Gordon's book is a fine example of someone whose dedication to his subject has made him the absolute master of it. This is a remarkable, brilliant book which for me confirms Custer's place in history but presents the fine details in an authoritative, masterly way. Superb.
"... vast amount of research...without a doubt other enthusiasts of one of history's most overrated field engagements will get hours of enjoyment debating just how many of its revelations are truly groundbreaking. .. the research and passion is commendable
"If the reader believes that there is nothing new to be written about the most famous and analyzed battle in the west, this book may convince him otherwise. It deserves a place on the shelf of every student of Custer's battle"
The Journal of America’s Military Past
"Having read and studied several previous books on the Custer Battle, I was hoping that something new would emerge and I was not disappointed. It is a great pity Gordon Harper did not live long enough to have seen his years of work and research in a completed form, but it does stand as a solid testimony to diligence...certainly a book that one cannot put down"
"Gordon Harper (1939-2009) had a life long fascination with the battle, lived near the field for a time and toured it often, collected accounts of the battle, official papers, memoirs, and more, and hoped to write a definitive source book on it, but passed away before it was completed. This volume was compiled from his materials by his daughter Tori Harper and Gordon Richard.The first half of the book is essentially a narrative treatment of the operations that culminated in Battle of the Little Big Horn, which Harper had largely completed before his death. It consists of four chapters that follow the various detachments of the 7th Cavalry as the moved toward the battlefield on the Greasy Grass River, followed by three chapters on Maj. Marcus Reno’s column, and then two chapters on the events and circumstances of the destruction of Custer’s battalion. The second part of the book is titled “Analysis. It consists of eight essays that address particular questions about the battle and battlefield archaeology, from “A Question of Disobedience,” discussing whether or not Custer deliberately ignored orders through“The number of Warriors Facing the 7th Cavalry”, “Burials, Markers, and Survivors,” and so forth.While it’s likely that neither Custerphiles nor Custerphobes will be entirely happy with all of Gordon’s conclusions, anyone with a serious interest in the events on the Little Big Horn, or in the “Indian Fighting Army,” will find this excellent reading."
"The sheer breadth of Gordon Harper’s research is amazing; I’ve read every major account of George Custer’s last battle and the various imbecilities leading up to it (and a good many of the primary sources on which accounts are based), and I was stunned to find that The Fights on the Little Horn is, in its slightly ramshackle way, the best of them all. Care is taken throughout to keep the broader narrative moving forward, but the array of detailed excurses is positively joyful to the historically inquisitive....The Custer disaster is one of those odd little irreducible kernels of American history that exercise perennial fascination. Anybody who feels the pull of that fascination should make sure not to miss this deep-digging book"
An excellent book, as said previously, not an easy flowing narrative but rather a military text book. Brilliantly detailed research and most informative.
"Drawing on Indian accounts, as well as evidence from cartridges, bullets, and bodies discovered on the battlefield, this work for general readers and scholars describes the defeat of Custer’s 7th Cavalry by Sioux and Cheyenne forces near the Little Horn River (a battle often known as the battle of Little Big Horn). The book also details the immediate aftermath of the battle, including the burial and reburial of combatants. The first half of the book offers a chronological narrative, while the second half offers analysis. B&w historical photos and contemporary battle maps are included. An ebook edition provides primary source appendices. Author Gordon Harper lived near the site of the battle for decades and collected information on the battle from local Native American tribes."
This new work offers a blow by blow account of one of the most famous battles in American history using firsthand accounts, forensic analysis, and extensive research... This book will be of interest to those readers who want a fresh take on the storied dash, as well as those who want a single, detailed account.
Military Heritage - Christopher Miskimon
"...we are blessed that Gordon Harper’s scholarship is now available...he did his homework as his extensive bibliography attests... provide ample food for those who hunger for the serious study of the Little Big Horn, to whom I recommend the book. This contribution will at least challenge us to reexamine (if not revise) time-honored assumptions and conceptions. The reviewer is certain that it will lead to many more “fights” as we continue the perpetual debate on the subject that Gordon Harper loved so well.
" provides a rich, well-documented narrative that will surely become one of the definitive sources of this bloody event. This is exceptional historical reporting that is meticulously researched, clearly written and as exciting as any well-crafted novel. This book is highly recommended"
"... Harper studied the battle for about 50 years but died before completing his book. However, the writers who finished it for him preserved his passionate style... the extensive research and focused conclusions make it an essential read for serious students."
