Synopsis "On the Plains with Custer"
This is the story of the battle and events leading up to General George Armstrong Custer's defeat and death at the Battle of Little Big Horn, as seen through the eyes of Ned Fletcher, a boy Custer rescued from certain death at the hands of a raging buffalo bill. Fletcher, who becomes a bugler with Custer's Seventh Calvary, is a fictitious character. But, both Indian and non-Indian children played a part in battles of this period; many were injured and many were killed. So, rather than call Ned a completely fictitious character, it might be more accurate to call him "semi-non-fictitious," should such a designation exist or be accepted by the reader. The book is about more than Custer's battles; it provides insights into Army life and about some of the heroes of the time: Wild Bill Cody, Buffalo Bill Cody and other army scouts, and Custer's family, including his brothers and wife. Fast pace, lots of action and adventures, and tight dialogue combine to make this a very fun and interesting read. For his spirited book, "On the Plains with Custer," Sabin went out of his way to inform readers that he had used Custer's own story -- "It lies before me." Included in this Illustrated Edition of the 1913 version of "On the Plains with Custer" are all five original illustrations, rejuvenated, and 10 additional illustrations of failed military campaigns, including Custer's, that are unique to this edition of the book.
