Archaeology, History, and Custer's Last Battle

Archaeology, History, and Custer's Last Battle
Author: Richard A. Fox
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
Total Pages: 431
Release: 2015-02-16
Genre: History
ISBN: 0806170514

On the afternoon of June 25, 1867, an overwhelming force of Sioux and Cheyenne Indians quickly mounted a savage onslaught against General George Armstrong Custer’s battalion, driving the doomed troopers of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry to a small hill overlooking the Little Bighorn River, where Custer and his men bravely erected their heroic last stand. So goes the myth of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, a myth perpetuated and reinforced for over 100 years. In truth, however, "Custer’s Last Stand" was neither the last of the fighting nor a stand. Using innovative and standard archaeological techniques, combined with historical documents and Indian eyewitness accounts, Richard Allan Fox, Jr. vividly replays this battle in astonishing detail. Through bullets, spent cartridges, and other material data, Fox identifies combat positions and tracks soldiers and Indians across the Battlefield. Guided by the history beneath our feet, and listening to the previously ignored Indian testimonies, Fox reveals scenes of panic and collapse and, ultimately, a story of the Custer battle quite different from the fatalistic versions of history. According to the author, the five companies of the Seventh Cavalry entered the fray in good order, following planned strategies and displaying tactical stability. It was the sudden disintegration of this cohesion that caused the troopers’ defeat. The end came quickly, unexpectedly, and largely amid terror and disarray. Archaeological evidences show that there was no determined fighting and little firearm resistance. The last soldiers to be killed had rushed from Custer Hill.

Late Woodland Societies

Late Woodland Societies
Author: Thomas E. Emerson
Publisher: U of Nebraska Press
Total Pages: 772
Release: 2000-01-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9780803218215

Archaeologists across the Midwest have pooled their data and perspectives to produce this indispensable volume on the Native cultures of the Late Woodland period (approximately A.D. 300?1000). Sandwiched between the well-known Hopewellian and Mississippian eras of monumental mound construction, theøLate Woodland period has received insufficient attention from archaeologists, who have frequently characterized it as consisting of relatively drab artifact assemblages. The close connections between this period and subsequent Mississippian and Fort Ancient societies, however, make it especially valuable for cross-cultural researchers. Understanding the cultural processes at work during the Late Woodland period will yield important clues about the long-term forces that stimulate and enhance social inequality. Late Woodland Societies is notable for its comprehensive geographic coverage; exhaustive presentation and discussion of sites, artifacts, and prehistoric cultural practices; and critical summaries of interpretive perspectives and trends in scholarship. The vast amount of information and theory brought together, examined, and synthesized by the contributors produces a detailed, coherent, and systematic picture of Late Woodland lifestyles across the Midwest. The Late Woodland can now be seen as a dynamic time in its own right and instrumental to the emergence of complex late prehistoric cultures across the Midwest and Southeast.

La Belle

La Belle
Author: James E. Bruseth
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
Total Pages: 916
Release: 2017-03-03
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1623493625

In 1995, Texas Historical Commission underwater archaeologists discovered the wreck of La Salle’s La Belle, remnant of an ill-fated French attempt to establish a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River that landed instead along today’s Matagorda Bay in Texas. During 1996–1997, the Commission uncovered the ship’s remains under the direction of archaeologist James E. Bruseth and employing a team of archaeologists and volunteers. Amid the shallow waters of Matagorda Bay, a steel cofferdam was constructed around the site, creating one of the most complex nautical archaeological excavations ever attempted in North America and allowing the archaeologists to excavate the sunken wreck much as if it were located on dry land. The ship’s hold was discovered full of everything the would-be colonists would need to establish themselves in the New World; more than 1.8 million artifacts were recovered from the site. More than two decades in the making, due to the immensity of the find and the complexity of cataloging and conserving the artifacts, this book thoroughly documents one of the most significant North American archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century.

The Misunderstood Mission of Jean Nicolet

The Misunderstood Mission of Jean Nicolet
Author: Patrick J. Jung
Publisher: Wisconsin Historical Society
Total Pages: 236
Release: 2018-10-15
Genre: History
ISBN: 0870208802

For years, schoolchildren heard the story of Jean Nicolet’s arrival in Wisconsin. But the popularized image of the hapless explorer landing with billowing robe and guns blazing, supposedly believing himself to have found a passage to China, is based on scant evidence—a false narrative perpetuated by fanciful artists’ renditions and repetition. In more recent decades, historians have pieced together a story that is not only more likely but more complicated and interesting. Patrick Jung synthesizes the research about Nicolet and his superior Samuel de Champlain, whose diplomatic goals in the region are crucial to understanding this much misunderstood journey across the Great Lakes. Additionally, historical details about Franco-Indian relations and the search for the Northwest Passage provide a framework for understanding Nicolet’s famed mission.

