Custer Survivor
John Koster

Review newly-received forensic evidence to be included in the forthcoming second printing.

Over the years there have been a number of claims of survivors of Custer’s battalion at the Little Bighorn in 1876, but none has held up under close scrutiny—until now … This well-written and carefully reasoned argument is essential reading for scholars and students of the West and will be of great interest to anyone with even a passing interest in Custer and the Little Bighorn. Highly recommended.

— Stephen H. Peters, Library Journal

***** (5 stars out of 5) … dares to challenge the long-standing historical assumption that the 210 troopers under Custer’s command were exterminated to the last man … A thought-provoking addition to American history shelves.

— Midwest Book Review, December 12, 2009

Custer Survivor is a compelling and fast-paced presentation of both old and new evidence of the sole survivor of Custer’s Last Stand, and is a fascinating example of one man’s part in one of the seminal events in American history.

— Jeff Towner, Bismarck Tribune

On June 25, 1876 in the valley of the Little Big Horn River, the combined forces of Lakota and Cheyenne warriors responded to the surprise attack on their quiet village by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the 7^th Cavalry. Quickly reversing the momentum of the cavalry charge, the warriors pushed the five companies of troopers with Custer to the crest of a hill and then annihilated them.

It is commonly believed that the 210 troopers under Custer’s command were killed to the last man. Careless military reports and inadequate record keeping allowed this belief to stand. Re-enforced by notions of romance, declared a national sacrifice by demagogues, endless literary output, and later, 20^th Century film makers, the belief grew into one of mythological proportions.

Through carefully-detailed research and forensic evidence, Custer Survivor reveals that the five companies were not killed to the last man. One trooper did escape, through inadvertent action, from the deadly encirclement of Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. He was the Second Sergeant of C Company. Custer Survivor is the story of the man, how he escaped, his ensuing ordeal and the subsequent years of his successful life. This is the book that corrects the record and makes complete the history of Custer’s Last Stand.

The introduction to Custer Survivor is by Custer historian Louise Barnett of Rutgers University, author of Touched by Fire.

Custer SurvivorJohn Koster

Custer Survivor
John Koster