Publisher's Synopsis
'A treasure-trove of original sources on the Indian wars, an essential addition to every library on the subject.' - Paul A. Hutton, University of New Mexico The decades-long military campaign for the American West is an endlessly fascinating topic, and award-winning author Jerome A. Greene adds substantially to this genre with Indian War Veterans: Memories of Army Life and Campaigns in the West, 1864-1898. Greene's study presents the first comprehensive collection of veteran (primarily former enlisted soldiers') reminiscences. The vast majority of these writings have never before seen wide circulation. Indian War Veterans addresses soldiers'experiences throughout the area of the trans-Mississippi West. As readers will quickly discover, the depth and breadth of coverage is truly monumental. Topics include recollections of fighting with Custer and the mutilation of the dead at Little Bighorn, the Fetterman fight, the Yellowstone Expedition of 1873, fighting Crazy Horse at Wolf Mountains, Geronimo and the Apache wars, and much more. These carefully drawn recollections derive from a wide array of sources, including manuscript and private collections, veterans'scrapbooks, obscure newspapers, and private veterans' statements. A special introductory essay about Indian war veterans contains new material about their post-service organizations all the way into the 1960s Complimenting the riveting entries are dozens of previously unpublished photographs. Readers will additionally find a gallery of never-before-seen full-color plates displaying a wide variety of Indian War Veterans'badges, medals, and associated materials. About the Author Jerome A. Greene is an award-winning author and historian with the National Park Service. His books include The Guns of Independence: The Siege of Yorktown, Morning Star Dawn: The Powder River Expedition and the Northern Cheyenne, and Washita: The U.S. Army and the Southern Cheyennes, 1867-1869.