Great Sioux War Orders of Battle

[markland]

Paul Hedren recently released this book:

Great Sioux War Orders of Battle: How the United States Army Waged War on the Northern1 of: Great Sioux War Orders of Battle: How the United States Army Waged War on the Northern Plains, 1876-1877 (Frontier Military Series) [Hardcover]
By: Paul L. Hedren

$39.95

From the Amazon publisher's description:

Series: Frontier Military Series | Publication Date: March 15, 2011
A unique resource with a new perspective on the U.S. Army in the Great Sioux War
Lasting nearly two years, the Great Sioux War pitted almost one-third of the U.S. Army against Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyennes. By the time it ended, this grueling war had played out on twenty-seven different battlefields scattered across five states, resulted in hundreds of casualties, cost millions of dollars, and transformed the landscape and the lives of survivors on both sides. It also entrenched a view of the army as largely inept.

In this compelling sourcebook, Paul Hedren uses extensive documentation to demonstrate that the American army adapted quickly to the challenges of fighting this unconventional war and was more effectively led and better equipped than is customarily believed. While it lost at Powder River and at the Little Big Horn, it did not lose the Great Sioux War. In the first part of this volume, Hedren considers concepts of doctrine, training, culture, and matériel to aid understanding of the army s structure and disposition. In part two he dissects the twenty-eight Great Sioux War deployments in chronological order, including documentation of command structures, regiments, and companies employed. In the concluding section, the author addresses how an otherwise sound American army was defeated in two battles and nearly lost a third. The book also features seven helpful appendices, a glossary, and an oversized map showing forts, encampments, and battle sites.

By expanding his purview to encompass all of the war's battles along with troop movements, strategies, and tactics Hedren offers an authoritative account of the conduct of U.S. forces in a campaign all too frequently misunderstood.

I just ordered it and will let you know how it is later.

Billy

[stevewilk]

Billy I got this book several months ago. It is a fine Sioux War source book; lists some 28 engagements from March 1876 to July 1877. He lists a skirmish on 5 March 1876 along Powder River where one enlisted man was wounded. I cannot find any reference to this engagement; not in Michno's books; nor Willert's as he starts on May 17th. You know anything about this fight? I've always thought that Reynolds' attack on 17 March kicked off the war.

There are several rosters in the appendix including all field, staff and company grade officers, medical personnel as well as listing of all regiments and elements thereof taking part in the war. Finally a glossary of military terms and even a fold-out map of the northern plains.

Also new from Hedren is After Custer which deals with the political and military fallout for the Sioux following the rubbing out of Long Hair.

[markland]

Steve, I looked at my copy of Chronological List of Indian Fights for the Dept. of the Missouri and they have part of the Big Horn Expedition, Cos. C & I, 4th Inf. involved in a fight at the Dry Forks of the Powder River on 03/05/1876. It does show one E.M. wounded. I'll see what it says on the regimental return which is the source document.

Billy

P.S. If you don't have that PDF document, let me know and I'll either post it at my site or email it to you.

P.P.S. The return states that there was a night attack and that Pvt. James M. Slavey was slightly wounded.

[stevewilk]

Thanks Billy for that information. Fred, I'll answer your inquiry regarding this book here. Most anything by Hedren, Hardorff or Greene are bound to be good. IMO the three best Sioux War authors around. I have not read this book yet, just skimmed a handful of times but I certainly like it. As for opinions, well, unless one is authoring a dictionary you're going to get something in the way of an opinion. This is more a reference book however. Nothing you don't already know in the first fifty some pages; discusses the frontier army, its structure, makeup, tactics employed etc. The next section deals with twenty-eight deployments beginning with the Ft. Pease relief March 1876 thru the establishment of Ft. Custer in the fall of 1877.

Just as the title suggests, it lists orders of battle: battalion compositions, companies and their commanders and so on. A nice handy reference for writers such as yourself to consult or for a general Indian Wars junkie like myself and Billy who like having this information.

