it here.
Suffice it to say, read the book with an open mind, forgetting all the "disinformation" you've heard about him.
Why wasn't this book made into a movie? Well, if it had been an anti-Custer, or anti-American book, it would have been The left-wing, socialist, anti-American pukes in Hollywood would have seen to it. But, it is a realistic story not indulging in mythology or hate-mongering against a true American hero in the Civil War. Custer's conflict with the Grant administration over treatment of the Indians is also a truth Hollywood would not want to tell. That would undermine their hate for him.
As Close As You're Gonna Get.......2004-05-11
With "A Road We Do Not Know" Mr. Chiaventone takes us, on both banks of the Little Big Horn River, as close to what really happened there June 25, 1876 as anybody will ever get. Chiaventone achieves this partly through extensive historical research and partly through empathy for the men involved in the events, all of whom, Indians and cavalrymen, emerge from this story as real people: There are no Noble Savages in this book nor is Custer represented as a fool. Chivaentone understands the "fog of war" and how it can blind otherwise valiant and experienced commanders: Eighty-nine years after the Little Big Horn the 7th Cavalary got itself into a similar debacle at a place called the Ia Drang Valley in Viet-Nam, and in 1965 they had air support and artillery. The only quibble I have about this excellent novel is the large number of footnotes throughout. They do not belong in a novel because they distract from the flow of the story. Someone at Simon & Schuster needs to be reminded of that: put 'em in the narrative, in the mouths of the characters, or in an "Historical Note" at the end of the book, but NOT at the bottom of the page.
You have to love the cavalry.......2002-09-13
I gave this two stars but it is a matter of taste. I was looking for straight historical fiction. To enjoy this read you must really be an avid fan of military fiction. For people with this interest, this might be five stars. For my taste, the author dwelt too much on the details of the military custom and practice that he reconstructed for the circa 1870s Seventh Cavalry. This amounted to the first half of the book and I got bogged down in it. But this preoccupation with military details ran through the remainder of the book and I think had the effect of dampening the climax. It seemed like there was more militaria than characterization so it was hard for me to be personally drawn into the climax. But I realize that this is exactly what some people want. I also felt that the characterization of Custer was a little too charitable based on the history I have read. I am a Native American and I got the impression form this book that Custer was almost benevolent in attitude towards Indians -- just a little egotistical. That's a stretch.
A book to be savored.......2001-05-15
Not since May 29, 1981, the day I finished The Killer Angels, have I been so overwhelmed by the ending of a military action novel as I was by this book. It is fiction only because it supplies lotsa dialogue for June 25, 1876--the day of Custer's Last Stand. This book presents all the events as very concentrated in time, whereas I before reading it had the impression the events were spread over several days. I am confident this book is pretty accurate as to what happened. This is a very poignant book, and made me feel I was with the people on that fateful day. Most worthwhile reading.
Book Description
New. El Segundo 1988. Photos, packet of maps, includes Dustin Bibliography. THE CUSTER TRAGEDY by Fred Dustin is a required reading for any Custer Battle scholar. Includes reprint of rare pamphlet: "Echoes from the Little Big Horn Fight," which was written after Dustin had access to the Reno Court of Inquiry transcript.
Average customer rating:
|
Custer's First Sergeant John Ryan
Sandy Barnard , and
John Ryan
Manufacturer: Ast Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 096180873X |
Customer Reviews:
They Died With Custer Forgets Lieutenant Harrington.......2006-07-01
A very good book and recommended. It does however fall short with its look at Lt. Henry Harrington, commander of Company C during the battle. The forensic reconstruction figure on page 172 is Lt. Harrington, one of the long missing officers whose remains were not found after the battle. The authors are not alone in missing the resemblance to the 1872 West Point graduate whose remains have lain in the Smithsonian Institution for more than a century.
This oversight by historians and anthropologists alike is corrected in the book "Custer's Lost Officer the Search for Lieutenant Henry Moore Harrington, 7th U.S. Cavalry by Walt Cross. I recommend that if you purchase this book you also purchase the Cross book ISBN: 0-9771926-1-X. In "Custer's Lost Officer" Harrington is identified as the soldier the Sioux called "The bravest man the Sioux ever fought."
Digging into the Little Bighorn.......2006-02-21
This book should be a considered a companion book to the others written detailing the results of the numerous battlefield investigations following the 1984 brush fire, particularly "Archaeology, History, and Custer's Last Battle: The Little Big Horn Reexamined."
