A Dispatch to Custer: The Tragedy of Lieutenant Kidder

Tells the little-known story of Lieutenant Lyman Kidder, a young soldier sent on a mission in 1867 to deliver new orders to Lieutenant Colonel George Custer. On the way, a band of Sioux and Cheyenne ambushed Kidder's party, killing all 11 soldiers and an Indian scout. This account draws on letter by Kidder's family and military colleagues. This work was originally self-published under the title Find Custer! The Kidder Tragedy , and was winner of the Little Big Horn Associates Literary Award. The authors are affiliated with the Little Big Horn Associates and the Custer Battlefield Historical and Museum Association. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

"It seems likely the relatively obscure death of a young lieutenant and his men may have had a considerable influence long after in shaping the nation's 19th century policies with American Indians. . . . [A Dispatch to Custer] sustains interest from first to last." --Matt Taylor, Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, WA)