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Custer and the Great Controversy: The Origin and Development of a Legend

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Early book by the great western writer Robert Utley provides a brief description of the Indian situation that evolved before the LBH and then he provides an abbreviated but well described sequence of battle events. Utley then describes the press' role in developing the story that caught General Sherman and Sheridan off guard as Sherman provides Terry's second controversial report to a reporter by accident. Utley describes the fireworks that arises between Custer supporters such as his old classmate Confederate Rosser and Reno and other military men such as Colonel Hughes, Terry's adjutant and relative. The controversy is even made even more complex by the chapter spent on the Indian's version of events that has elements of truth combined with confusing facts or half truths perhaps aggravated by poor translations and the Indians unique individualistic versions of battle that lack time and spatial realities. Finally, Utley tackles a number of the mythical stories about Custer and the LBH including Frederick Whitacker's quick print and fanciful book on Custer that became a best seller. The best part of this chapter is the discussion about the last four crow scouts to see Custer particularly the debate over when Curley departed from Custer. An excellent book that frames the controversies about Custer's battle which also explains the fascination, nothing is totally certian but amongst all the testimony and physical evidence, somewhere lies the truth.

Anything by Robert Utley is indispensible, especially when it comes to Custer as he wrote CAVALIER IN BUCKSKIN, probably the best biography of the man. Also to his credit are the official NPS Little Bighorn Battlefield guide, a biography of Sitting Bull, and numerous other Custer/Indian Wars/Western history books.

This book is primarily focussed on an examination of the immediate aftermath of the Little Big Horn and how the various lines of controversy were established that still echo (unresolved) and are with us today. These include Did Custer Disobey Orders? Was Reno a coward when he fled from the valley fight? Were both Reno and Benteen negligent in not responding to Custer's written order for the packs, an order with an audible reminder of the gunfire four miles away that, two days later, the men on Reno Hill learned signalled the end of Custer and his command. All of the seeds of future books and endless debates were firmly planted by the end of the 1870s, topped off with the Reno Court of Inquiry. Excellent insight into that event and some of the second-hand talk and gossip sorroundingsthe officers who testified and why they may have said what they did. Utley is his usual dispassionate, detached self as he explores these issues in his highly engaging writing style.

Originally published in 1962, the book concludes with Utley's brief commentary on most of the major battle books published up to that time. One can only wish that this section were revised and updated. Lacking that, we can all look forward to the autor's CUSTER AND ME, due in October 2004.

Despite its age (it was first published in 1962) this book is probably the best of the scores of books available to start with for those interested in exploring the ever elusive and controversial life of George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Utley, while steering clear of making judgments of his own ("I do not aspire to offer the last word on the subject"), lays out the scene of the battle, shows how the press and early writers colored events and created heroes and villains, looks at the Indian side of the story, and discusses some of the myths that have gone into creating the Custer Legend. The Custer literature is prodigious in amount, and tends to be either Custerphilic (pro-Custer) or Custerphobic (anti-Custer). Again, Utley refuses to take sides, but points out that virtually every "fact" regarding the battle and its participants issues up opposing interpretations. This short book gives a powerful sense of what the student of Custer and especially the Little Big Horn is up against. A useful and straightforward introduction.

If you happen to find yourself trapped in no man's land between those who vilify Custer and those who think Goldy Locks on a horse is worthy of sainthood, this is the book that will help you sort out the misguided claims from both sides. That's the good news.

The bad news is we'll never know exactly what happened on June 25, 1876, as Utley makes clear in only 145 pages (excluding the bibliography). So, this most authoritative examination of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, is as it must be given the dearth of clear historical record: inconclusive.

Utley clearly delineates the controversy surrounding Custer, how the controversy came into being (including the press's role as well as individuals who had interests to promote and protect), and sorts "facts," such as they are, from fictions.

It's all quite elusive for those seeking to assign blame to Custer, or to those under Custer who did not deliver support that might have altered the outcome (Major Marcus Reno and Captain Frederick Benteen in particular). And if Utley's scholarship demonstrates one thing, it may be that there is plenty of blame to go around.

Utley also examines the role played by the Cheyenne and Sioux, as it should be. For example, they fought where previously they'd fled, and many of the warriors were armed with repeater rifles giving them fire power that was equal to or even superior to Custer's outnumbered and isolated troops.

But if the reader thinks things are hazy while examining the extensive historical records accumulated through the years by white society, prepare to enter the ghost land of how the Cheyenne and Sioux tracked history. Their's is a realm of myth and creative story telling from the parallel universe of the people who originally populated the great expanse of the plains.

In all of this, there is one question I think should be further examined in some detail: just how wise was it for Custer to divide his much smaller force multiple times without a clear plan of attack. As Robert E. Lee demonstrated less than 20 years prior to Little Bighorn, dividing a smaller force against a superior opponent could work, if well planned and executed. Before Lee and his cohorts divided their forces, they knew the land, the enemy's strength and position, and how the leadership of the opponent was likely to react. And even then there was great risk in dividing the smaller force once.

But on June 25, 1876, it seems to me, Custer divided his force multiple times without understanding the geography, the size of the enemy, their firepower, or an understanding of how they might react to being attacked. Further, Custer's relations with his subordinates, particularly Reno and Benteen were not exactly harmonious and a wiser officer might have developed a different strategy that included keeping close contact with the "enemy" until better conditions could be achieved, or until reinforcements arrived - just saying.

For readers more interested in the same history in the hands of better story tellers, I would recommend in this order: A Terrible Glory, by James Donovan; or The Last Stand, by Nathaniel Philbrick. For those comfortable in sorting through an inconclusive body of evidence, I would start with Utley's Custer and the Great Controversy before moving on to Donovan's and Philbrick's offerings.

Robert Utley's seminal 1962 work, "Custer and the Great Controversy", is not the last word on what happened to the Seventh US Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, but it ought to be the starting point for anyone who is interested in the battle and the legends that grew out of it.

In a little over 150 pages, Utley sketches the bare bones of the battle itself, then narrates how various accounts reached the American public through the press. The different accounts generated a great debate inside and outside the Army about what really happened at Little Bighorn and why. Utley provides some very useful context to the Indian side of the story, and describes the continuing controversy of the legend of Custer's last stand.

Utley's account is clear, logical, and even-handed. It is telling of the quality of this book that the additional information available since 1962 has added detail but not necessarily resolved any more of the controversy. The book includes a nice selection of black and white photographs and sketch maps of the batttlefield. "Custer and the Great Controversy" is very highly recomended to students of the battle.

Good reading offers some good insight into the whole Custer and Little Bighorn 'fiasco'! I'm more prepared now to find out what possibly happened on that fateful day. The case has been well made that there may 'never' be a definitive conclusion?