The Gray Fox: George Crook and the Indian Wars

George Crook had a distinguished military career--but one that also was far from perfect. This book is the second part of a biographical series. The first takes us through his Civil War career (including an earlier career as an "Indian fighter" in the Pacific region. This one traces his military career after the Civil War across three major campaigns--in the Pacific Northwest, In Arizona, and then against the Sioux and their allies in the Northern plains.This book (and the earlier volume) show him to be a hard fighter, but also someone who was troubled by the "raw deal" that Indians often got--and by their not too rare victimization by settlers, goldbugs, and so on. The first post-Civil War assignment was in the Pacific Northwest. He appears to have done well there, including--again--showing off a more sympathetic side to Indians than many others.The second effort was in "Apacheria," the land of the Apache tribes. Crook really made his name here. He used his forces to wage hard war against what some people stated were the best light cavalry around (the Apache warriors). Among the actors portrayed here is Cochise. The vbook details nicely the tactics that Crook used to reduce the Apache depredations.Finally, the Sioux. Here, there is a more mixed record. The Sioux were different in their approach to war than what Crook had previously experienced, and he may have lost some of his confidence (although that argument is rather speculative). He was quite a bit less successful if one look at military victories. Nonetheless, he did have an impact. The Sioux and other Plains Indians came to trust him. But the kicker? Crook proposed deals with the tribes that General Phil Sheridan and William Sherman would not countenance. Thus, many mixed signals. In the process Crook began to lose the support of his superiors.In the final analysis, an intriguing work on a major figure who is not so well known as perhaps he should be. By the way, there are a few maps and they do provide a nice sense of the context in which action took place.

General George Crook's controversial reputation as an Indian fighter is given fair treatment by author Paul Magid. He undoubtedly distinguished himself in fighting the Apaches in the southwest but did find himself running into controversy when he was transferred to the Department of the Platte. He was to travel north in a pincer movement against the Sioux and Cheyenne in June of 1876 while General Terry and Custer traveled from Fort Abraham Lincoln in North Dakota towards Montana with John Gibbon heading eastward towards the Little Big Horn. However, General Crook and his men were defeated in the Battle of the Rosebud on June 17th one week prior to Custer's defeat at the Greasy Grass. Had Crook been able to be available to help Custer and his men perhaps the Battle at the Little Big Horn would have had a different result. This marred Crook's reputation as an Indian fighter in the reputation of some, most notably in the mind of Indian fighter Nelson Miles.Author Magid correctly portrays the army as made up of not only inexperienced men in regard to fighting Indians but also those inexperienced in riding a horse, underpaid and under supported, along with many who were alcoholic. As stated rivalry and bad blood between Generals Crook and Miles along with the inexperienced General Terry and hatred that Marcus Reno and Thomas Benteen experienced towards General Custer did not help matters in the American army.This is not a pleasant book in regard to what took place towards the American Indian nor was it supposed to be. They were forced off of their land and dumped onto mostly uninhabitable land in which many of them died and were unable to make a living as a farmer. The book contains 398 pages of text along with seventeen pages of photographs. Read it and weep as this is not a pleasant or proud chapter in America's history.

Although not a civil war buff, I had two main interests in reading this book. I wanted to know more about this contradictory man George Crook, and I also wanted to understand in more detail the difficult, conflicting and sometime confusing nature of undertaking military pursuits against the various Indian tribes in the earlier days of this country. Both interests were fulfilled. To me the book not only describes, but takes one into the planning, preparation and execution of skirmishes and battles that often were conducted in vary uncertain and changing environments. To accomplish what sometimes defiant George Crook has, is commendable given the physical, environmental and bureaucratic uncertainties he almost constantly faced. This is especially true as he tried to balance his duties as a military leader with the ultimate concern of his enemy which he rightly deemed an equal. One can’t help feeling that Crook did this mostly in the greater context of what he perceived would be a future country. A quality of a true leader. The detail of the various conflicts, settings and geographical and climatic situations affords the reader with an important perspective of the difficulty of conducting such operations at that time. The overall intensive research conducted by the author gives one comfort in knowing the ultimate product is as solid in its information as the times allow.

A very interesting book on a less headlined indian fighter. Involved in the three pronged attempt to force the Sioux and Cheyenne onto the reservations. One of the first times the indians fought like an army and did some serious damage to Crook and obviously Custer. Crook was involved in the last few battles with the Sioux that finally convinced them of the futility of continuing to fight.

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Exactly as described! Would buy again!

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Lots of info on a lesser known person in the American civil war, who played an important part behind the scenes.