I am reading Custer's Life On The Plains, am looking for other book recommendations

eeric

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Apr 14, 2019
I have read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, and another excellent book focused on the Nez Perce campaign

What else would you recommend?
 
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"American Carnage: Wounded Knee", 1890 by Jerome Green is a much better history than the Dee Brown book, which I felt read more like a novel.

If you want a well balanced book on the life of Custer I'd suggest "Custer's Trials" by T J Stiles. It doesn't have much on the Little Bighorn but covers his life, otherwise.
 
The Little Big Horn is a giant can of worms, and you should be certain that you really want to open it. However, if you do, I highly recommend this one as a place to start.

https://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Glo...rn&qid=1593274453&sr=8-2&tag=civilwartalkc-20

I don't necessarily agree with all of Donovan's conclusions, but the book is extremely well researched and is a great read. A warning, though: the maps are all but worthless. The same useless maps appear in Nathaniel Philbrick's recent book. Download this map atlas of the Sioux Wars--it's free, and the maps are really outstanding.


If you then decide to delve into the details of the Little Big Horn fight, ask me for recommendations.

This book on the Battle of the Rosebud, a week before the Little Big Horn fight, is just plain outstanding. You will want to read it too.

https://www.amazon.com/Rosebud-June...ud&qid=1593274664&sr=8-2&tag=civilwartalkc-20
 
Douglas McChristian, Regular Army, O!: Soldiering on the Western Frontier, 1865-1891
Don Hickey, Jr., Forty Miles a Day on Beans and Hay
Robert Utley, Frontier Regulars, the U.S. Army and the Indian, 1866 - 1891. (Actually, you can't go wrong with any of Utley's books).

I will also echo the comment about Green's book.
 
There's a couple of books by Sandy Bernard that deal with Custer. One is Custer's First Sergeant, which is a biography of John Ryan from Newton, Massachusetts, who enlisted in the 28th Massachusetts and served throughout the Civil War. He afterwards joined the 7th Cavalry and was a favorite of Custer. Ryan was actually court martialed and reduced to Private at one point and Custer promoted him back to First Sergeant the next day. During Little Big Horn he was with Reno if I remember correctly and actually was the one who identified Custer's body after the battle. He returned to Newton and served in the Newton Police Department, retiring as a Captain and died in the 1920s. I had a friend in high school whose grandfather used to deliver groceries to Ryan when he was a young boy. Ryan also kept a diary of his time with the 28th and afterwards with the 7th and both have been published by Sandy Bernard.
 
I have read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, and another excellent book focused on the Nez Perce campaign

What else would you recommend?
Here you go. Greg Michno's Lakota Noon re the LBH has a timeline of action and Indian accounts.
 
My original question was not well worded, I am interested in the plains wars in general and not anyone specifically. I have read some on this topic before and my interest was revived by reading Custer's book, referenced in the LBH monument thread. The suggestions above are amazing thank you all.
 
"Iron Brigade General - John Gibbon, A Rebel in Blue" by Dennis Lavery & Mark Jordan (1993), with a forward by Alan T. Nolan, includes two chapters detailing Gibbon's role as commander of the military district of Montana in the 1870's, leading the 7th Infantry Regiment, and his rescue of the Little Big Horn survivors. The book provides interesting insight into Civil War generals who later led the Army during the western expansion and Indian wars - Sheridan, Custer, McDowell, Hancock, Terry, Reno, others.
 
I have been studying my Custer genealogy for more years than I can ever admit. As a USAF Lt, I was stationed at Osan AB, Korea in 1976 and was interviewed by Stars & Stripes Newspaper as well as the radio. As a result, I was immediately contacted by Capt Charles (Chuck) Merkel (USArmy) who was stationed along the DMZ. He arranged for a Red Cross helicopter to fly down and pick me up where I was a special guest at a formal ceremony and presentation hosted by Capt Merkel. I was (and still am) amazed at the vast knowledge he had of my 3rd cousin _ 4 removed, George Armstrong. I made a vow then and there to learn as much as I could about that part of our USA history. He was a member of the Little Big Horn Associates (which I've remained a member of since 1977) and also introduced me to Dr. Lawrence Frost ... Chuck provided a lot of the research for Dr. Frost's first book, "The Custer Album" as well as "General Custer's Libbie". I have found these two books to be the most factual documents in my personal library. It is full of actual photographs, newspapers, and other great information. It covers the life of George Armstrong Custer from beginning to end. General Custer's Libbie is also a great book that focuses on Libbie. Dr Frost autographed both of my books. He developed the Custer Museum in Monroe, MI and the original white surrender flag from the Confederate Army_Civil War is part of this museum. Custer was so instrumental in the North winning the war that they chose him to accept the flag. A photo of this flag is in the "Custer Album". I've got a lot of other books but these two are my favorites.

General Custer's Libbie.jpg


The Custer Album.jpg
 
We have an antique mall here that is full of booths. One seller has some militaria and books. He has a varied selections of small books on Battle of Little Big Horn.
One is about weapons of LBH. One is details on archeological digs and one is an interesting account of that area and the people and gov’t activities after the battle. Im not sure if these books are what you are looking for. I thought that last one would be a good history of how the Gov’t managed the land.
I bought one on the Sharps Rifle and gave it as a gift.
 
A book that you may want to look for is Save The Last Bullet For Yourself by Thomas Marquis. Marquis interviewed a number of Indians who fought at LBH, but delayed publishing his findings until many years after the battle to avoid potential retaliation against the Indians.

I got my copy of the book in the mid seventies but have never seen another copy.
 
Jeff Broome, an author. 'Dog Soldier Justice' is one of his. He also relic hunts in Kansas and other 'plains' states.
 
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