By Marcia Allen, Technical Services & Collections Manager

Author Larry McMurtry achieved almost instant fame in 1985 when he wrote the now-famous saga of the West, Lonesome Dove.  In fact, the novel earned the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and was later developed into an Emmy Award-winning TV series that starred Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. McMurtry went on to write other tales of the West, but none achieved the same stardom of that Gus McCrae/Woodrow Call cattle drive partnership.
McMurtry’s latest is his take on the life of Custer, but readers hoping to find a definitive biography about the controversial Custer will be disappointed.  McMurtry’s Custer does not follow the boyhood and maturing of the West Point graduate, nor does it contain an in-depth study of his development as a military leader.  It mentions his parentage in passing and speaks of his siblings only in listing family members who died with him at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
McMurtry admits in the text that there are other writers, most notably Evan S. Connell in his magnificent biography, Son of the Morning Star, and Nathaniel Philbrick in his historical account, Last Stand, who have written outstanding accounts about Custer.  McMurtry elected to write what he calls a “short biography,” designed to bring clarity to its subject.
Does he succeed?  In some ways he does.  We have clear notions of Custer’s character flaws.  Yes, he graduated last in his class at West Point.  Yes, he seems to have had an enormous ego that compelled him to behave rashly, making enemies of those who outranked him (like General Grant) as well as those he commanded (like troops he abandoned at the Washita Battleground).  Yes, he had difficulty heeding authority, and was charged with disregarding orders an astounding number of times.
In contrast, we also have the Custer who was admired by many.  He did conduct himself bravely during Civil War battles and was promoted to general in as astoundingly short time.   He did verify the existence of gold in the Black Hills.  And he did earn the admiration and loyalty of his wife, Libbie, who spent her widowhood defending his character to any who would listen.
McMurtry also presents a wide array of period photographs.  We find Custer amid the troops in Civil War shots.  We see portraits of the young Custer couple, taken at various encampments and forts.  We peruse portraits of various Native American tribal leaders, especially shots of Sitting Bull who may or may not have encountered Custer on the hills of the Little Bighorn.  We also find depictions of the battle itself: some romanticized heroic stances, others realistic imaginings of what might have occurred.
But the book has flaws of its own.  There are times when the language is amazingly unsuited to the tale.  McMurtry, for example, alludes to Custer and his doomed troops battling the countless numbers of Native American warriors with:  “Surprise, surprise, you’re dead!”  The book also takes tangents that have little relevance to the subject.  The author, for example, spends unsubstantiated speculation about Custer’s involvement with a Cheyenne woman and with Libbie’s possible reaction to any dalliance.  How this relates to events in 1876 in Montana remains unclear. And I am troubled by a photograph that is labeled “Custer with his horse, Comanche.”  Comanche, the scarred survivor of Custer’s charge in the Montana hills, belonged to Myles Keogh, who was killed during the battle.  It seems likely that the photograph was taken after the battle and that the man holding the bridle was not Custer at all.
Where is the appeal of the book?  For those like me, who like enjoy reading about the American West, it offers unique ways of examining those past events.  I was intrigued, for example, with McMurtry’s perceived likenesses between George Armstrong Custer and John C. Fremont, who like Custer, proved a controversial figure in his time.  I also better understand the animosity between Libbie Custer and Major Marcus Reno, a man Libbie blamed for her husband’s death.  And I think McMurtry’s assessment of the Little Bighorn Battle as the final blow against Native American independence is accurate.  McMurtry’s book is not an authoritative account of Custer’s life, but it does illuminate aspects of a violent time clouded in question.

by John Pecoraro, Assistant Director

Here it is more than halfway through 2012, and we haven’t heard much about the War of 1812 bicentennial. Perhaps it’s not surprising. The War of 1812 has always been overshadowed by the American Revolution, the Civil War, and nearly every other American conflict. In terms of Americans engaged in the fighting, and lives lost, it ranks only 7th among all American wars. In terms of those killed or wounded, however, its approximately 20,000 casualties represent a larger percentage of casualties than the American forces experienced in World War II (8.7% versus 6.7%).

In this nearly forgotten war, the emerging American nation took on the greatest naval power in the world. We endured the capture and burning of our nation’s capital. We earned a national anthem from Francis Scott Key’s immortal words penned during the bombardment of Fort McHenry. We invaded our Canadian neighbors to the north and were repulsed. We defeated the pride of the British army at New Orleans. The War of 1812 was a war of heroes, including Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Oliver Hazard Perry, future presidents Andrew Jackson and William Henry Harrison, Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, and the pirate Jean Laffite.

To learn more about the War of 1812, all you have to do is visit the Manhattan Public Library and check out one of the several titles available on the subject.

In Mr. and Mrs. Madison’s War, President James Madison mourns the nation’s loss as smoke rises from the ruins of the capital. Historian Hugh Howard presents a wide-screen epic of one of America’s least remembered wars. Drawing on countless primary sources, he presents a gripping account of the War of 1812 as James and Dolley Madison experienced it.

At the outbreak of hostilities the U.S. Navy consisted of seventeen oceangoing ships against the Royal Navy’s seven hundred. A. J. Langguth brings to life many of the individuals who faced such odds in Union 1812: The Americans Who Fought the Second War of Independence. Among the colorful personalities he presents are many of the most enduring characters in American history: Dolley Madison, Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, Oliver Hazard Perry, and Stephen Decatur.

