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Custer's Fall: The Native American Side of the Story
Little Big Horn--June 25, 1876
The day began with the killing of a ten-year-old Native American boy by U.S. cavalry troopers. Before it ended, all of those troopers and their commander, George Armstrong Custer, lay dead on the battlefield of the Little Big Horn--the worst defeat ever inflicted by Native Americans on the U.S. military. Now, the full story of that dramatic day, the events leading up to it, and its aftermath are told by the only ones who survived to recount it--the Native Americans. Based on the author's twenty-two years of research, and on the oral testimony of seventy-two Native American eyewitnesses, Custer's Fall is both a superbly skillful weaving of many voices into a gripping narrative fabric, and a revelatory reconstruction that stands as the definitive version of the battle that became a legend and only now emerges as it really was.
"The excitement, the carnage, and tales of bravery are here for every lover of Indian drama."-- Library Journal
"One of the most important accounts of Custer's 'last stand'... as illuminating as it is controversial."--Paul Andrew Hutton, University of New Mexico
The day began with the killing of a ten-year-old Native American boy by U.S. cavalry troopers. Before it ended, all of those troopers and their commander, George Armstrong Custer, lay dead on the battlefield of the Little Big Horn--the worst defeat ever inflicted by Native Americans on the U.S. military. Now, the full story of that dramatic day, the events leading up to it, and its aftermath are told by the only ones who survived to recount it--the Native Americans. Based on the author's twenty-two years of research, and on the oral testimony of seventy-two Native American eyewitnesses, Custer's Fall is both a superbly skillful weaving of many voices into a gripping narrative fabric, and a revelatory reconstruction that stands as the definitive version of the battle that became a legend and only now emerges as it really was.
"The excitement, the carnage, and tales of bravery are here for every lover of Indian drama."-- Library Journal
"One of the most important accounts of Custer's 'last stand'... as illuminating as it is controversial."--Paul Andrew Hutton, University of New Mexico
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 15, 2022
I picked this up in a thrift store and went through it faster than an Indian war party going through a company of cavalry. Mr. Miller was in the enviable position of speaking the language of the tribes involved in this fight and was able to interview many of the surviving warriors of the battle. This is a very readable account, almost reading like fiction. In some places it may well be fiction.
The shortcoming in a book like this, one that depends strictly on the memories of a people who had no written language, and who are being interviewed decades after an incident...well, who knows how accurately anyone remembers anything. I'm sure most of the warriors were convinced that they were telling the truth about the fight but a few admitted to having lied earlier in order to avoid anticipated repercussions for their part in the fray. In any event, they are the only witnesses we have and none of them are currently around for cross-examination.
I've read enough about the battle that I wasn't expecting anything new out of this, but there were a couple of bits of information that were cause for reflection. One thing is Miller's claim that the indigenous forces were seriously outgunned. His book was published before the forensic investigation of the battlefield which established that many Indians were very well armed indeed. By 1876 repeating rifles were made by Spencer and Henry and there were a couple of models of Winchester out, and all of these were used against the 7th Cavalry. By comparison, the soldiers were equipped with a single-shot Springfield. A moot point, perhaps, in light of the fact that many warriors report having killed troopers in hand-to-hand combat with warclub or tomahawk.
A more important revelation involves their account of Custer's charge across the river in his flanking attack on the village. This is where most accounts have warriors boiling out of the village and, through vastly superior numbers, causing Custer to retreat up to Last Stand Hill. The Indians refute this. They claim that only a handful of warriors guarded the ford, and by handful I mean you could count them on the fingers of one hand. Had these guardians been swept aside, the village would arguably have been Custer's as the bulk of the encampment's warriors were repulsing Reno to the south. One of the Indian bullets found a dapper soldier in the forefront of the cavalry troops and the charge lost momentum at this point and turned into a rout. It makes sense! Most of the command had been reluctant to charge, and would not have done so without Custer's orders. If he had been one of the first stricken, everything else makes sense. No Indian really lays claim to be killer of Custer: in fact, they claim not to have known the troops were led by Custer at the time.
