The Papers of Edward S. Curtis Relating to Custer's Last Battle

CUSTER'S LAST FIGHT: THE STORY OF THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIG HORN. Volume One Battle of the Little Big Horn Series. George Armstrong Custer, admire him or despise him, stands as the dominant figure of Little Big Horn and the principle architect of its appeal, dominating every work on the campaign. Perhaps this is fitting for, with his death, he achieved immortality not only for himseof but his regiment. He and his regiment have become more than fallen heroes of the republic, they have become symbolic of the Indian fighting army, with Custer the archetypical Indian hating frontier soldier. The irony that Custer was often in outspoken opposition to the very policies he has come to symbolize has been lost in much of the present literature.

The controversies started almost immediately and touched on every facet of the conflict imaginable. Had Custer disobeyed his orders, rushing headlong to disaster? Did Reno show the white feather in the valley fight? Did Benteen dawdle while his comrades, awaiting the precious ammunition he was ordered to bring, were being annihilated? Did Custer attempt to cross at Medicine Tail Coulee? Was Custer killed early at the river, or was he the last to fall? Could Custer and his regiment have won? Could they have been saved? Rather than subsiding with the passage of time, the controversies increased both in number and vehemence in the succeeding years.

In CUSTER'S LAST FIGHT the author attempts to reconstruct the events surrounding this last great struggle between two competing cultures.

Mere description of the events as we know them, or pure speculation no matter how imaginative, would result in a sterile and incomplete narrative. David Evans has included many personal anecdotes to remind us that these were flesh and blood individuals with much the same fears and desires as ourselves.

To complete the narrative, Evans has included a briedf epilogue summarizing the end of the campaign and subsequent fate of its major participants. An appendix containing selected biographies has also been included. Sufficient footnotes are provided to enable the serious student to further his research and identify alternate points of view.

It would be rash indeed for anyone to claim they know with absolute certainty all that transpired that fateful June day, especially when speculating on the motivation of key individuals. Perhaps on this point we may all agree: legends are part of great events and insofar as they preserve the memories of gallantry and self-sacrifice they serve their purpose. May the legends of the Little Big Horn never die!

Foreword, Battle of the Washita, Treaty of 1868, Belknap Affair, Crook's Winter Campaign, March of the Montana Column, Battle of the Rosebud, March of the Dakota Column, Crow's Nest, Valley Fight, Benteen Joins Reno, A Reconstruction of the Custer Fight, Siege of Reno Hill, Relief of the Seventh, Requiem, Epilogue, A Campaign Gone Awry.

Pictorial dust-jacket artwork in color by Kirk Stirnweis.

18 appendices, including Seventh Cavalry Roster by Company, Battle Casualties, The Reno Court of Inquiry , Indians Present at the Battle, Terry's Orders and Reports, Reports of Reno and Benteen and more.

Bibliography and Index. Illustrated dj in color by artist Kirk Stirnweis "The Last Command: Custer and the Seventh Cavalry at Little Big Horn." AVAILBLE NOW.

David Evans is an engineering manager in the aerospace industry. He has written many articles on the Liittle Big Horn and Custer for historical publications. An avid photographer as well as historian, he resides with his wife, son and mother in Centreville, Virginia.