SITTING BULL, CRAZY HORSE, GOLD AND GUNS

SITTING BULL, CRAZY HORSE, GOLD AND GUNS           FRENCH L. MACLEAN

This is the story of 150 of the most adventurous scouts, gold prospectors, gunslingers, buffalo hunters, and Civil War veterans of both sides they may have been the deadliest collection of shooters to ever hit the trail. This is the most detailed work ever produced on the obscure legend of the 1874 Yellowstone Wagon Road Prospecting Expedition in the Montana Territory the product of multi-year research across the country, and detailed visits to the three battlefields and expedition route of over 500 miles; an event that impacted the Little Bighorn in 1876. Numerous legends of the West rode on the expedition, later playing roles in the Great Sioux War of 1876. Their adversaries now were the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne some of the greatest light cavalry to ever gallop over the North American continent. And watching their every move were Sitting Bull, Gall, Hump, Crazy Horse, and a renegade chief named Inkpaduta, ready to strike."

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
This book is about an expedition of 150 men into Lakota territory in 1874. This expedition would have an effect on the battle two years later of Little Big Horn. The author takes you through the back history of the territory of the Lakota’s and the reason they believed and still do to this day of the importance of the land for their people. He also goes into the history of the people, the chiefs, and the leaders of the expedition. Also, some of the men of the expedition because most were hunters, or had fought during the civil war. The expedition also had a howitzer, and he goes into the use of it. The author does go into detail of all types of weapons that were used during this expedition and shows you photos of some of them that are in museums, along with the howitzer. Of course, the expedition was breaking a treaty that was signed by the government, but since gold was discovered most whites believed that the treaty did not apply. The author then takes a short look at what could have been some of the mistakes made by Custer, of course, there have been many books written, but after reading about this expedition you understand a few things better. First, the expedition dug in every night and was ready for a fight. They also made use of the Howitzer, and these men were all hunters or had been in battles before. They were good shots. Secondly the Indians were not protecting their villages or families like they were when the army came through two years later, and third, it is thought that Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse actually learned from these tactics after this expedition and put them to use against the Army, and those all make sense. This is a very through book with plenty of information, maps, photos, and other details. I find it sad that we a Nation in 2016-1017 are still abusing the Lakota people by wanting to build a pipeline across the very land that has been there’s for thousands of years and some of their people who have died during the time of this book would be dug up because of a pipeline. The book is very good and full of good information. I got this book from netgalley.com.  I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com