What a glorious fight this must have been, and what a legacy for those involved! Who now would remember any of the combatants if not for this little fracas? The numbers are small, less than 300 dead for the government forces and less than 50 combined for all the tribes. Let's say 400 souls total. But this battle captures the imagination of millions of battle buffs and has spawned entire libraries of related writings and many movies as well. Without this fight, Custer may well have run for the presidency as a Democrat, but the rest of the principals on either side probably wouldn't be even a footnote in history. Which brings me to another point: there aren't any. Footnotes, that is. Or endnotes, or Bibliography. Or Index. It's the only reason the book didn't get all the stars. Miller does have as appendices lists of those he interviewed for the book and a list of soldiers involved.
One more point, a matter of human interest that I don't recall reading before. (Just because I don't recall it doesn't mean it didn't happen) Indigenous warriors used to delight in chopping their defeated foes into mincemeat after a fight, but Custer was unmolested. Remember, the tribes didn't know Custer led the charge so they would have no reason to spare his pale corpse. Based on testimony Miller puts forth the possibility that Custer's Cheyenne mistress and their son had been on the field and prevented his mutilation. Who knows?
This is a great read for any history buff so long as it is absorbed with a small amount of skepticism.
The shortcoming in a book like this, one that depends strictly on the memories of a people who had no written language, and who are being interviewed decades after an incident...well, who knows how accurately anyone remembers anything. I'm sure most of the warriors were convinced that they were telling the truth about the fight but a few admitted to having lied earlier in order to avoid anticipated repercussions for their part in the fray. In any event, they are the only witnesses we have and none of them are currently around for cross-examination.
I've read enough about the battle that I wasn't expecting anything new out of this, but there were a couple of bits of information that were cause for reflection. One thing is Miller's claim that the indigenous forces were seriously outgunned. His book was published before the forensic investigation of the battlefield which established that many Indians were very well armed indeed. By 1876 repeating rifles were made by Spencer and Henry and there were a couple of models of Winchester out, and all of these were used against the 7th Cavalry. By comparison, the soldiers were equipped with a single-shot Springfield. A moot point, perhaps, in light of the fact that many warriors report having killed troopers in hand-to-hand combat with warclub or tomahawk.
A more important revelation involves their account of Custer's charge across the river in his flanking attack on the village. This is where most accounts have warriors boiling out of the village and, through vastly superior numbers, causing Custer to retreat up to Last Stand Hill. The Indians refute this. They claim that only a handful of warriors guarded the ford, and by handful I mean you could count them on the fingers of one hand. Had these guardians been swept aside, the village would arguably have been Custer's as the bulk of the encampment's warriors were repulsing Reno to the south. One of the Indian bullets found a dapper soldier in the forefront of the cavalry troops and the charge lost momentum at this point and turned into a rout. It makes sense! Most of the command had been reluctant to charge, and would not have done so without Custer's orders. If he had been one of the first stricken, everything else makes sense. No Indian really lays claim to be killer of Custer: in fact, they claim not to have known the troops were led by Custer at the time.
What a glorious fight this must have been, and what a legacy for those involved! Who now would remember any of the combatants if not for this little fracas? The numbers are small, less than 300 dead for the government forces and less than 50 combined for all the tribes. Let's say 400 souls total. But this battle captures the imagination of millions of battle buffs and has spawned entire libraries of related writings and many movies as well. Without this fight, Custer may well have run for the presidency as a Democrat, but the rest of the principals on either side probably wouldn't be even a footnote in history. Which brings me to another point: there aren't any. Footnotes, that is. Or endnotes, or Bibliography. Or Index. It's the only reason the book didn't get all the stars. Miller does have as appendices lists of those he interviewed for the book and a list of soldiers involved.
One more point, a matter of human interest that I don't recall reading before. (Just because I don't recall it doesn't mean it didn't happen) Indigenous warriors used to delight in chopping their defeated foes into mincemeat after a fight, but Custer was unmolested. Remember, the tribes didn't know Custer led the charge so they would have no reason to spare his pale corpse. Based on testimony Miller puts forth the possibility that Custer's Cheyenne mistress and their son had been on the field and prevented his mutilation. Who knows?
This is a great read for any history buff so long as it is absorbed with a small amount of skepticism.
February 13, 2017
Fascinating book about how the author interviewed the surviving members of the Native Americans at Custer's Last Stand. The most interesting fact uncovered was that several witnesses confirmed that Custer died early in the battle and not as one of the last ones where his marker is.
January 10, 2020
This is a well-written, easy to read narrative on the Battle of the Little Big Horn told from the Native-American viewpoint- who were, of course, the only survivors. The account is credible and the writing lively and interesting.
