The Godfrey Diary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn:

by Edward Settle Godfrey

REVISED WITH EXPANDED ANNOTATIONS IN 2021Edward Settle Godfrey kept a diary of his time in General Custer's regiment during the fateful summer of 1876. Here you can read the entire diary from May to September along with Godfrey's 1892 Century Magazine article about the fight.

Lieutenant Edward Settle Godfrey was commander of K Company of the 7th Cavalry in the battalion of Captain Frederick Benteen. Godfrey was a central figure in the Reno-Benteen defense over the 25th and 26th of June, 1876. The diary reveals anecdotes and observations of General Custer's mood and behavior before the fight on June 25th, as well as the desperate story of survival experienced by the battalions under Reno and Benteen. It also contains fascinating details about how the cavalry moved, camped, and relaxed during the days leading up to the fight.

Exciting, gossipy, funny, and fascinating, every scholar and student of the Last Stand will find this engrossing.

In 1892, (then Captain) Godfrey wrote what became a very famous and widely-read article for Century Magazine about the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Both of these documents are cited by most serious Custer books. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.

123 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 18, 2014

Reviews

[Cordell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give this book 5 stars simply because I believe the whole thing. And because it is a person’s journal, not a literary work.

It fails on many levels if it were to be considered all literary work. There are abbreviations of the authors making. In complete sentences in every paragraph, etc.. because this work was clearly created by the author for the author. But those are exactly the things that make it credible and fascinating as well.

I would recommend this to any person interested in the expansion of the west, anyone who wants to have a greater understanding of things like the countryside, the terrain, the prevailing thought of the day by a person who was there crossing our great country on horseback, etc.

And I would especially recommend it to anyone who studies Custer and the little Bighorn as well as the early military and cavalry.

It’s a quick read, but very interesting

[Vince Pillig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Custer created his own problems! 0

This is the 4th or 5th book that I've read about Custer. It's quite obvious he created his own problems. Not sure if he was overly enthusiastic or just foolish.
Read the army's rendition of what happened an
d a couple other books but the one that was most interesting was the one written about one of the warriors from the Indians point of view.

[SHARON BERKOWITZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

As many books I’ve read around this topic this was one book I didn’t pick up after the fires 50 pages. It was not engaging enough for my liking and the repetitive thoughts didn’t add to my overall understanding of the soldiers who experienced the March and battle. So I guess I’ll give it 3 instead of 2 stars since the title is exactly what was offered.

[Roger L DeLong · Rating 5 out of 5]

First person account of the battle

You could imagine being a member of the the troopers carrying out the manovers according to orders. First person account is a very good account of the actual events.

[jeff gilliland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Godfrey tells it like it was no B.S.

I learned a few things. How the units road, some of the individual stories about the troopers, how long it took to get back!

[Robert E. Donlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story, well told.

Great account of the Custer campaign. Godfrey describes the campaign and subsequent battle with clarity and simplicity. It is a quick read.

[A.J. Rohl]

. Did he ever get a letter from home?

Great Aunt and Uncle ranch not too far from the battle. Like to hear different version. So sad Hoka Hey

[Larry Woody]

Very informative

Clarifies many of the small details concerning the operations of the military and the errors made then as well as tod

[Ira Livingston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon!

[Ale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bruh this is the worst Diary of a Wimpy Kid book I ever read.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine example of how important the contemporary memoirs and diaries are of historical figures. Most interesting in explaining the day to day life of the soldiers on the Great Plains and his perspective of the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

[BIG BOOKS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful first-hand account of cavalry life and of the Little Bighorn battle by one of the most important survivors.

[Charlene]

I enjoyed his style of writing and all the details of this time. And, as a history buff, I appreciated the first-hand account of this campaign and his experience.