Echoes of Betrayal: The Custer Conspiracy

Most people know the story of Custer's last stand. The horrific losses at the battle of the Little Big Horn in late June 1876 influenced U.S. policy and the treatment of all Native Americans for almost a century. While the battle and its aftermath are well known, many aspects of it's catalyst remain shrouded in mystery. This novel seeks to explore those unknowns by posing a thought provoking question; what if the U.S. government intentionally sent Lt. Col. Custer, and his men to their deaths?

Without a doubt, Custer's death and the massacre of his unit created just the type of justification Washington needed to turn the tide of public opinion. With one shocking defeat, they wipe out any meaningful calls for a truce between the two warring factions. This government "conspiracy" could have many advantages. Gold had just been discovered in the sacred tribal lands of the Black Hills and the tapping that reserve would help stimulate the economy. Moreover, white settlers craved those lands for homesteading—sacrificing a few hundred loyal US cavalrymen might have seemed like a small price to pay for unfettered access to such rich and vast new resources. 

Using the fictional character of Sergeant Major Eli Cord, best selling western author W.R. Benton explores this conspiracy scenario. Benton brings all the raw and realistic historical narrative you have come to expect from this author, but he also teams it with a host of historical research. The end result is a novel that weaves together the real and the fictional into a tapestry as rich and varied as the west itself.

A not-to-be-missed novel of adventure and insights into the fascinating era of the American Indian Wars.