While this book goes into detail about the individual soldiers and the remains found at numerous marker pairs across the field, the other title gives the new forensic based chronology of the battle. I was a park visitor in 1984, and two time subsequent to that date. It is amazing how the interpretation of the battle has changed since then. The new explanation answers many of the nagging questions that have fed the Custer Myth. Scott's book in particular explodes the myth of the noble fighting bunkmates or suicide pacts, that rose from the apparent grave stone pairs that dot the battlefield, and the apparent mis match between the number of markers and the number of soldiers that were killed. Exhumation of numerous such sites revealed in all cases only the partial remains of one individual. The fact that so many ramains were found at so many of the sites, and that markers intended for the Reno Field were placed on the Custer Field, calls into question the thoroughness of the reburial details subsequent to the battle. Remnants and nearly complete skeletal remains were found. Makes you wonder how many horse bones are under the marker on mis-named Last Stand Hill. Scott makes a valiant attempt to include attributed artifacts and remains previously found on the battlefield to expand his data population. A noble endeavor. Some of the biggest questions regarding the battle may never be known due to the construction of the park visitors center, parking lot and Veterans Cemetary. Scott's book adds new indespensible information to the updated unglorified story of the Little BigHorn. A must read for anyone interested in the Little Bighorn.
Its about the men this time...........2004-03-08
I thought this was a well written, easy to read and utterly interesting book on the archeological research done around the Custer Battlefield (Little Big Horn Battlefield for the politically correct). The book centered around the common soldiers of the Seventh Cavalry instead of its more infamous commander. The study of human remains helped give a "slice of life" look at the regular cavalrymen of the Seventh Cavalry and how the battle went according to archeological finds of bullets, casing and where the men of Seventh fell during the battle. It was also interesting to read about how they tried to identified some of the remains they found. The book should be consider as a mandatory reading material for anyone interested in the battle of Little Bighorn.
Digging into Little Bighorn Battlefield.......2000-08-12
A well-written summary of more than a decade's analysis of battlefield archeology. Fascinating identification of several bodies from a few bones, especially those well-know persons who were found in sites other than where eyewittnesses placed them in written history. The book suffers, however, by a brief and weak synopsis that fails in its attempt to draw too-broad conclussions about the entire frontier population from a few soldiers' bones.
They died with Custer........2000-04-05
This was a superbly written volume outlining the archaeological reclaimation of the battlefield site of the Little Big Horn. A military archeologist (Scott), a forensic archeologist (Conner), and a forensics anthropologist (Willey) combined talents to preserve and identify the material evidence of the events that took place there after a wildfire stripped the scene of vegitation and exposed the site to erosive processes and human curiosity. The book details: 1) the history of the 7th Cavalry, including among other things, the age of the soldiers, their origin, and length of service, 2) the efforts to identify individual soldiers and the location of their fall in battle, 3) the effect of the rigorous life on the frontier on the health of the soldiers, 4) etc. I found particularly interesting the efforts to reconstruct the facial features of some of the skulls in an effort to identify the remains with specific people. This is a good text of archaeology at work.
Book Description
Sergeant Charles Windolph was the last white survivor of the Battle of the Little Big Horn when he described it nearly seventy years later. A six-year veteran of the Seventh Cavalry, Windolph fought in Benteen’s troop on that fatal Sunday and recalls in vivid detail the battle that wiped out Custer’s command. Equally vivid is the evidence marshaled by Frazier and Robert Hunt on events leading up to the battle and on the investigation that followed.
Customer Reviews:
A valuable account of the Custer tragedy.......2003-11-29
It is difficult to really rate a work like this. This is the story of Charles Windolph, the last survivor of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, in his own, simple words. Windolph told his story to a father and son historian team in the 1930s and 40s. Windolph's distinction as last survivor is a bit misleading--he was the last man who was present at the battle to die, but his title as last survivor does not mean he was with Custer's column of troops. He wasn't. In fact, he was under Benteen, and was one of many who survived the battle because they weren't as heavily engaged in it as Custer.
Windolph presents an interesting perspective on the battle, and seems relatively objective. He does tend to romanticize a little, but for the most part he refrains from throwing blame on Custer, Reno, Benteen, or anyone else (though he does state up front that he is partial to Benteen). His story is not all that unique when compared to other primary accounts of the battle, but it is nevertheless valuable as the testimony of a survivor of that horrible tragedy.
Included with Windolph's narrative are a number of primary documents, cobbled together in chapters and laced throughout with author's commentary. This is all right, but it would have been better to present these documents in their entirety, with only enough commentary (perhaps in the form of footnotes) to give the reader an idea of the background surrounding the documents. Still, the Hunts have done a relatively good job of remaining objective as well, something that is rare in a Custer historian. This is perhaps not the best account of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, but it is nevertheless an important one.
