1882: Custer in Chains 1882: Custer in Chains 1882: Custer in Chains is an American alternate history novel written by Robert Conroy. It was first published on May 5, 2015. The point of divergence occurs in 1876 during the Great Sioux War of 1876, George Armstrong Custer survives and defeats Sitting Bull and the Sioux at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Custer's victory over the Indians results in him becoming popular enough to run for President in the 1880 presidential election. He wins and is soon propelled into the White House. Two years later, Custer finds himself bored and seeks new worlds to
Great Sioux War of 1876 To combat the Sioux the U.S. army had a string of forts ringing the Great Sioux Reservation and unceded territory. The largest force arrayed against the Indians at one time was in summer 1876 and consisted of 2,500 soldiers deployed in the unceded territory and accompanied by hundreds of Indian scouts and civilians. Many of the soldiers were recent immigrants and inexperienced on the frontier and in Indian warfare. Cavalry soldiers were armed with .45 caliber, single-action revolvers and the Springfield Model 1873, a single-shot, breech-loading rifle which gave the soldiers a large advantage in range over most Indian weapons.