Isaac Coates was Asst. Surgeon attached to the 7th Cavalry during the beginning of hostilities with the Plains Indians. Coates' recently discovered diary notes form the basis of this book. Two major problems with the volume are obvious. First, the diary covers only a short period of time (and that only partially) and thus Kennedy, the modern writing collaborator, must fill in large gaps. This is not wholly successful, as the narrative changes tone drastically and even jumps back and forth in time. Second, Coates is not an impartial observer, being a pal of Custer at times and an ashamed accomplice in genocide of the Indians at others. The horror of the conflict is manifest nonetheless, and is the strongest reason to read this book. Did the Civil War so morally anesthetize these Generals (Custer, Hancock, and Sheridan in particular) that they felt nothing wrong as they butchered Indian women and children and callously treated their troops? This sure isn't the 7th Cav that I saw on movie screens as a kid.

I purchased this book because my great-grandfather was a colleague of Coates, serving in the Medical Department at various frontier posts at the same time. I hoped to see some insight into the duties of an Army surgeon on the Plains, but I was very disappointed that there were almost no references to his medical work. ( )