My Life on the Plains or Personal Experiences with Indians

Those who pursue fame are occasionally fated to acquire it for reasons other than those of their ambitions. So it is with George Armstrong Custer who is principally renowned for being swiftly eradicated with most of his command on the final day of his career in the 'last stand' on the Little Big Horn. That end has been made the more ignominious since there is an abiding view that he was responsible for it. There was, inevitably, much more to the man than this and whilst his passions for fame, status and glory are acknowledged, the fact remains that Custer was a dashing, brave, dynamic officer whose deeds-particularly during the Civil War-had raised him to high rank with meteoric speed. He was an exceptional soldier and personality in a time and place where the unexceptional was the norm. This book, Custer's own account of his Indian Wars is, like any other memoir, not devoid of the bias, ego and hubris of the author. Nevertheless, it is singular for there was only one George Armstrong Custer and he has joined the legendary ranks of the outstanding characters of the American West. This is a fascinating insight into the mind and experiences of 'the man' and is essential reading for every enthusiast of the history of the period. Less