The Dyck Cliff Dwelling

The Dyck Cliff Dwelling
Author: Todd W. Bostwick
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2020-07-15
Genre:
ISBN: 9780982037829

More than 50 years ago, Dr. Charles Rozaire, an archaeologist from California, began a multi-season excavation project at a small Southern Sinagua cliff dwelling located on artist Paul Dyck's property north of Camp Verde, Arizona. Although a large quantity of incredibly well-preserved materials was recovered, these materials were not analyzed and remained in storage until 2014, when they were donated to the Verde Valley Archaeology Center. After more than five years of analysis, this two-part book is a detailed report on the excavations and the materials recovered. This report has 709 pages of text organized into 14 chapters, with 421 figures and 101 tables. Chapter 1 provides a history of the excavations, profiles of several of the individuals involved, and an outline of Southern Sinagua culture history.Chapter 2 is an edited summary of the original field notes and includes numerous field sketches and photographs taken during the excavations.Chapter 3 is a detailed description of the architecture of the site based on the field notes and on recent visits. Chapter 4 discusses the results of the analysis of the 9,095 sherds and 6 whole or reconstructed vessels recovered.Chapter 5 is a description of the large quantity of well-preserved plant remains.Chapter 6 provides a detailed analysis of the 1,009 faunal remains, including rabbits, deer, beaver, weasel, muskrat, raccoon, various rodents, duck, quail, teal, and other birds.Chapter 7 is a description of the 157 groundstone tools from the site. Chapter 8 reports on a detailed analysis of the 1,709 flaked stone artifacts, including 23 projectile points. Chapter 9 is on ornaments, minerals, and special rocks. Chapter 10 is a lengthy chapter on the amazing textiles, with more than 1,000 pieces of cotton fabrics in a variety of colors recovered from the site.Chapter 11 describes matting, baskets, and sandals found. Chapter 12 discusses a variety of wood, reed, hard-shell squash and gourd artifacts.Chapter 13 presents the analysis of unusual artifacts that may have served special purposes. Chapter 14 provides a summary of many of the artifacts and food remains.

The Historical Archaeology of Virginia from Initial Settlement to the Present

The Historical Archaeology of Virginia from Initial Settlement to the Present
Author: Clarence R. Geier
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2017-02-10
Genre:
ISBN: 9781541023482

The book includes six chapters that cover Virginia history from initial settlement through the 20th century plus one that deals with the important role of underwater archaeology. Written by prominent archaeologists with research experience in their respective topic areas, the chapters consider important issues of Virginia history and consider how the discipline of historic archaeology has addressed them and needs to address them . Changes in research strategy over time are discussed , and recommendations are made concerning the need to recognize the diverse and often differing roles and impacts that characterized the different regions of Virginia over the course of its historic past. Significant issues in Virginia history needing greater study are identified.

On the Hunt

On the Hunt
Author: Robert C Willging
Publisher: Wisconsin Historical Society
Total Pages: 319
Release: 2013-01-22
Genre: History
ISBN: 0870205447

On the Hunt is the story of deer-hunting in Wisconsin, from the spear-throwing Paleo-Indians to the sportsmen of today. Meticulously researched by one of the state's most prolific outdoor writers, On the Hunt covers subsistence and sport hunting, deer camps, changing deer management policies, and recent developments and controversies, from human encroachment on deer habitat to CWD. Range maps and charts tracking annual herd populations and harvest goals complement Willging's engaging storytelling. Drawing from Department of Conservation papers, hunting magazines, newspapers, historic photos of classic deer camps, and the personal stories of hunters and deer managers, On the Hunt offers a fascinating glimpse into a distant and not-so-distant past, when the hunt joined men in almost mythical unity and bucks were seemingly larger than life. An ardent sportsman with nearly 25 years of hunting experience, Willging understands that deer-hunting is as much about the smell of the woods in autumn and the meticulous cleaning of a fine rifle as it is about bringing home a whitetail. His story of how Wisconsin's own World War II flying ace, Richard Bong, squeezed in a few days of hunting while home on leave vividly illustrates the sport's powerful pull on hearts and minds. Willging also engagingly conveys the important tradition of the deer-hunting camp, from a humble two-man shack in Chequamegon National Forest (like the one he shared with his best friend, Steve) to the grand old Deer Foot Lodge founded in 1912 in Vilas County. On the Hunt is perfect preparation for the avid sportsman's annual fall trek with friends and family into the woods.