This work examines the tactical progression and historical significance of the Battle of the Little Bighorn within the broader context of the 1876 Sioux War. Robert M. Utley, a noted historian of the American West, utilizes primary source accounts and military records to reconstruct the engagement between the U.S. Army and the Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne tribes. The text serves as both a historical narrative and a guide to the site, situating the conflict within the evolution of the Custer Battlefield National Monument.

Experts recognize this text as a reliable, concise introduction to the battlefield site and the historical events surrounding the conflict. Readers frequently note the clarity of the prose and the utility of the included maps for those visiting the monument.