PREFACE AND DEDICATION -- CONTENTS. -- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS -- PART I. -- THE BIG HORN AND YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION. -- CHAPTER I. -- BOUND FOR THE PLAINS. -- Assignment to Duty -- Making the Start -- Interview with W. F. Storey -- His Peculiar Manner -- Letters from General Sheridan -- "Westward Ho!" -- Omaha -- Interview with General Crook -- His Advice -- Sidney Station -- The Crowd at the Depot -- A Military "Character" -- Cheyenne in '76 -- Fort D. A. Russell -- A Ludicrous Accident -- Orders to Move -- General Reynolds -- "Never Trust a Horse or an Indian," etc. -- CHAPTER II. -- THE BLACK HILLS FEVER. -- Causes of the Indian Trouble -- Wars of the Sioux and Crows -- Rush of Gold Hunters to "The Hills" -- Military Interference -- Wagons Burned -- Murders by Indians and Brigands -- Stage Coaches Attacked -- Perils of Prospectors -- The Invincible White Man carries his Point, etc. -- CHAPTER III. -- THE MARCH ON THE PLATTE. -- First Day Out -- Halt at Lodge Pole Creek -- Incidents of the Camp -- Long and Short Stirrup Straps -- Tired Out -- Meeting with Lieutenant Schwatka -- Junction with Colonel Royall's Column -- Chugwater Valley -- Blockaded by Rain and Mud -- Fort Laramie -- Across the Platte -- Regular Soldiers in Campaigning Costume -- Cavalry on the March "to Glory or the Grave," etc. -- CHAPTER IV. -- ON TO FORT FETTERMAN. -- The Old Utah Immigrant Trail -- Savage Scenery -- Blistering Heat and Stifling Dust -- Dearth of Water -- Rough Riding with a Rear Guard -- First Glimpse of Fort Fetterman -- Perils of the Platte -- An Exciting Episode -- Cool Bravery of Lieutenant Bubb -- General Crook's Hospitality, etc. -- CHAPTER V. -- MARCHING ON POWDER RIVER. -- On the War-path in Earnest -- Scenes on the March -- Peculiarities of Mules and Mule Whackers -- A God-Forsaken Region -- Miserable Camping Grounds.

First Look at the Big Horn Range -- The Snowy Summits -- Pumpkin Buttes -- January in the Lap of June -- A False Alarm -- Tales by the Camp Fires -- Lieutenant Bourke Interrupted by Indian Bullets -- The Pawnee Sentinel and the Sergeant's Watch -- "I Want to go Ho-o-me!" -- Powder River -- Old Fort Reno -- The Soldiers' Cemetery -- Victims of the Hostiles -- Brave and Humorous Prospectors, etc. -- CHAPTER VI. -- GLIMPSES OF THE BIG HORN RANGE. -- A Morning in "Leafy June" -- Diamonds in the Dew Fall -- A Glorious Panorama of Nature -- Supposed Indian Signal Fires -- Crazy Woman's Fork -- Strategical Montana Miners -- Clear Fork -- An Indian "Grave" -- Military Vandals -- Fort Phil. Kearney -- The Fetterman Massacre -- Grave of the Gallant Victims -- How the Site of the Fort was Selected -- The Old Bridger Trail -- "Massacre Hill" -- Camp on Tongue River -- A Burial in the Wilderness, etc. -- CHAPTER VII. -- THE FIRST FUSILADE -- An Indian Voice at Midnight -- Mysterious Disappearance of the Owner -- Gold Hunters' Delusions -- An Evening Call by the Sioux -- Our Camp Fired Upon -- Flying Bullets -- Mills' Battalion Crosses the River -- Charging the Bluffs -- Retreat of the Savages -- Ludicrous Stories -- Colonel Mills and his Stove Pipe -- In Camp on Goose Creek, etc. -- CHAPTER VIII. -- INDIANS IN WAR PAINT. -- The Scout Gruard -- His Eventful History -- A Captive Among the Sioux -- Arrival of Crow and Snake Indians -- Their Wild, Warlike and Picturesque Appearance -- Spears, Guns and War Bonnets -- Pow-wow with the General -- Indian Oratory -- Infernal Nocturnal Orgies -- Characteristics -- An Officer's Love Affair with an Indian Princess, etc. -- CHAPTER IX. -- SCOUT AND BUFFALO HUNT. -- Arming and Feeding Our Indian Allies -- The Mules and the Infantry -- How the Latter Rose Rapidly in the World.

