Essentially a physicist's interpretation of the Battle of Little Bighorn, author John S. Gray's Custer's Last Campaign: Mitch Boyer and the Little Bighorn Reconstructed is a fascinating account of one of the most storied battles ever to take place on American soil. And this was a battle, with more than 350 men, women and children killed in the span of two furious hours on the dusty slopes of 1876 southeast Montana.
This is not a book for beginners of Custer/Montana lore. It can be extremely tedious at times as Gray utilizes time-motion studies to piece together the puzzle of what happened during the Seventh Calvary's final minutes. Since every man of the U.S. Army was killed during this prong of the battle, there are no eyewitness military accounts. Yes, hundreds of Native Americans survived, but few spoke of this battle for fear of punishment and hatred of Anglo historians. Crazy Horse, one of the few Native American leaders during this confrontation, was assassinated a week after arriving on the reservation. So this very important man's account was never taken. Thus, we are left with a hodgepodge of hazy Native American reconstructions.
Visiting the battlefield today, which stretches over several miles, solemn white headstones mark the spot where bodies of the Seventh Calvary were found. The location of these stones are included in Gray's complex, mathematical equations. What he's intricately pieced together, with the help of eyewitness accounts, archaeological digs and his own analytical mind, is a realistic result of this unusual battle. His conclusions are perhaps outside of the realm of what people would consider today.
The myth surrounding Custer and Little Bighorn has been shaped by such matinee films as They Died With Their Boots On, Little Big Man and television's Son of the Morning Star. These films portray Custer as headstrong, vain, heroic and, in one case, a tad insane. But each version, thematically forged by the decade it was filmed, portrays Custer fighting gallantly to the last, standing alone in buckskins while angrily firing his pistol at the approaching Native American hordes. Custer, as if performing the concluding act of Shakespeare's Hamlet, falls dead to the ground in bloody, poetic, slow motion. It makes for a great painting hanging above the neighborhood bar.
![Son of The Morning Star [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21XB84FBHHL._SL120_.jpg)
![Last Stand at Little Big Horn [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/510E84XCBSL._SL120_.jpg)
Article comments
1 - Al Barger
You were doing so good till the end, when you just HAD to shoehorn in Vietnam and Iraq which are not really related to each other, much less to Custer or the Indians.
2 - Shark
Nice work, Chris.
All of the above are great books, although I wasn't thrilled about Connell's technique.
Killing Custer is an interesting, personal take on the story from an AmerIndian point of view.
Fox's archealogical stuff is fascinating, too!
3 - Chris Kent
Now Al,
Can you blame me for a bit of Pablum on a sunny Saturday afternoon?
Vietnam, Iraq and Custer/Indians do have some similarities. To put it simply, theya are three examples where a superior military force attacked an inferior military force for reasons other than defense. In each case, a lot of innocent people were killed for motivations arguably unjust. In each case, the American government sent military men into a foreign territory to conquer. In two of the three cases, it exploded in our faces. In the third case, we hung a leader up for all to see, trumpeting the words..."We got him!"
4 - Chris Kent
Thanks Shark,
I've read all of the above books except Fox's archaeological work. Gray's work I just finished, and was thoroughly fascinated. Connell's Son of the Morning Star I loved, having read it three times. Not sure why that book appealed to me so much, but I visited Montana soon after reading it, and it opened the doors to the other books.
5 - Deano
I'll have to track down the book, sounds interesting, although I'm not entirely sure that your little spate at the conclusion of your review is particularly accurate.
Hell yes the Sioux were justified in their actions - by all accounts Custer went in looking for fight to burnish his laurals, and Gall , Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse gave him one. As for the "battle primitive people and inhumanely portray them in animalistic fashion", I don't think you can realistically paint this as something that is entirely the sole province of the United States.
Homerian it was not. Custer did something stupid and rode in when anyone sensible would have lit out in the other direction.
The best single fictional account I've ever read of the battle was in one of George McDonald's Fraser's Flashman novels, which climaxed with poor Flashy riding hell for leather across the battlefield shrieking madly that he surrendered ...and not getting any takers.
Read the book if you want to find out how Flashy escaped.
