A Complete Life of General George A. Custer

by Whittaker, Frederick

• ISBN13: 9780803297432
• ISBN10: 0803297432
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1993-03-01
• Publisher: Univ of Nebraska Pr

Summary

This first biography of General George A. Custer was published late in 1876, only months after the disaster at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.A Complete Lifewas the beginning of a legend, and Frderick Whittaker did more than anyone else except Libby Custer to make the flamboyant Boy General a permanent resident of the national consciousness. Quite aside from its contribution to the public image of Custer, this important book placed him and his associates against a concrete background of onrushing events. Drawing on newspaper reports and the general's own words, Whittaker captures the excitement of the era. Continuing the story of Custer from Volume 1, which dealt with his childhood in Ohio, cadetship at West Point, courtship of Elizabeth Bacon, and service as a cavalryman in the Civil War, Volume 2 takes Custer west to head up the newly created Seventh Cavalry and fight the Arapahoes, Cheyennes, Kiowas, and Sioux. Whittaker gives full scope to Custer's brushes with authority, his changeable relations with his troops, and his famous expeditions, ending with a memorable description of his last stand at the Little Big Horn in June 1876.

Author Biography

Robert M. Utley is a leading historian of the western frontier whose book include Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life (University of Nebraska Press, 1989).

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Bison Book Edition	p. xi
On the Plains
The Hancock Expedition	p. 349
Causes of the Expedition
Escape of the Tribes
The Pursuit
The First Buffalo
The Lost Trail
War
The First Scout	p. 363
Learning Indian Tricks
Pawnee Killer's Repulse
Skirmishes
The Wagon Train	p. 371
The March to Fort Wallace
The Return
The Attack
Circling
Arrival of Help
Saved
The Kidder Massacre	p. 383
The Telegram
Finding the Bodies
A Mother's Love
The Court Martial	p. 397
The Mutiny
The March
Custer Court-martialled
The Winter Campaign	p. 413
Wanted, a General
Custer sent for
Starting on the Trail
Battle of the Washita	p. 425
The Trail in the Snow
Charge on Black Kettle
How to Fight Indians
Triumphant Return of the Seventh
Closing Operations	p. 453
How Custer volunteered to bring the Klowas, Arapahoes and Cheyennes to Peace
How he did it
Louisville to the Yellowstone	p. 471
Custer in Kentucky
Ordered North
The Sioux
A Narrow Escape
The Black Hills	p. 501
Rumors of Gold
A Terra Incognita
The Custer Column
Rain-in-the-Face	p. 515
Murderer's Boasts
The Arrest
The Grain Thieves
The Escape
The Oath of Vengeance
The Sun-Dance
The Last Campaign
Sitting Bull	p. 529
What is known of the Sioux Chief
His Diary
Crazy Horse	p. 537
Reynolds' Campaign
Another Washita Spoiled
Wanted a Custer
Custer and Grant	p. 545
The Belknap Investigation
Custer's unwilling Testimony
President Grant's Revenge
Custer's Displacement
The Great Expedition	p. 563
Crook's Column
Gibbon's Column
The Terry Column
Reno's Scout
Custer's Departure
The Last Battle	p. 573
Trail of Sitting Bull
Reno's Fight
Custer's Last Charge
Soldier and Man
Custer, the Soldier	p. 609
Analysis of his Success
His True Rank in Military History
Custer, the Indian-Fighter	p. 616
Savage and Civilized Warfare Contrasted
Custer's Experience
Anecdote illustrating his Knowledge of Indian Nature
Custer, the Man	p. 623
His Generosity
Fondness for Children
Development of his Character
His Scrupulous Honor
Closing Summary
Personal Recollections
Of General Custer, by the Great Tragedian, Lawrence Barrett	p. 628
Index	p. 645
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