Many people don't realize that before he became the world's most famous Old West entertainer and entrepreneur, Buffalo Bill Cody had an amazing life of adventure on the Great Plains. He was a well-known scout and guide, knew all of the old frontiersmen and many Native Americans, and participated in the Great Sioux War of 1876. Drawing on his experiences and knowledge, Cody and Colonel Henry Inman wrote this classic of the years of westward expansion. Focusing primarily on the Great Salt Lake Trail used by pioneers, the two authors wove a compelling, true, wild-west tale about the characters and events of the mid- to late-19th century. Among those he knew were George Armstrong Custer. Cody was requested to join the southern column on the Yellowstone Expedition, commanded by General Crook. He arrived days after the Little Bighorn disaster and relates the events of that fateful summer in this book.