August 11, 2016
To start, the book strikes me as invaluable. He interviewed a multitude of people, including Native Americans who were at the battlefield and surviving spouses and family members. Their stories are woven into the book, and readers get a glimpse of what life was like for Native Americans living in the Dakota territory and in Montana. It was interesting to learn about the Native people in a more historical context. For example, as the people of the US spread westward, one of the ways they fought the Native Americans was by killing bison herds and trying to wipe them to extinction.
The description of the battlefield was hard to follow, even though I'd been there recently. It would have been nice to have better and more frequent maps throughout.
It seemed as though Miller favored one version of how Custer was killed--while crossing a river before the battle had fully started. He described it in detail, and then went back to this idea at the end of the book and pointed out that no one had taken credit for shooting him. However, in between, he also mentioned a few other possibilities of what happened to Custer, including the circumstantial evidence that he might have committed suicide before getting killed. I was left wondering how likely each scenario was, and I think I need to read more modern information to see if Custer's body has been exhumed and what conclusions have been reached now.
Finally, I was a little perturbed at his ongoing descriptions of Native women hiding and fleeing, and just generally needing constant protection. Then, at the end, he passively mentions how Native American women were often tribal leaders and highly revered. I wish his work describing life of the native people had reflected that better.
The description of the battlefield was hard to follow, even though I'd been there recently. It would have been nice to have better and more frequent maps throughout.
It seemed as though Miller favored one version of how Custer was killed--while crossing a river before the battle had fully started. He described it in detail, and then went back to this idea at the end of the book and pointed out that no one had taken credit for shooting him. However, in between, he also mentioned a few other possibilities of what happened to Custer, including the circumstantial evidence that he might have committed suicide before getting killed. I was left wondering how likely each scenario was, and I think I need to read more modern information to see if Custer's body has been exhumed and what conclusions have been reached now.
Finally, I was a little perturbed at his ongoing descriptions of Native women hiding and fleeing, and just generally needing constant protection. Then, at the end, he passively mentions how Native American women were often tribal leaders and highly revered. I wish his work describing life of the native people had reflected that better.
November 7, 2016
Decent, though not stellar, like Foote and other pioneers of the narrative history genre during the '50's Miller's work is more a story than history. The prose are easy to read: characters scratch their beards, look worried, all manner of detail no modern author could know are presented with nary a footnote to be found. Miller's account is based upon interviews with dozens of Native American witnesses over half a century after the fact, but by necessity has little to no corroborating evidence.
Again, it's a style of narrative history that's more like fiction than is accepted today. Modern readers will find the book an interesting take on the battle from a Native American perspective, but they may often find themselves muttering "citation needed."
I am particularly worried by portions of the text that do cover documented events. For example, Miller puts forward Sheridan's famous "the only good Indian is a dead Indian" quote as fact, which any modern reader knows is at best a distortion and may never have been said.
Again, it's a style of narrative history that's more like fiction than is accepted today. Modern readers will find the book an interesting take on the battle from a Native American perspective, but they may often find themselves muttering "citation needed."
I am particularly worried by portions of the text that do cover documented events. For example, Miller puts forward Sheridan's famous "the only good Indian is a dead Indian" quote as fact, which any modern reader knows is at best a distortion and may never have been said.
August 9, 2014
Custer’s FALL,
The Native American side of the Story.
By David Humphreys Miller.
271 pages of authentic history about the Battle of Little Big Horn. Everyone has heard about the infamous “Custer’s Last Stand.” Articles have been published, books have been written, even movies have been made about it. It was described as a “massacre” but Custer and his troops were not unarmed innocent parties and in fact were the aggressors in the incident. Most of us envision Custer as the “last man standing” – blazing away at the enemy with a weapon in each hand and fallen comrades all around him. It was surprising to read from eyewitness accounts that Colonel Custer was mortally wounded very early in the battle when he stopped in the middle of fording the Little Big Horn River to attack a Cheyenne village. There are a lot more revelations in this book if you have a taste for authentic wild west history.
The Native American side of the Story.
By David Humphreys Miller.
271 pages of authentic history about the Battle of Little Big Horn. Everyone has heard about the infamous “Custer’s Last Stand.” Articles have been published, books have been written, even movies have been made about it. It was described as a “massacre” but Custer and his troops were not unarmed innocent parties and in fact were the aggressors in the incident. Most of us envision Custer as the “last man standing” – blazing away at the enemy with a weapon in each hand and fallen comrades all around him. It was surprising to read from eyewitness accounts that Colonel Custer was mortally wounded very early in the battle when he stopped in the middle of fording the Little Big Horn River to attack a Cheyenne village. There are a lot more revelations in this book if you have a taste for authentic wild west history.
