Boots and Saddles; Or Life in Dakota with General Custer

In Boots and Saddles Elizabeth Bacon Custer offers a personal and vivid memoir of her life alongside her husband General George Armstrong Custer during his time stationed in the American frontier. The narrative focuses on their experiences in Dakota Territory providing a detailed and intimate portrayal of military life the hardships of frontier living and the dynamic between soldiers and Native American tribes. The memoir highlights Custer’s leadership and the challenges he faced as a military officer juxtaposed with Elizabeth's perspective as a supportive wife. Through her eyes the reader gains insight into the emotional toll of life on the frontier where the Custers' interactions with fellow officers soldiers and Native communities were marked by both camaraderie and conflict. Elizabeth’s affectionate portrayal of her husband contrasts with the increasing tension between the U.S. Army and Native American tribes.