The Battle of the Washita: The Sheridan-Custer Indian Campaign of 1867-69

by Stan Hoig

Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer was victorious in only one engagement against the American Indians―the Battle of the Washita. Eight years before the Little Bighorn, Custer marched his men through heavy snows to attack a village of Cheyenne Indians under Chief Black Kettle, the most peaceful of the Cheyenne leaders. The Indians did not consider themselves to be at war and were taken by surprise by the dawn attack. Over one hundred men, women, and children were killed and eight hundred horses shot. Was the massacre justified? History has tended to take Custer's word for it, but the facts behind the event may speak differently. It must be left to the conscience of the reader to decide which is commemorated by the marker erected on the site of the a great victory for Custer or a tragedy for the Cheyennes. “With much evidence of exhaustive research, this volume is an unusually well-written and engrossing account. It makes every effort to maintain historical objectivity, and in cases where the matter is controversial [the author] is careful to quote the opinions of both principals and authorities. This detailed narrative is particularly revealing with regard to the competence and frailties of army officers, including General Custer.”― Library Journal Stan Hoig lives in Edmund, Oklahoma. Among his books are The Humor of the American Cowboy (also a Bison Book), The Sand Creek Massacre , The Peace Chiefs of the Cheyennes , and Tribal Wars of the Southern Plains .

Genres: History

268 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

1924-2009

Reviews

[Drpsychorat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well written and researched book on the Washita Campaign. Very detailed and objective.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author begins the story of the Battle of the Washita where it began, at the Sand Creek Massacre. The Battle of the Washita has a lot of similarities to the Sand Creek Massacre. History, however, has awarded one the title "Battle". Both incidents included the Cheyenne villages under the leadership of Chief Black Kettle. The immediate history after the Battle of Washita painted Black Kettle as one of the more hostile chiefs on the southern plains, but he was actually one of the more peaceful leaders. It was necessary to create this narrative to keep the support of the US Government and the American public in the quest to open up the Oklahoma Territory for settlement.

The book covers the (Major General Phil)Sheridan-(Lt Colonel George Armstrong)Custer campaign of 1867-1869. The US Government was determined to control the Indians of the southern plains but first had to convince them the to live on the reservations established for them in the Indian Territory.

The author doesn't sugar coat the atrocities committed by both sides, in fact parts of the Appendices includes a report of the killed and wounded members of the 7th Cavalry under Custer. The graphic description of the wounds and mutilation of soldiers gives the reader a picture of the horrors witnessed and inflicted by both sides.

This book was easy to read and provided additional information regarding historical events that were the beginning and the start of the end for the Indians on the southern plains. I recommend this book for both the historical accuracy and entertaining reading that it provides.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ten years before the Little Bighorn, George Armstrong Custer split his command to ambush a Cheyenne village. Part of his command disappeared and were left to their fate.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was my first non-fiction history book I had read for fun. I really enjoyed it. The research that went into the book was very thorough.