This book investigates the historical viability and eventual failure of the United States Army's mid-19th-century experiment to utilize camels as pack animals for logistical operations in the American Southwest. Odie B. Faulk, a historian specializing in the American West, utilizes primary military records and period correspondence to document the logistical challenges of the frontier. He presents an analysis of how the geography of the desert influenced military policy and why the project was ultimately abandoned despite the animals' physical capabilities.

Historians and researchers frequently cite this work as a primary reference for the niche topic of 19th-century military logistics in the American West. The text is noted for its accessible prose and its ability to synthesize obscure archival data into a coherent historical narrative.