Sheridan's Memoirs

[gary]

I finally finished Sheridan's Memoirs. Had it for a couple of years and sat down this week to read it. Very readable and enjoyable.

Early frontier life along with chasing some Californian or Oregon Indians! Sybil War (and he really disses Warren and tells why he dismissed him after Five Forks) adventure including the whupping of Early after rallying his defeated army at Cedar Creek. Plains Indians and the discovery of Major Elliot and his lost command Battle of Wa****a (rather, the massacre of innocents). French! Prussians. Bismarck! Napoleon III being whupped by Frederick William. Afterwards, Victor Emmanuel, Regia d'Italia and a hunt on Victor Emmauel's private game reserve. BTW, Vic says he'd rather be a hunter in America instead of King of Italy.

Heckuva lousy book review

Gary,
Do not sell your review short. I actually liked it. To tell the truth I had forgotten he had written his memoirs. He was an interesting guy. Not anyone I like or admire mind you, but interesting.

This is off top of my head but wasn't the Major Elliot incident because basically they attacked a helpless indian camp during the winter, killing women, kids and old men etc. Then, when nearby indian encampments heard the shooting and come running to help, the US Army basically ran away. Elliot being trapped?

Anyway, Not a lousy review.

YMOS
tommy

[gary]

Major Elliot died in the so called Battle of Wa****a which was an attack on Black Kettle's village. It was more of a massacre of defenseless Indians by Custer.

Elliot led fifteen men along a gully and got separated from Custer. Custer had no idea where he went and didn't send out scouting parties to find him. When Sheridan found them, they were in a circle facing outwards (surrounded and fighting defensively). Naked, none were scalped but they were mutilated (as was called for by Indian practice of the days). That they weren't scalped suggests to me that they fought bravely and earned the respect of the warriors. As for mutilation, that was probably the work of women.

Thanks Gary, that was pretty much what I remembered. I seem to recall one indian chief rode out to challenge Custer to fight one on one but he declined.

YMOS
tommy