"If the reader believes that there is nothing new to be written about the most famous and analyzed battle in the west, this book may convince him otherwise. It deserves a place on the shelf of every student of Custer's battle"
The Journal of America’s Military Past
"Drawing on Indian accounts, as well as evidence from cartridges, bullets, and bodies discovered on the battlefield, this work for general readers and scholars describes the defeat of Custer’s 7th Cavalry by Sioux and Cheyenne forces near the Little Horn River (a battle often known as the battle of Little Big Horn). The book also details the immediate aftermath of the battle, including the burial and reburial of combatants. The first half of the book offers a chronological narrative, while the second half offers analysis. B&w historical photos and contemporary battle maps are included. An ebook edition provides primary source appendices. Author Gordon Harper lived near the site of the battle for decades and collected information on the battle from local Native American tribes."
"Gordon Harper (1939-2009) had a life long fascination with the battle, lived near the field for a time and toured it often, collected accounts of the battle, official papers, memoirs, and more, and hoped to write a definitive source book on it, but passed away before it was completed. This volume was compiled from his materials by his daughter Tori Harper and Gordon Richard.The first half of the book is essentially a narrative treatment of the operations that culminated in Battle of the Little Big Horn, which Harper had largely completed before his death. It consists of four chapters that follow the various detachments of the 7th Cavalry as the moved toward the battlefield on the Greasy Grass River, followed by three chapters on Maj. Marcus Reno’s column, and then two chapters on the events and circumstances of the destruction of Custer’s battalion. The second part of the book is titled “Analysis. It consists of eight essays that address particular questions about the battle and battlefield archaeology, from “A Question of Disobedience,” discussing whether or not Custer deliberately ignored orders through“The number of Warriors Facing the 7th Cavalry”, “Burials, Markers, and Survivors,” and so forth.While it’s likely that neither Custerphiles nor Custerphobes will be entirely happy with all of Gordon’s conclusions, anyone with a serious interest in the events on the Little Big Horn, or in the “Indian Fighting Army,” will find this excellent reading."
"...we are blessed that Gordon Harper’s scholarship is now available...he did his homework as his extensive bibliography attests... provide ample food for those who hunger for the serious study of the Little Big Horn, to whom I recommend the book. This contribution will at least challenge us to reexamine (if not revise) time-honored assumptions and conceptions. The reviewer is certain that it will lead to many more “fights” as we continue the perpetual debate on the subject that Gordon Harper loved so well.
"If the reader believes that there is nothing new to be written about the most famous and analyzed battle in the west, this book may convince him otherwise. It deserves a place on the shelf of every student of Custer's battle"
Journal of America's Military Past
"This is a thoroughly researched, intriguing and well-written book that should rank as a definitive source of information about what really happened."
Toy Soldier and Model Figure
"Having read and studied several previous books on the Custer Battle, I was hoping that something new would emerge and I was not disappointed. It is a great pity Gordon Harper did not live long enough to have seen his years of work and research in a completed form, but it does stand as a solid testimony to diligence...certainly a book that one cannot put down"
" provides a rich, well-documented narrative that will surely become one of the definitive sources of this bloody event. This is exceptional historical reporting that is meticulously researched, clearly written and as exciting as any well-crafted novel. This book is highly recommended"
...through these pages we get a glimpse of Hitler as a private person, putting on eyeglasses to read reports without fear that the public would learn of his weak vision, and insisting on sending his personal physicians when one of his footmen fell ill. What I thought as the most valuable attribute of Hitler's Last Witness was Misch's own story, someone who naively followed Hitler without ever questioning anything, not even in his own mind. While he fell short of admitting this as a failure, I appreciated his warnings against war as a national policy, for he had realized that war was no better than mass murder. Memoirs, by definition, could not be considered history, but Misch's account gave me valuable insight into the mind of a low-ranking German serviceman during the WW2 era
Gordon Harper (1939-2009) had a life long fascination with the battle, lived near the field for a time and toured it often, collected accounts of the battle, official papers, memoirs, and more, and hoped to write a definitive source book on it, but passed away before it was completed. This volume was compiled from his materials by his daughter Tori Harper and Gordon Richard.The first half of the book is essentially a narrative treatment of the operations that culminated in Battle of the Little Big Horn, which Harper had largely completed before his death. It consists of four chapters that follow the various detachments of the 7th Cavalry as the moved toward the battlefield on the Greasy Grass River, followed by three chapters on Maj. Marcus Reno’s column, and then two chapters on the events and circumstances of the destruction of Custer’s battalion. The second part of the book is titled “Analysis. It consists of eight essays that address particular questions about the battle and battlefield archaeology, from “A Question of Disobedience,” discussing whether or not Custer deliberately ignored orders through“The number of Warriors Facing the 7th Cavalry”, “Burials, Markers, and Survivors,” and so forth.While it’s likely that neither Custerphiles nor Custerphobes will be entirely happy with all of Gordon’s conclusions, anyone with a serious interest in the events on the Little Big Horn, or in the “Indian Fighting Army,” will find this excellent reading.