July 2, 2018
Enjoyed this book, especially after having taken a college class about Native Americans. Enjoyed the points of view from the Native American's involved--for so long, everything has come from the white person's point of view. This gave a wider and more complete understanding of the conflict.
March 19, 2021
I read this book for a research paper in one of my classes after I purchased it for only $5 from Thriftbooks. I was thrilled to find out that it has first hand accounts from the Battle of Little Big Horn that took place in 1876. These accounts come from the Native American point of view, as they were the only survivors. The last 40 pages fall under the “sources” section and have recaps of specific details and the Natives that confirmed them. This book will be extremely helpful for my paper, but I feel I am better off as history lover for reading it.
August 6, 2017
This book, based mostly on Native descriptions on the Battle of the Little Bighorn, must be a milestone in all that was written on this event. That is because the author interviewed dozens of Native participants and even learned their languages. Sure, those interviews were held almost sixty years after the battle. But they provide great counterweight to this history which was described by mostly white men. And of course, no white man came off Custer Hill alive to tell… As I am from Europe, I never ‘learned in school’ about a heroic figure called Custer who died ‘blazing his guns’ against an overwhelming Native force. I heard from him when a more balanced view probably already had appeared, and coverage by media seemed to have become more realistic. The author is convinced that, based on what he has been told, Custer already was dead or mortally wounded before he arrived at Custer Hill. We will never know for sure, but it is interesting to read about such storylines from a book which was published for the first time in the 1950s. It is a short read of about 200 small-sized pages in a narrative way, meaning that it can be easily read within a single day. This book is a great read if you already have some knowledge of the battle, for example the book of Philbrick.
September 9, 2019
The last chapter and his section on sources was the best of his writing. Unfortunately, we don't know what to believe after finishing this clumsy read.
He acknowledged that the Indians admitted that they had lied about the Little Bighorn often because of fear of retribution, which is completely understandable and justifiable. However, those same Indians who admitted to lying, were also his sources for this book. That makes me wonder how much they lied to him.
The book reads like a 1950s serial Western, which is not surprising as that is the time frame from whence it was written. Nonetheless, it reads like a work of fiction, and without more direct citations, I cannot take this book seriously as a ccx work of history.
However, that is not to say that it should be dismissed entirely. The Indian viewpoint is a valid one, and considering there were no survivors left among bv the 7th Cavalry detachment with Custer, the descriptions from the surviving Indians, along with the archeological records are the best we have. Others have used this work as a beginning basis for their historical examination, so it has value only as a sketch. There are better books about the Little Bighorn battle than this one.
He acknowledged that the Indians admitted that they had lied about the Little Bighorn often because of fear of retribution, which is completely understandable and justifiable. However, those same Indians who admitted to lying, were also his sources for this book. That makes me wonder how much they lied to him.
The book reads like a 1950s serial Western, which is not surprising as that is the time frame from whence it was written. Nonetheless, it reads like a work of fiction, and without more direct citations, I cannot take this book seriously as a ccx work of history.
However, that is not to say that it should be dismissed entirely. The Indian viewpoint is a valid one, and considering there were no survivors left among bv the 7th Cavalry detachment with Custer, the descriptions from the surviving Indians, along with the archeological records are the best we have. Others have used this work as a beginning basis for their historical examination, so it has value only as a sketch. There are better books about the Little Bighorn battle than this one.
March 19, 2023
There will never be a more complete and accurate story of "Custer's Last Stand," as David Humphreys Miller's concise, but meticulously researched history of the Battle of the Little Big Horn comes directly from the battle's only survivors, the Sioux and Cheyenne fighters who were there. You can't really understand this, undoubtedly the most famous (or infamous) battle of the American West, without reading this book. It's fascinating, thoughtful and well-written. Miller doesn't include footnotes, but his "Sources" chapter has sections corresponding to each of the preceding chapters. My advice would be to read each corresponding section of these notes immediately following each chapter; they're as fascinating and informative as the chapters themselves.
