ABSTRACT
This chapter explores newspaper coverage—what reporter George Fitch called the "first draft of history"—of a defining moment in American history and myth. The first mention of George Armstrong Custer's final fight came in several newspaper accounts on July 6, a full twelve days after the battle. According to the newspaper, both General Sherman and General Philip Sheridan were in Philadelphia and had not received "confirmatory information." In the midst of the shock and adulation, some newspapers expressed sympathy for Native Americans. The Daily American compiled the views of a number of New York state newspapers to buttress its contention that Grant, the corruption of his administration, and his Indian policies had caused Custer's massacre. Indian wars were the constant during the study period, though coverage—judged by mentions of the search term Indians—rose significantly in the wake of Custer's defeat at the Little Bighorn.
