June 21st, 2010

There was a happy surprise in the August 2010 edition of Wild West Magazine I picked up Saturday. The Many Loves of Buffalo Bill was reviewed and the reviewer liked it. I didn’t realize the book was going to be reviewed and am thrilled the material was well received. Maybe that’s why sales for the book increased this past week. I finished handwriting the Elizabeth Custer book Friday. I’m now on to the second rewrite. Progress is being made albeit slow. I have grown quite fond of Elizabeth in the process of writing this book and admire her tremendously. She knew her husband was not a saint, but believed with everything she was that he was not to blame for the happenings at the Little Big Horn. She researched the accounts of the event herself and courageously took on anyone who said Custer was at fault. She championed him right up to the time she died. She outlived all of her husband’s critics, namely Marcus Reno and Frederick Benteen. Reno died at the age of 54 after an operation for cancer of the tongue. Benteen died of heart failure in his mid-60s. Neither one of the men lived great lives after the battle. Elizabeth made sure the world knew they were cowards no matter how much they tried to blame George’s ego for the loss of life at the Last Stand. George once told Elizabeth, “I don’t believe a man ever perpetrated a rank injustice knowingly upon his fellow man but that he suffered for it before he died.” I believe that was true for Reno and Benteen. And now for a look back?on Saturday June 19, 1880, feared ex-marshal George Flatt was out drinking in Caldwell, Kansas and got into a bit of trouble with new the new marshal, Frank Hunt. Flatt was later ambushed and killed on his way to eat supper and witnesses identified Hunt fleeing the scene. I do believe Hunt suffered greatly before he died. I hope Custer’s words turn out to be true for those in my own sphere of influence who have “perpetrated a rank injustice.”