Indians Laugh at the Mishaps of the Walk-a-heaps -- The Savages as Horsemen -- Preparing for Battle -- Composition of the Army -- Parking the Wagon Train -- Medicine Men and Head Soldiers -- Their Morning Harangues -- The March on the Rosebud -- A Matchless Buffalo Hunt -- Indications of an Early Fight -- Laggard Allies -- Position of War Correspondents in Indian Campaigns, etc. -- CHAPTER X. -- BATTLE OF THE ROSEBUD. -- Dawn on the Rosebud -- The Indians Finally Move Forward -- Bearing of the Soldiers -- Down the Valley -- The Halt Among the Bluffs -- Shots Beyond the Ridge -- Indian Allies Make Good Time -- "Heap Sioux, Heap Sioux!" -- Saddling Up -- Infantry Deploy as Skirmishers -- Charges of Mills' and Henry's Battalions -- The Sioux Fall Back but Keep on Fighting -- Fierce Conflict Between our Indians and the Enemy -- An Exciting Scene -- Rescue of Sergt. Van Moll by the Crow "Humpy" -- Colonel Henry Wounded -- Mills' March Down the Canon -- The Movement Countermanded -- He and Major Noyes Defile by Their Left and Fall Upon the Rear of the Sioux -- The Latter Break and Run -- Royall's Peril -- Losses in the Fight -- The General Dissatisfied at the Result -- How the Correspondents Acted -- Treatment of the Wounded -- Stuck Full of Arrows -- Savage Mutilation -- Indians Weeping for Their Slain -- An Atrocious Crow Scoundrel -- The Retrograde Movement -- We Rejoin our Wagon Train, etc. -- CHAPTER XI. -- IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAINS. -- Monotony of Camp Life -- A Period of Inaction -- The Indian Allies go to See their Mothers' People -- Light Literature in Camp -- Schwatka and Sir John Franklin -- A Man in Love with his own Wife -- Lieutenant Lawson's Peculiarities -- Reflections on Idle Life in the Wilderness -- Arrival of Lieutenant Schuyler and Party -- News from Terry and Custer -- Nearer to the Foothills.

Colonel Mills Sees the Smoke of Custer's Battle on June 25 -- Supposes it to be a Prairie Fire -- Military Men Petulant during Days of Idleness -- The Noble Art of "Sitting Down On" Each Other -- Capers Cut Before High Heaven -- Unromantic-looking Heroes -- Rumors of Custer's Disaster -- A "Heap of Pony Soldiers" Reported by Indians and Half-Breeds to have been "Wiped Out" -- Exploring the Big Horn Mountians, etc. -- CHAPTER XII. -- ACROSS THE SNOWY RANGE. -- A Strong Hunting Party -- Noble Scenery of the Big Horn Range -- The Eternal Snows and Ever-falling Waters -- A Duplicate of the Pass of St. Gothard -- Picturesque Lakes and Charming Trout Streams -- The Western Slope -- Beautiful Nature -- Killing the Big Horn Sheep -- A Charming Camp -- Colonel Mills and the Author Cross the Range -- On the Mountain Peak -- View of Wind River Valley and the Gray Ball and Big Horn Rivers -- "Bring along Your Italy!" -- A Few Shots at Mountain Buffalo -- The Return to Camp -- A New Trail -- A Snowstorm in July -- Hunting for Gold -- No Paying Prospect -- Back to Headquarters for the Fourth, etc. -- CHAPTER XIII. -- THE SIBLEY SCOUT - A CLOSE CALL. -- The Author Volunteers to Accompany a Forlorn Hope -- Organization of the Scouting Party under Lieut. F. W. Sibley, of the 2d Cavalry -- Leaving Camp -- Sibley, of the 2d Cavalry -- Leaving Camp -- Halt at Big Goose Creek -- A Mysterious Object -- The Movement in the Gloom -- On the Montana Immigrant Trail -- "The Rising of the Moon" -- Marching by Moonlight -- A Dead Silence -- The Mountains at Night -- A Halt in the Early Morning -- Bivouacking near the Foe -- The March Resumed -- The Scouts see a War Party of Hostiles -- Retreat to the Foot Hills -- Our Trail Discovered -- Sibley's Remarks -- We Retire to the Mountains -- The Sioux Hunting Trail -- An Unfortunate Halt -- The Ride Resumed.

Fired upon from the Rocks and Timber -- Seeking Shelter in the Woods -- Wounded Horses -- A Skirmish Line in the Edge of the Forest -- The Indian Charge Repulsed -- A Skirmish Line in the Edge of the Forest -- The Indian Charge Repulsed -- Fighting for our Lives -- The Indian Leader Killed -- How it Feels to be Looking Death Squarely in the Face -- A Prolonged Conflict -- The Indians Reinforced -- They Occupy the Passes -- Gruard and Pourier advise Sibley to Abandon Remaining Horses, and Retreat through the Woods and Rocks in Rear -- Sibley's Reluctance -- The Scouts Declare it the Only Chance of Escape -- Sibley Finally Consents -- Beginning of the Retreat -- We Ford the Head Waters of Tongue River -- Hearing the Sioux Firing Volleys at our late Position -- Gruard's Remarks -- Toilsome Mountain March -- Midnight Halt on Unknown Peak -- Terrific Wind and Hail Storm -- The March Resumed -- A Dash Down a Valley -- Scaling an Awful Cliff -- A Dive for Water -- Sighting Another War Party -- Resolve to Retreat no Further -- Taking up a Strong Position -- Savages Fail to Observe us -- Luck on Both Sides -- A Welcome Rest -- Night March Across the Plains -- Fording a Mountain Torrent in Darkness -- Two Men Weaken at the Dangerous Crossing -- Still more Indians Sighted -- Our Exasperation -- Soldier Hunters Appear -- Surprised at our Appearance -- Six Mules in Four Hours -- Send in to Camp for Horses -- Weakness of Sibley's Men from Toil and Starvation -- Arrival in Camp -- Our Reception -- Congratulations on our Wonderful Escape, etc. -- CHAPTER XIV. -- THE CUSTER MASSACRE. -- General Crook goes Hunting Again -- Official Account of Custer's Disaster -- Statement of the Crow Scout, Curly -- The only Survivor of Custer's Immediate Command.

The Fire of the Sioux was "Like the Snapping of Threads in Tearing a Blanket "Custer Among the Last to Fall.