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Osprey Men at Arms #63
The American Indian Wars 1860-1890
The American Indian Wars, the most famous of which were fought on the great Western plains between 1860 and 1890, were among the most tragic of all conflicts ever fought. To the victor went no less than the complete domination of the continent, to the loser total extinction. Accustomed only to small scale skirmishing and raiding, the Indians were doomed from the start. They had never fought a European-style war with its constant pressure and co-ordinated strategies. Philip Katcher details the armies of both sides, paying particular attention to their organization and uniforms.
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
About the author
Philip R.N. Katcher
74 books3 followersPhililp Katcher has written over 20 titles in the Men-at-Arms Series including the highly successful five-volume set on Armies of the American Civil War.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 31, 2025
This was a sloppily edited and terribly unbalanced book, and one of the worst of the Osprey series that I’ve encountered.
I quickly grew to distrust the authors when an absolutely inaccurate statement concerning the Plains Indians they made stood out:
“It was not until the late 18th century that the basic groups which became the Plains Indians, the Comanches, Crows, Kiowas, Osages, Pawnees, Sioux and the rest, were thrown out their eastern woodland homes by their perpetual rivals, the Chippewas, and had to find new homes in the arid and sparsely vegetated plains of northern America.”
Of these listed above, the Comanches, Kiowas, Osages, Crows, and Pawnees were NOT forced on to the plains by the Chippewa (Ojibwe), and indeed, not all the Sioux were. As to the ridiculously inclusive statement “…and the rest,” would they include the Apaches? The Nez Perce? The Utes and Paiutes? The Modoc? No, because these people-who also fought against American settlers and troops-had no contact with the Ojibwe. And of these latter, only the Apache are mentioned in this work. The authors ignore most of the tribes involved in the Plains wars and those conflicts in the Trans-Sierra region of the west. The tribes may not have been forced on to the plains by the Chippewa, but they were certainly forced out of this book.
Only two of the eight graphic plates that show the dress and weaponry of the antagonists have native Americans pictured, and only one of these is solely devoted to Native American warriors. Five total native Americans are pictured. Two Sioux (one a “Ghost Dancer”), a Cheyenne appear in the first plate. Two Apache scouts working for the U.S. Army appear alongside some soldiers. Other than that, it is U.S. Army all the way. It seems that this one book deserved to be a series, and that it attempted too much in its spare five dozen pages.
In the text the authors devote six pages to the dress uniforms of the United States Army that reports in dull and granular detail every button and epaulette worn by these troops. Garrison uniforms might be interesting to some, but that again deserves to be a separate book.
The text for pages 22 and 23 were transposed, leading to loss of continuity and confusion. On page 35 “panchos” is spelled “ponshoes.”
This is an abysmal piece of work. It likely has been out of print for years, but if you should come across a used copy of it, consider passing it by.
I quickly grew to distrust the authors when an absolutely inaccurate statement concerning the Plains Indians they made stood out:
“It was not until the late 18th century that the basic groups which became the Plains Indians, the Comanches, Crows, Kiowas, Osages, Pawnees, Sioux and the rest, were thrown out their eastern woodland homes by their perpetual rivals, the Chippewas, and had to find new homes in the arid and sparsely vegetated plains of northern America.”
Of these listed above, the Comanches, Kiowas, Osages, Crows, and Pawnees were NOT forced on to the plains by the Chippewa (Ojibwe), and indeed, not all the Sioux were. As to the ridiculously inclusive statement “…and the rest,” would they include the Apaches? The Nez Perce? The Utes and Paiutes? The Modoc? No, because these people-who also fought against American settlers and troops-had no contact with the Ojibwe. And of these latter, only the Apache are mentioned in this work. The authors ignore most of the tribes involved in the Plains wars and those conflicts in the Trans-Sierra region of the west. The tribes may not have been forced on to the plains by the Chippewa, but they were certainly forced out of this book.
Only two of the eight graphic plates that show the dress and weaponry of the antagonists have native Americans pictured, and only one of these is solely devoted to Native American warriors. Five total native Americans are pictured. Two Sioux (one a “Ghost Dancer”), a Cheyenne appear in the first plate. Two Apache scouts working for the U.S. Army appear alongside some soldiers. Other than that, it is U.S. Army all the way. It seems that this one book deserved to be a series, and that it attempted too much in its spare five dozen pages.
In the text the authors devote six pages to the dress uniforms of the United States Army that reports in dull and granular detail every button and epaulette worn by these troops. Garrison uniforms might be interesting to some, but that again deserves to be a separate book.
The text for pages 22 and 23 were transposed, leading to loss of continuity and confusion. On page 35 “panchos” is spelled “ponshoes.”
This is an abysmal piece of work. It likely has been out of print for years, but if you should come across a used copy of it, consider passing it by.
January 5, 2026
More of a uniform guide than a full history, this Osprey title offers a short overview of the various Indian Wars fought between the federal government and Native tribes from 1860 to 1890. It goes into solid detail on uniforms, weapons, and unit organization for both the United States Army and the tribes they fought, with particular attention given to the Apache, Cheyenne, and Sioux.
One of the more interesting parts of the book is how it highlights the ways uniforms were adapted on both sides, such as the use of buckskin jackets, early camouflage, and the shedding of standard uniform items during summer campaigns. The historical narrative works well as a basic introduction to the subject, but overall the book is best seen as a supplement to more in-depth studies of the Indian Wars rather than a complete history on its own.
One of the more interesting parts of the book is how it highlights the ways uniforms were adapted on both sides, such as the use of buckskin jackets, early camouflage, and the shedding of standard uniform items during summer campaigns. The historical narrative works well as a basic introduction to the subject, but overall the book is best seen as a supplement to more in-depth studies of the Indian Wars rather than a complete history on its own.
July 5, 2020
While the title suggests that this book is a history of the fighting between the U. S. Army and the Native Americans, that is not the case. The emphasis is on the personal outfitting of the individual soldier, what was worn, the accoutrements of their dress and their personal weapons of battle. There are many photos of individuals as well as groups, with explicit descriptions of what they are wearing, explaining what is according to regulation and what is not. Some of the regulations are quoted in the text.
The author is clearly an expert in this subject matter, so if you have an interest in what the soldiers at this time and place were wearing, this is the book you should consult.
The author is clearly an expert in this subject matter, so if you have an interest in what the soldiers at this time and place were wearing, this is the book you should consult.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews