
Tenting on the Plains (Illustrated Edition) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. General Custer in Kansas and TexasBy Elizabeth Bacon CusterLength15h 4m
About this audiobook
Tenting on the Plains is a richly observant memoir of post–Civil War army life, following Elizabeth Bacon Custer's years accompanying George Armstrong Custer across the unsettled military frontier. Written in a polished, anecdotal Victorian prose, the book blends travel narrative, domestic chronicle, and martial remembrance, presenting camp life, hardship, landscape, and social ritual with vivid immediacy. Its literary context is the late-nineteenth-century fascination with the American West, though its perspective remains unmistakably shaped by military culture and by its era's assumptions. Elizabeth Bacon Custer, widowed after the Battle of the Little Bighorn, became one of the most influential custodians of her husband's public memory. Educated, socially perceptive, and deeply loyal, she wrote from intimate experience of garrison life and from a conscious desire to defend and ennoble Custer's reputation. Her narrative is therefore both personal testimony and commemorative act, revealing as much about memory-making as about frontier history. This illustrated edition is recommended for readers interested in women's life writing, Western Americana, military history, and the cultural mythology surrounding Custer. It should be read critically, especially regarding Indigenous peoples, but its historical value and narrative charm remain considerable.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreBiography and Memoir
Length15 hrs 4 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 27, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
14Chapter X. General Custer Parts with His Staff at Cairo and Detroit.
2Introduction
15Chapter XI. Orders to Report at Fort Riley, Kansas.
3Synopsis
16Chapter XII. Westward Ho!—Fighting Dissipation in the Seventh Cavalry—General Custer's Temptations.
4Historical Context
17Chapter XIII. A Medley of Officers and Men.
5Chapter I. Good-by to the Army of the Potomac.
18Chapter XIV. The Course of True Love.
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6Chapter II. New Orleans After the War.
19Chapter XV. A Prairie Fire.
7Chapter III. A Military Execution.
20Chapter XVI. Sacrifices and Self-Denial of Pioneer Duty—Captain Robbins and Colonel Cook Attacked, and Fight for Three Hours.
8Chapter IV. Marches Through Pine Forests.
21Chapter XVII. A Flood at Fort Hays.
9Chapter V. Out of the Wilderness.
22Chapter XVIII. Ordered Back to Fort Harker.
10Chapter VI. A Texas Norther.
23Chapter XIX. The First Fight of the Seventh Cavalry.
11Chapter VII. Life in a Texas Town.
24Analysis
12Chapter VIII. Letters Home.
25Reflection
13Chapter IX. Disturbed Condition of Texas.
26Memorable Quotes