Fred, what will be my first learning be? Primary connection to 2nd book?
Tom,
First of all, let me thank you for ordering it; I hope you enjoy it. Personally, I think it is a fun book, and it received marvelous reviews, with one exception, and that fellow and I had some issues which we have subsequently squared away, so I think if he had it to do over again, he would make his criticisms, but then deal more in depth with the sections that wouldn't come under his knife. He had... and has... a point with some of his criticisms, mainly dealing with birth dates of troopers born in Europe.
Here is the table of contents:
Preface/Author’s Notes…
Prologue…
Section I. Organization and the Command: Origin and Organization of the Seventh Cavalry and Its Soldiers at the Little Big Horn…
Section II. Civilians, Quartermaster Employees, and Scouts at the Little Big Horn…
Section III. Indians at the Little Big Horn and Estimates of Their Strength…
Appendix A—Unit Rosters and Strength Summaries…
Appendix B—List of Scouts: Williams, Graham, and Camp…
Appendix C—Demographics and Length of Service…
Appendix D—Regimental Duty Stations…
Appendix E—Horses and Uniforms…
Appendix F—Indian Encampments Leading to the Little Big Horn...
Appendix G—Indian Dispositions and Weapons, June 25, 1876…
Glossary…
Bibliography…
Index...
To my way of thinking, the fun in the book is in Section III, then the appendices, especially C, D, E, and G. Much of it had never been done before and you will find no such listing of the 1,488 Indian participants
anywhere. And remember, please, except for a brief introduction before Section I,
this is strictly a reference book. It pretends to be nothing else. What I have found so interesting is without realizing it I am always picking the book off my bookshelf to refer to something or other.
While I really don't like patting myself on the back, I got a phone call some time ago from a very dear friend (one of my five LBH travel buddies) who told me he was at a conference of the OIW (I think it was) and one of the speakers said in his opinion
Participants was the second-best reference book-- second only to the RCOI-- ever written about the LBH. That's pretty high praise!... but I'll take it.
Also, there is no relationship between
Participants and my supposedly forthcoming new book. The new book is an analysis of the battle-- not another historical recitation.
One other thing for anyone else interested in this thing. The best place to purchase it is directly from the publisher. Same price I believe. Here is the site:
www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-6289-6Thanks again, Tom. I hope one of these days I can buy you a beer or two. Maybe in Winchester, eh?
Best wishes,
Fred.
PS-- Tom, check your messages; there is a short "errata" sheet and I will try to PM it to you. If that doesn't take, I can e-mail it.
FCW
