Little Big Horn 1876

Osprey Campaign #39

by Grzegorz Swoboda

Little Big Horn 1876

Genres: History, American History, Military History, Nonfiction

516 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 1995

Reviews

[Steve Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

As Osprey books go, it wasn’t as dry as some, but certainly not written as well as others. It was poorly edited, with the text chopped off mid-sentence at the end of page 80 and a new chapter on 81.

The maps were good, the pictures good to ridiculous. The bad ones were blown up so large only a portion of the picture could be seen.

I could have done without the wargaming section at the end. So the author was big into that? Wonderful. Write a separate book.

So would this be a good primer for the battle? Not if you have to pay full price for it.

[Feiraco · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another fine work of Osprey, this time on the biggest defeat ever of the US Army against native Americans. What it does is telling (in less than 90 pages) in chronological order what happened those weeks, and especially on 25 June 1876 on the Great Plains of Montana. Sometimes Osprey books have a lot of depth and bring a lot of minor details for the fanatics. This book is less of that, and brings a more generic review of that battle. It is accompanied, as usual, by great maps with are not to be found in many other books. And also this time there are many great photos and paintings which are not regularly used. The book was published in 1995, and I haven’t seen a note that it was updated since. So please be aware that insights from the 21th century are not taken account of. A flaw is that the book contains some spelling typos, and it consistently mixes up Weir and Wier referring to Thomas Weir, who desperately tried to reach Custer from Reno Hill. On Page 19 it mistakenly places the Battle of the Washita in 1867 (it took place in 1868). Nevertheless, I have read some details and insights which I hadn’t seen in other books. I do recommend reading Philbrick’s book for the more extended description of events, while the book of National Geographic is additional to the one of Osprey. Both the books of Osprey and NG are quite accessible for readers of twelve years and older. Finally, I am a bit curious about the front cover picture. I’m sure that other pictures are better suited.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0

I have been interested in this subject since I was young and the sadness of the events during and surrounding this battle are sometimes hard to deal with as an American. The unspeakable things that were done to the Native Americans needs to be understood by a greater number of people and take its place more prominently in the historical record. Sometimes history does not need to be about right and wrong, but needs to focus more on empathy for the horrible things that happened to all who were involved and there needs to be renewed a dedication to learn from the past. There were a few editing errors in the book, but overall it was a solid retelling of the events that took place at the Battle of the Little Big Horn for those who want a general overview.

[Sean Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easily one of Osprey's best volumes, with fair and detailed analysis of the commanders, battles, tactics, and most of all the course of events. There is more verve in the writing than one usually gets. Maps are a bit subpar compared to the text.

[Tom Axworthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As part of the Osprey Campaign Series, Peter Panzeri describes the great victory of the Sioux over the 7th Cavalry.What a fool Custer was blinded by hubris.

[David Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good information, but I'm not sure how they know some of it. Most likely conjecture. Really needs and editor though. Numerous typos.

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another 'standard' offering in this series - a 'paint by numbers' overview of the campaign that led to the clash at Little Big Horn and a slightly more detailed analysis of events that took place on that fateful evening. If I was to choose a single word to describe this book, it would be 'bland'. The events are covered, but the multitude of controversies around the key people in the drama and the action itself are almost completely bypassed. And since it's those controversies that make Little Big Horn worth noticing to begin with, I feel that a vital part of the story has been left out of this little volume.

[Theresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Little Big Horn 1876: Custer's Last Stand
Panzeri, Peter
historical story of the battles and war

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on the battle - really helps understand the troop movements.