Custer's Luck

by Edgar Irving Stewart

This is undoubtedly a remarkable book on a period of American history about which much has been written - the period of the Indian wars in the Northwest, from the close of the Civil War until the Custer disaster on the Little Big Horn. It presents in graphic detail and on a vast canvas the great events and the small which reached a decisive crescendo in Custer’s fate. Here is no savage battle incident presented in isolation from other events, but a sweeping panorama of a whole ere-inept, hesitant, and tragic.

To insure comprehensiveness, the author describes the pertinent facts of the Grant administration, the embitterment of the Great Plains tribes, and the deteriorating Civil War army. The book is the record not only of the dashing Seventh Cavalry and its leader but also of the Grant-Custer feud, Sitting Bull, the Belknap scandal, Rain-in-the-Face, the battle strategy of the Indians, and Custer’s military rivals. Particular note is taken of the effect on history of Custer’s recklessness and glory-seeking and of the superstitions and fatalistic determination of the Sioux and the Cheyennes.

The Battle of the Little Big Horn, reconstructed in this account largely on Indian eyewitness testimony, climaxed the long-developing tragedy and provided a "smashing crescendo to the vacillating policy of the United States government...towards the Indians of the Great Plains."

A four color reproduction of an oil painting by John Hauser, entitled "The Challenge," has been selected for the cover of Custer’s Luck. The original canvas is in the collection of the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the publishers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of that organization in making this reproduction possible.

 

 

Genres: American History, History, Biography

562 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1967

Reviews

[Bob Mehlhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colonel George Armstrong Custer's flawed decisions, based on insufficient information and faulty assumptions together with an overreliance on his historic "luck" in previous military engagements, led to the disastrous annihilation of five companies of the 7th Cavalry in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, initially called "Custer's Last Stand."

Stewart's book is meticulously researched and footnoted and does an excellent job of explaining the events and movements of the Montana Campaign of the US Army in 1876.  Controversial views and conflicting reports of events are noted and discussed, with the author offering his thoughtful views on the most likely course of events based on realistic assessments of personalities, first-person Indian and US soldiers' accounts, and prior behavior of individuals.  Many "questions" and debates remain for the reader to decide for himself.   This is one of the best–and earliest–historical analysis of the events surrounding the Battle of the Little Bighorn. (1955, University of Oklahoma Press)

[Kirk Tapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read on the subject. While an older book, it still holds remarkably well. Great pacing and story telling. Clear and concise when the "facts" are known but also provides a wide range of options when not known. Provides multiple perspectives from eye witness accounts, that often vary. Does a great job of showing the arrogance of the officers in dismissing the advice of the native scouts, which if the advice had been respected likely would have changed the outcome.

[Walter Knapp]

Another "must read" book if you are interested in this most written about soldier.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

Custer's luck ran dry on the Little Bighorn.

[Colin Darby · Rating 4 out of 5]

When this book is described as "exhaustive," the adjective is fairly used. There is a wealth of detail within, to the point where individual characters become difficult to track. Some of the detail is good, such as the background on Indian policy, Custer's reputation within the Army, and the general movements of the 1876 campaign. Some is, to be honest, simply confusing, such as, again, the campaign plan. It would have benefited considerably from maps, both tactical and operational. Overall, however, it was a very good read and did a good job of not sparing or flogging anyone's reputation in discussion of the campaign.