BENTEEN'S SCOUT GIVES GREAT VISUAL ACCOUNT OF CONTRVERSIAL EVENT THAT IS RARELY EXPLORED IN DETAIL,USUALLY INACCURATELY. THIS BOOK IS A MUST-ADD TO ANY SERIOUS CUSTER COLLECTION.EXPLAINS BENTEEN'S ACTIONS AND ROUTE ALLOWING BETTER INVESTIGATION OF LITTLE BIGHORN DEBACLE.

Roger Darling has done such an excellent job that it makes one wish that you could saddle a horse and ride across the bluffs as Benteen and his battalion did after leaving the divide. While touring the LHB I was personally able to see where Benteen turned to the left on his scout on what appears to be pretty broken county. Darling's logical determinations finds the three lines of bluffs that Lt. Gibson and his platoon crossed including his final viewing point on the thrd bluff before returning to Benteen and the Battalion in a valley and starting the oblique to the right to join Custer. Excellent four page fold out of a detailed map of the route indicating landmarks, and the geography of the land including elevations, streams, valleys, the morass etc. Although Custer sent messengers to Benteen authorizing him to advance to the next bluff, Darling makes an excellent case that Benteen the expert soildier failed to inform Custer by courier that he found no Indians in the LBH valley to the south or that he was progressing for a return to Custer. Darling notes the land is not as rough as generaly perceived and the book continues to make one think that Benteen could have been a major contributor to Custer's final scene whether the conclusion would have been different is a major question. Short book in pages but concise detail with lots of pictures and the outstanding map.