May 29, 2023
What a read this was! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel as I have recently been reading a few books related to the Battle of the Little Bighorn and this was one that I needed to read! It offered complex research into facts that were passed down from generation to generation and it was written to reflect that excellently. I have no disappointments from reading from the perspective of the victors of the battle. It also reinforced a lot of how I feel about Custer (he was real dickwad). I would recommend this work to anyone that's interested in reading about the Battle of the Little Bighorn from a different perspective than what is in the history books. This was the better read!!!
July 13, 2017
Another angle on a well covered story. More like an adventure story than what is supposed to be a true history from the native American perspective. Without accurate maps showing the flow of the opposing forces at various times during the battle. At best the story provides an alternative view of the Battle of the Little Big Horn. I would recommend the book only as a secondary story about the fight.
January 6, 2019
This book provides an excellent narrative of the Indian side of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. I have studied the battle from the side of the soldiers and from the side of the more important Indians at the battle including those centered on Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull and Gall. Most of the sources in this book were lesser known Native Americans. It gives a good perspective on the battle and is often counter to better known histories.
No matter which version of the battle you prefer, this book should be read by anyone interested in the Battle or in the Sioux or Cheyenne tribes.
No matter which version of the battle you prefer, this book should be read by anyone interested in the Battle or in the Sioux or Cheyenne tribes.
August 18, 2022
Oh my. A little choppy in the re-telling, and more and better maps were needed, but a must-read if you’ve only been exposed to the narrative put out by the (long war) victors. I did find it odd that the author referred to the native people that fought against Custer as “hostiles” as the 7th Calvary were the aggressors.
February 27, 2018
Told from the Native American side, this is a fascinating piece of history and for once the Indians are the conquerors and not the conquered. To learn history as it should have been written, this is a must-read.
May 1, 2018
This book is a gem! It is an excellently written historical book. It is not often that I come across a book written in the version of the Native Americans. A very rich book indeed! It is so well-written that I could not put it down!
December 13, 2019
I found his book to be hard reading. The indian names were hard to distinguish from the body of the sentence. It might have been better if they were always bold or italicized. Half way through the book I gave up.
June 30, 2020
This book is extremely detailed and full of rich historical information on several native American Indian tribes, including Cheyenne, Crow, Cherokee, and several I had never knew existed. It gives you an insightful look at family life, the extended closeness of warriors who are called “brother-friend.”
You hear a compelling story of why the battle was fought and the mourning ways of wives and family members. I enjoyed the background given that painted a clear picture of the battle, native reliance on signs, the importance of a woman’s chasity, a warrior’s honor, and spiritual references. In addition you hear of their love of the Buffalo, respect of the eagles, and desire to live free and be treated fairly.
If you love history and enjoy a different view, you will enjoy the detailed interview accounts that bring this story to life.
You hear a compelling story of why the battle was fought and the mourning ways of wives and family members. I enjoyed the background given that painted a clear picture of the battle, native reliance on signs, the importance of a woman’s chasity, a warrior’s honor, and spiritual references. In addition you hear of their love of the Buffalo, respect of the eagles, and desire to live free and be treated fairly.
If you love history and enjoy a different view, you will enjoy the detailed interview accounts that bring this story to life.
December 20, 2022
Enjoyable and interesting story of Custer’s Last Stand from the Indian perspective, based on interviews with survivors many years later. Answered a number of questions for me as to why events happened as they did.
February 1, 2023
While the story is really fascinating and informative, the writing is a little outdated and confusing at times. If it was rewritten today, the storyline might be a little easier to follow and understand. Still an incredible read with a lot of knowledge inside!
May 8, 2023
I loved this book. It was great to read the accounts of the Native Americans that were in the Battle of The Little Big Horn. I have read many books on this battle, but they were all accounts from people that were not in the battle (since there were no white survivors).
October 11, 2018
Story of Custer from Indian perspective. Hard to follow at times but quite educational
May 24, 2020
4 as a story, less as a historical document.
July 1, 2020
A view of Little Big Horn rarely touched on by traditional histories.
Read
June 1, 2021Told from the Indian side
October 2, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyed it. An interesting account.
February 13, 2023
Excellent history book. More on Bookwinked at: https://bookwinked.wordpress.com/2023...
May 14, 2023
Romanticizes and factionalized, but super easy to read and any book that details Custer getting what he had coming to him is a good read to me.
July 12, 2023
I'm planning to visit the Little Big Horn National Monument soon, and thought reading it from the Native American perspective would be interesting - I'm happy with my choice.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews