Award Date

1-1-1999

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

History

First Committee Member

Willard H. Rollings

Number of Pages

266

Abstract

Myths permeate histories of the 1866 Fetterman Fight, or Massacre. Thesis foci include myths of the 1866 Fort Laramie Treaty, the July 1866 Skirmish at Crazy Woman's Fork, Jim Bridger's role from May 1866 to spring 1867, and the December 1866 Fetterman Fight. Beginning in 1867, Colonel Carrington, Captain Fetterman's commanding officer, shifted blame from himself to Fetterman. Based upon Carrington's allegations, historical consensus indicts Captain Fetterman for arrogantly disobeying orders, foolishly leading eighty men into a fatal ambush by 1,800 Lakota, Cheyenne, and Araphoe warriors, and committing mutual suicide with Captain Brown when hope was gone. In his 1991 article "Price of Arrogance," John D. McDermott reaffirmed Carrington's accusations. This thesis debunks the myths, challenges the consensus version, reconstructs the fight with soldier and Indian memoirs, and Army documents, and offers a new interpretation of the Fetterman Fight.

Keywords

Fetterman; Fight; Massacre; Memoir; Myth; Reconstruction; Wyoming

Controlled Subject

United States; History; Fetterman Fight (Wyoming : 1866); 1866; Wyoming

File Format

pdf

File Size

9635.84 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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