6 - Chris Kent
Deano,
The concluding arguments sort of came out of nowhere, granted. Al has also pointed this out to me. When I read books of history, or any book that provokes my thought, I attempt to find parallels with today's world, so the closing sermon is a bit uneven. But I would not change it, for my thought did indeed follow those threads.
I don't believe I stated a single time that the Sioux (and Cheyenne and Arapaho) were NOT justified in defending their homes. The legend behind this battle is Custer was indeed trying to burnish his laurels. Gray's book shows us in many ways Custer made strategic, intelligent decisions prior to this battle, only to ride into the deadliest of hornet's nests. I suppose my closing sermon had more to do with my belief that Custer was a puppet of the American government more than an independent force - as many military forces are today.
I have read enough history to know full well the enemy has been portrayed as animalistic in other countries besides just the United States. As for Custer's dance upon the ancient pages of Homer, all one has to do is to look at romantic paintings of this battle to see the strokes we have for years shaded this story with - heroic, epic, a lone blonde man standing upon a smokey hill, gallantly giving his life for our country's furious westward expansion. The myth is this was a great heroic epic. The reality is this was a bloody disaster, depressing, horrible and ugly.
Thanks for the McDonald recommendation. It sounds interesting.
7 - Chris Kent
by all accounts Custer went in looking for fight to burnish his laurals, and Gall , Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse gave him one
Deano,
Also wanted to add - Sitting Bull did not actually participate in this battle, as he remained in the village. Gall, whose wife and three(?) children were killed during the initial charge, most likely acted independently, furiously charging from the south. His account is hazy as he was simply fighting in angst-ridden fury. Crazy Horse was just about the only Native American during this battle who led a group of men towards Custer & company, flanking them from the east in unusual military-like fashion, and essentially ending the battle.
8 - Shark
Al, Chris, Deano, and silent observers---
Just curious: When the Iraqi invasion was imminent last spring, I went looking for books that might be historical parellels, and/or lessons.
I decided to read a lot on the Vichy govt and the occupation of France because I thought the real problems in Iraq would occur once the fighting ended. Not that there's a direct connection, but my question was "how does a population respond to occupation?"
I'd be interested to hear other's thoughts and/or suggestions?
9 - Joe
While I think that the Vichy angle might inform some interesting viewpoints, I'd also consider looking into the German and Japanese reconstructions. I thought this was a pretty good article paralleling the de-nazification of Germany and what the CPA needs to consider. Another good source would be biographical material on Patton and MacArthur, who both played similar roles to Bremer's current job. I'm sure none of this is new to you, but just wanted to offer it for your consideration. Using the models of Germany and Japan, I'd venture a guess that Germany's situation is a closer parallel in that in both instances you had relatively short term periods of harsh authoritarian rule but a population that was split in its complicity. Whereas in Japan, the government was influenced by their traditional monarchy, the population was more unified so the sticky wicket was figuring out how to deal with the existing structure. Sorry if it's disjointed, had to rush.
10 - Chris Kent
I think there's a parallel of most occupations dating back over 500 years. A great book is Is Paris Lost - English Occupation 1422-1436 by Raymond Butler.
Some others:
Does Conquest Pay? Peter Liberman
Taking Haiti: Military Occupation and the Culture of US Imperialism Mary Renda
11 - Skippy
Dear Chris,
I have just watched the Battlefield Detective (UK)TV show on Little Big Horn. The deductions seem very similar to the book. Fox was one of the experts involved.
It seems to me - as an Australian - one of the great things about Americans is their ability to self-critique.
Most powerful nations (eg the USA) or empires (eg the British) tend to get themselves involved in wars against people who are perceived as "different" either their own indigenous peoples or "foreigners".
Realism about - rather than demonisation of - these "others" (I hate that word) is so easy.
Vietnam/Iraq are "red hot issues" in the Anglophone world. I agree with your analogy but can understand why you got the reaction you did from Al.
Thanks for a very sensible, insightful review.
12 - Justin Chinchilla
your web site is missing alot of information like who was the last man standing on Custers last battle I have read some where that it was custer himself but I'm not sure and I'm having a hard time finding the information. But other than that I think you have a preety good web site going on here, keep on the good work and out of curiosity do you know who thursday is? If you dont you suck
13 - Justin Chinchilla
I love the report you did on Dr. Seuse it inspired me to do my best in shool back in 1659