Booknotes: In Custer's Boots

New Arrival:

• In Custer's Boots: The Little Bighorn Campaign: Revelations, Reconstructions, and Reviews by Gordon Richard (Casemate, 2026).

By the sheer number of titles that have been (and continue to be) produced, the June 25–26, 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn is easily the Gettysburg of the nineteenth-century Indian Wars in North America. Coming out in a couple months is another addition to that ever expanding book and article literature, Gordon Richard's critical synthesis In Custer's Boots: The Little Bighorn Campaign: Revelations, Reconstructions, and Reviews.

From the description: "The Battle of the Little Bighorn remains one of the most debated events in American military history. In this collection of meticulously researched essays, the author challenges long-standing myths, examines key decisions made by Custer and his superiors, and re-evaluates the evidence surrounding the battle and its participants."

Most of the volume's sixteen chapters are based on published articles in the periodicals The Battlefield Dispatch, The Crow's Nest, and The Greasy Grass between 2009 and today. Several very nice maps are also carried over. Two chapters are composed of previously unpublished material.

A variety of topics are addressed. More from the description: "Drawing on articles published in leading historical journals, this volume delves into topics such as Custer’s reconnaissance, the accusations that he disobeyed orders, the strength of the warrior force he faced, and the reliability of testimony from the Reno Court of Inquiry. It also investigates the fate of the 7th Cavalry’s horses, the provenance of a multi-million-dollar battle relic, and the distortions of modern internet sources."