Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The most exhaustive, complete and accurate work yet., 7 Jul 1999
By A Customer
As a cultural anthropologist with emphasis on plains indian tribes and history and a frequent visitor to the Little Big Horn Battlefield Monument, I have read Mr. Fox's book a number of times and have gone over the ground with it in hand. I have also read many of the other accounts, both contemporary and historical to attempt an understanding of what occurred at the Little Big Horn. Fox's precise, analytical and well-reasoned account, taking into consideration the physical evidence at the site, seems irrefutable. Contrary to one reviewer, I found no evidence of "rambling" at all, but a thorough analysis of all aspects of the battle from archeological evidence, oral and written histories to US Army Calvary tacitcs in use at the time, that support Fox's thesis, which is different and original from all that have preceeded it. Congratulations to Mr. Fox for a model of historical, archeological and anthropological research. I believe he has indeed broken new ground in the field. If you have any interest at all in the plains tribes, Custer or western history you owe it to yourself to read this fine book.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The definitive account, 23 April 2007
Fox's account and painstakingly detailed reconstruction of the battle of Little Big Horn on 25 June 1876 does, to my mind, accomplish something very rare indeed: It puts an end to a scholarly (and sometimes not so scholarly) discussion that has been raging for more than 100 years. What happened on that day? Fox does finally tell us. His is the most convincing reconstruction ever made, and I cannot see how his account will ever be refuted in the foreseeable future. All other treatments of that fateful day seem obsolete by now.
His integration of battlefield remains and the sources of oral Indian history is the keystone of Fox's argument; but he succeeds in clarifying the conflicting US army reports and eyewitness accounts (as far as they exist) as well. Clearly, the archaeological finds support his reconstruction strongly, and Fox is right in emphasising the central role of the material finds from the battlefield area in establishing, finally, the correct and definitive account. And, by the way, he is extremely well-read in the vast secondary literature.
There is no need, even, to agree with everything the author puts forward. Thus I do not think he is right that Custer's famous message to Benteen ("Come on. Big village" etc.) meant merely that he recalled Benteen from the south because Custer had discovered that Indians were fleeing towards the north - or so it must seem. The insistence on bringing the "pacs" clearly is indicative that Custer actually reckoned that his forces were not quite sufficient to tackle the enemy and that he expected a great fight. But this does in no way invalidate Fox's account, anyway.
To conclude, thus, I like to stress that, for everything I know, Fox produced in this book the definitive account of how the battle evolved and how it ended down in Deep Ravine (not on Custer Hill). If you are into the history of the US campaign of 1876 against the Native tribes, this is the book you need. On the formal side, it needs to be said that Fox is pretty repetitive in his account; he could have said the same less often and on less pages. But this does not detract from the overall value of this priceless book that forcefully, and convincingly, destroys most of the myths surrounding "Custer's Last Stand" and sets up the real history instead.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Custers last battle,the Little Bighorn reexamined, 15 April 2009
Togegther with the book "Where Custer Fell" ,this volume is essential to any student of the Little Bighorn.Initially I didn't find it an easy read, a second look made me more aware of the meticulous work done in collecting artifacts from the field.The grouping of those finds makes several new conclusions inescapable.The author convinced me that Custer was markedly outgunned in both numbers and types of weapons opposing him.The power and range of the army carbines was negated by poor training and the number of repeating and modern firearms in the hands of the Indians.Overall,an excellent reference work which breaks new ground on a legendary subject!
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