Arthur Clark puts out good books. I don't think they come out in paperback and I've not seen them discounted on Amazon. Good not just in content and subject matter but also high quality binding and paper which meets permanency and durability guidelines for book longevity per the Council on Library Resources. So I guess they have a long shelf life. Several of my books purchased in the 70s and 80s (mostly the paperbacks) are falling apart.

Wouldn't want to recommend it and you be disappointed. Each person looks for something different in a book; but I think this is fine addition to anyone's Indian War collection.

Since you and Billy have Heitmans, can either of you give me the bio sketch on Malcolm MacArthur? He commanded Co. C 17th Infantry. He sort of drops off the rolls after Oct. 1876. Also I cannot verify if he was Douglas MacArthur's uncle or not. When Douglas MacArthur was three yrs old, his older brother, named Malcolm, passed away from illness. I assume he was named for this Sioux War captain.

[fred]

Steve,

That is a good description and I appreciate it. I know what you mean about his opinion, and that is fine. It is the rest of the stuff I am interested in. I have nothing by Hedren, so I have no opinion of him one way or the other, but I have a lot of stuff by Hardorff. Knowing only a little about Greene, I would certainly agree with you regarding those two. So-o-o... I am going to buy the Hedren book. Thanks.

Here is the Heitman entry for MacArthur (they spell it without the "a," but cite that fact at the beginning of the letters):

McArthur, Malcolm. Maine. Maine. Cadet MA, Sept1861 (53rd in class); 2LT and 1LT, 17th Inf, 23 June 1865; Capt 18 Sept 1867; retired 26 Nov 1884; died 12 Jan 1886.

Best wishes,
Fred.

["Hunk" Papa]

Jan 14, 2012 23:57:50 GMT -6 fred said:

Steve,

That is a good description and I appreciate it. I know what you mean about his opinion, and that is fine. It is the rest of the stuff I am interested in. I have nothing by Hedren, so I have no opinion of him one way or the other, but I have a lot of stuff by Hardorff. Knowing only a little about Greene, I would certainly agree with you regarding those two. So-o-o... I am going to buy the Hedren book. Thanks.

Here is the Heitman entry for MacArthur (they spell it without the "a," but cite that fact at the beginning of the letters):

McArthur, Malcolm. Maine. Maine. Cadet MA, Sept1861 (53rd in class); 2LT and 1LT, 17th Inf, 23 June 1865; Capt 18 Sept 1867; retired 26 Nov 1884; died 12 Jan 1886.

Best wishes,
Fred.

I have no doubt that conz will love this book as Hedren advocates what a well trained outfit the 7th was. This is a well turned out book but in my opinion the military is looked at through rose tinted spectacles.

Hunk

[Yan Taylor]

Hi Gordon, I know what you mean about Clair and his opinion over the 7th Cavalry, we had a little disagreement a while ago about Trooper training in 1876, he stated that the soldiers could handle the Indians because of their tough upbringing and excellent training, he went on over things like soldiers brawling in bars and being able to fight there corner when faced with adversity. And another point he brought to the table was the knowledge the Troopers had after living in close proximity with the Indians, he said that they knew each other fairly well and they held no fear of the average Indian.

Ian.

["Hunk" Papa]

Jan 16, 2012 9:43:38 GMT -6 Yan Taylor said:

Hi Gordon, I know what you mean about Clair and his opinion over the 7th Cavalry, we had a little disagreement a while ago about Trooper training in 1876, he stated that the soldiers could handle the Indians because of their tough upbringing and excellent training, he went on over things like soldiers brawling in bars and being able to fight there corner when faced with adversity. And another point he brought to the table was the knowledge the Troopers had after living in close proximity with the Indians, he said that they knew each other fairly well and they held no fear of the average Indian.

Ian.

Ian, I suggest that you check out the 'Cavalry Training' thread on these boards which will put your 'little disagreement' with Clair in perspective!!

Hunk