Archaeology, History, and Custer's Last Battle: The Little Big Horn Reexamined
Fox (anthropology, Univ. of South Dakota), one of the principal investigators of the archaeological remains of the Custer battlefield, combines an analysis of his investigations with the primary historical record to provide a detailed account of the Custer battle. He builds his case carefully, explaining the methods and objectives of archaeology before reviewing and interpreting the record. Rather than upholding the myth of a determined group fighting against overwhelming odds, Fox shows that Custer's defeat resulted from the sudden disintegration of tactical stability--there was no "last stand." Fox provides a framework in which history and archaeology as equal partners can be used to analyze battles; his results are clear and accessible to the lay reader as well as the specialist. This landmark study renders obsolete previous accounts. Essential for academic libraries and collections on the West and military history.- Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., MarquetteCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.