A memorable account of the Custer fight.......2000-03-23
As a Custer buff, this book has been on my shelf for a long time. A great book to read, one that fleshes out a lot of the daily life in the Seventh as well as the battle along Greasy Grass. Right up there with "Son of Morning Star" and Walter Camp's book on the subject. Check 'em out, you won't be disappointed.
Interesting Read.......1997-12-13
This book is compiled from the found writings of a sergeant of the Seventh Cavalry who survived the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The first hand accounts of men like Sergeant Windolph and Theodore Goldin are very valuable and interesting reading. They were not men defending their performance as were the officers like Benteen, Reno, and Godfrey. They had their biases but didn't have to grind axes. This account is worthwhile reading for students of the Seventh Cavalry and the Little Big Horn campaign.
Book Description
A gripping account of the legendary battle, told from the Lakota perspective
The 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn has become known as the quintessential clash of cultures between the Lakota and white settlers. The men who led the battle—Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and Colonel George A. Custer—have become legends.
Here award-winning Lakota historian Joseph Marshall reveals the nuanced complexities that led up to and followed the battle. Until now, this account has been available only within the Lakota oral tradition. The Day the World Ended at Little Bighorn is required reading for anyone enthralled by the tale of the tragic fight that changed the scope of both America and the American landscape.
Customer Reviews:
Not bad.......2007-10-10
I found this book, in the begining, to jump back and forth too much and a bit redundent. As I got into it a bit more it became more interesting and informative. It confermed a lot that I knew and informed me of things I didn't. There is no dout in my mind that the Native Americans have gotten screwed at every turn even worse the black Americans. Although I think the title of the book is a bit misleading the content is worth reading if you have any interest in Native American history. I look forward to more books by Joseph Marshall.
The day the world ended at Little Big Horn.......2007-09-19
If you enjoy the History of Little Big Horn, you must add this to your collection. Another side or opinion - most likely very accurate.
Lakota history.......2007-09-09
This is more a Lakota history than a tale of the Little Big Horn. Still, all and all it is a good read.
OBSERVATION.......2007-08-28
I GENERALLY LIKED THIS BOOK AS TO THE EARLY LIFE OF THE PLAINS INDIANS. THE HISORICAL CONTENT WAS GOOD TO A POINT. HOWEVER IT WAS SO SLANTED TOWARD THE " NOBLE REDMAN " TAKE, THAT IT LEFT OUT MUCH OF ACTUAL REASONING.
THE IMPLICATION THAT THE INDAIN WARRIOR ONLY FOUGHT IN PROTECTION OF THE FAMILY AND HUNTING TO FEED THEM LEAVES OUT A LOT OF REALITY.
The Day the World Ended at Little Bighorn: A Lakota History.......2007-08-27
The story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn told from the Lakota perspective. Very interesting and insightful, the book also lays out the downfall of the native nations. Recommended reading for people interested in learning the true ways of the Lakota people. I especially enjoyed the paragraphs explaining their every day way of life.
Book Description
Ever since the Custer battle on June 25, 1876, the question has been asked: What happened--what REALLY happened--at the Battle of the Little Bighorn? We know some of the answers because half of George Armstong Custer's Seventh Cavalry--the men with Major Marcus Reno and Captain Frederick Benteen--survived the fight, but what of the half that did not, the troopers, civilians, scouts, and journalists who were with Custer?
Now, because a grass fire in August 1983 cleared the terrain of brush and grass and made thorough archaeological examination possible, we have many answers to these important questions. On the basis of the evidence presented in this book, we know more about what kinds of weapons were used against the cavalry. We know exactly where most of the men fought, how they died, and what happened to their bodies at the time of or after death. We know how the troopers were deployed, what kind of clothing they wore, what kind of equipment they used, and how they fought. Through the techniques of historical archaeology and forensic anthropology, the remains and grave of one of Custer's scouts, Mitch Boyer has been identified.
Customer Reviews:
What a Bargain!.......2007-09-11
Archaeology and the Battle of the Little Big Horn, what's there not to like! Nicely written with fascinating photographs. Starting at $8, what a bargain!
Little Bighorn Overview.......2007-05-28
Custer's Fall: The Native American Side of the Story
I found 'Archaeological Perspectives on the Battle of Little Bighorn' to be a very interesting read indeed, it served to answer many questions that, up to the time of the archaeological investigations, were not known.
An interesting comment in the book referred to the fact that the investigations backed-up the indian's side of events & refuted that of the army's.
Many comments made by various authors over the years have also been negated by the evidence unearthed.