Every time we sing the national anthem, we recall events from the War of 1812. In The Flag, The Poet & The Song, author Irvin Molotsky tells the story behind the story of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In addition to recounting the British bombardment of Fort McHenry, Molotsky uncovers facts and fallacies surrounding the song and the flag.

Winston Groom recounts one of the greatest battles fought in North America in Patriotic Fire: Andrew Jackson and Jean Laffite at the Battle of New Orleans. As its subtitle promises, this book tells the story of two men, one an American general and future President, the other a French pirate, who join forces to defeat a superior British force and save the city of New Orleans.

For a short narrative history, check out The War of 1812: Conflict for a Continent by J.C.A. Stagg. Professor Stagg focuses on the war as a continental event, portraying the war in the context of the larger issue of emerging American interests vying to contend with the effects of rival European nationalisms.

David Hanna brings to vivid life the lost era of naval battles under sail in Knights of the Sea: The True Story of the Boxer and the Enterprise and the War of 1812. The battle between the HMS Boxer and the USS Enterprise occurred off the coast of Pemaquid Point, Maine, and was witnessed by civilians on shore. The battle lasted less than one hour but was brutal and bloody, and cost the lives of the young commanders on both sides.

In addition to these titles, you can find more information on the Web. Start with the History Channel website, for an introduction to the war, videos, and photo galleries.

The companion website to the PBS program The War of 1812 is another excellent source. This program is also available from the library on DVD.

Learn about the flag that inspired the national anthem at the Smithsonian website.

Finally, visit the Library of Congress for a guide to the War of 1812. The guide includes a chronology, links to some primary documents, and a list of other websites to search.

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By John Pecoraro, Assistant Director

George Armstrong Custer is one of the most iconic figures in the history of the American West. Colorful and controversial, he was brevetted a general at age 23, a Civil War hero, and dead on the plains of Montana at age 36. Most people know the story of his and the 7th Cavalry’s defeat at the Little Big Horn, but perhaps fewer people realize that Custer spent several years in Kansas.

From November 1866 until 1871, while posted to Fort Riley, Kansas, Custer found some of his greatest success and failure as a commander. Custer’s years in the state are the focus of author Jeff Barnes’ program, “Custer in Kansas: Breaking in the Boy General,” which he will present at the Manhattan Public Library on Wednesday, March 7, at 7 p.m.

Barnes is the author of the newly published “The Great Plains Guide to Custer.” In this historical travel guide, Barnes pinpointed 85 forts, battles and other sites west of the Mississippi associated with the legendary general. A former newspaper reporter and editor, Barnes writes and lives in Omaha. He is a Nebraska native, a journalism graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a frequently requested speaker with the Nebraska Humanities Council.

There is a wide range of titles and resources available to Custer history buffs. Websites of interest include www.garryowen.com, featuring Custer’s genealogy, a photo gallery, and a list of curious questions and topics. Jeff Barnes’ website, http://fortsofthenorthernplains.com/, includes links to historic sites associated with Custer.

Manhattan Public Library has dozens of titles about Custer’s life and the Little Bighorn battle, and hundreds of titles about the history of the American West. In The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn, author Nathaniel Philbrick sketched the two larger-than-life antagonists: Sitting Bull, whose charisma and political savvy earned him the position of leader of the Plains Indians, and George Armstrong Custer, a man with a reputation for fearless and often reckless courage. Philbrick reminded readers that the Battle of the Little Bighorn was also, even in victory, the last stand for the Sioux and Cheyenne Indian nations.

A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn by Jim Donovan explored the disastrous battle and the finger-pointing that was its aftermath. Custer, conveniently dead, took the brunt of the blame. The truth, however, was far more complex, and this book related the entire story, bringing to light details of the U.S. Army cover-up.

In The Day the World Ended at Little Bighorn, Joseph Marshall revealed a picture of the battle previously available only in the Lakota oral tradition. He explored the significance of the battle to the Lakota, and considered the consequences it had for all Native Americans.

Louise Barnett investigated the life, death, and mythic afterlife of Custer in her book Touched by Fire. Barnett traced the complexities of Custer’s personality and attempted to understand how this famed military tactician waged an impossible attack at the Little Bighorn.

Evan S. Connell’s Son of the Morning Star is part study of Plains Indian life, part military history, and part character study. This author used meticulous research and a novelist’s eye to tell a story of heroism, foolishness, and savagery.

Elizabeth Bacon Custer remained a devoted widow for fifty-seven years after her husband’s death. She was an outspoken advocate for her husband’s legacy. The myth of Custer, his place as an iconic figure in American history, is largely due to her efforts. Elizabeth Custer, or Libbie as she was known, wrote two books about the experiences and hardships she shared with the General. Tenting on the Plains concerns the Custers’ experiences immediately after the Civil War in Texas and Kanas. In Boots and Saddles, Libbie wrote about their final years on the plains at Fort Abraham Lincoln in Dakota Territory.

Finally George Armstrong Custer also wrote a book about his experiences, My Life on the Plains: or, Personal Experiences with Indians. In this collection of his magazine articles, Custer recounted his life in the years immediately following the Civil War and revealed his often ambiguous attitudes towards the Indians.

If you’re interested in George Armstrong Custer and Kansas, you won’t want to miss “Custer in Kansas: Breaking in the Boy General,” presented by Jeff Barnes at the Manhattan Public Library on Wednesday, March 7, at 7 p.m.