Acknowledgements

Custer's reconnaissance of the Black Hills in July and August 1874 is composed of the reports and orders submitted to the Adjutant Generals Office prior to and after the expedition. The material found on National Archives Microfilm Publications Copy No. 666, Roll 152 contains reports of Custer, Ludlow, Winchell, and Grinnell. Grant's and Forsyth's reports were obtained from Custer's Prelude to Glory by Herbert Kraus and Gary Olson published by Bevet Press, 1974. Illingsworths picture's are from the South Dakota State Archives.
The fieldwork (Locating ruts and tracks of the 1874 expedition), obtaining readings (Latitude and Longitude), plotting locations, and coordinating the narration to the appropriate time and area extended over a period of six years. Verification of field work required a majority agreement of Larry Owen, Jack McCulloh, and Joe Sanders.
Many individuals, organizations, institutions, and government agencies have contributed valuable information necessary to compile this interpretation of Custer's Reconnaissance of the Black Hills in 1874. We wish to thank and acknowledge the following: John Honerkamp, William Lei, Louis Merchen, Clayton Cole, Les Bowman, Donald Peterson, Homestake Mining, Rapid City Library and staff, South Dakota School of Mines(Archaeology section, O'Hara collection and staff), National Archives Washington D.C., Custer District Ranger Forest Service, South Dakota School of Mines(Geology department), Weston County Historical Society, Newcastle, Wyoming, South Dakota State Historical Soceity, United States Department of Defense(G.P.S.), Magellan Systems Corporations(G.P.S.), United States Department of the Interior Geological Survey, Lisa Nolan, and the Douglas Middle School for their time and patience in typing the manuscripts.