I recommend the book mentioned above, ('Custer's Fall'), which is the indian account of the battle; many people I am sure will be dismayed to discover that; Custer was shot down within a few moments of the first charge across the Little Bighorn to attack the indian camp, that the charge immediately halted mid stream & that shortly afterwards the army, faced with overwhelming numbers of indians, commenced it's futile race to try & find a defensive place on high ground.
Unfortunately Custer's luck on that day was not as good as Reno's.
In my opinion, Custer was an egotistical murdering glory hound, he had the opportunity to save his men's lives & failed to heed the word of his scouts.
He went in with guns blazing & met the fate he truly deserved, there was no last stand, at least not for Custer, that ultimate terror was left for his unfortunate men to face.
My only (minor) criticism of 'Archaeological Perspectives' is that a detailed map of the arenas of battle was not included in the book.
Well done the indians; if only they had overrun Reno & captured his ammunition packs, it could have led to the destruction of the other army detachments closing in upon them, alas... it was not meant to be.
Ground Breaking Forensic Archaeology..pun intended........2005-09-13
I was lucky enough to visit the Battlefield in 1984 shortly after the fire and the first field season. I have visited it twice more since. The last time I was armed with not only Richard Allen Fox's book but this one as well.
Having an abiding interest in the battle for over 30 years it is amazing how the application of good sound science has unraveled many of the "mysteries" and myths associated with what happened on those dusty slopes the day of the battle.
This book delves more into the personal fate of numerous combatants as evidenced by their remains found on the battlefield.
The mere fact that so numerous remains were there to be found after reported exhumation and reburial under the monument, shows that then as now "good enough for government work" still has the same meaning.
If you are interested in the fate of individuals, the nuts and bolts of the recovery of remains, this book is for you. If you are more interested in the unraveling of the mystery of the battle itself. Richard Alan Fox's book Archaeology, History and Custer's Last Battle will appeal to you more. It details the unraveling of the stages of the battle using firearm forensic techniques and puts to bed the notion that Custer died in a glorious last stand.
Rather the famed 7th Cavalry disintegrated into a panic stricken mob, and at the last it was every man for himself, as the last 28 lone survivors on foot and horseback fled Last Stand Hill for the illusion of saftey of the Deep Ravine.
Both books are excellent and both will help final dispel the myths surrounding the battle.
Great scientific archeological analysis of the battle.......2005-07-22
This book goes into great detail about the archeology performed on the battlefield site. It has the feel of being written for an audience of archeologists rather than just a casual reader. If you are an archeologist, the book probably rates a five. If you are really interested in the battle, I also recommend it. If you just want to learn the basics of the battle, howver, other titles are probably more appropriate.
Historically Significant.......2004-11-10
Even though I know all the writers of this book, I'm still NOT biased when I say that Scotts, et al book has changed interpretation dramatically on the Little Bighorn fight. Having worked at the Little Bighorn Battlefield as an interpreter in 1985, I personally know how this interpretation changed, i.e. before the archaeological digs of 1984-85, most of us believed that Custer's men fell mostly to arrows. We now know that the U.S. soldier's were outgunned, thanks to this field work and as reported in the book.
Since Scott's final report, headstones on the battlefield marking where "unknown soldier's" fell have been replaced by actual names, e.g. Mitch Bouyer. This reality came to place thanks to the forensic work of Dr. Clyde Snow (his complete report is included in this book).
Finally, Scott and his team create a vivid picture of where the soldiers and the Indian warriors moved over the battlefield fighting for what they believed was right.
Books:
- St. Petersburg (Eyewitness Travel Guides) (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
- Suite Française
- Tecumseh and the Quest for Indian Leadership
- The Appeasers
- The Curse of Naar: Lone Wolf, Book 20
- The Cut of Men's Clothes: 1600-1900
- The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians
- The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics)
- The Freedom Writers Diary : How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them
- The Great School Wars: A History of the New York City Public Schools
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- My Book About Me
- Dragons of a Vanished Moon
- Signal Transduction in Mast Cells and Basophils
- Tattoos of the Floating World: Ukiyo-E Motifs in Japanese Tattoo
- Wide Open: Inspiration & Techniques for Art Journaling on the Edge
- Breast MRI: Diagnosis and Intervention
- A-Z of Cat Health and First Aid: A Holistic Veterinary Guide for Owners
- Star Style at the Academy Awards: A Century of Glamour
- The Half-Hour Painter: Paint a Successful Landscape in 30 Minutes
- Hess: The Fuhrer's Disciple
Archaeology, History, and Custer's Last Battle: The Little Big Horn Reexamined
Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors
Lakota Noon: The Indian Narrative of Custer's Defeat
Son of The Morning Star
Little Big Horn 1876: Custer's Last Stand (Campaign)
