Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1876. 44th Congress, 1st Session, Senate. Ex. Doc. 52, April 26, 1876. 8vo., 12pp. VG plus.

A rare report; OCLC locates just three copies [Yale; Clarke Hist. Lib: Univ. Texas at San Antonio]. See Carroll, GENERAL CUSTER AND THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIG HORN; THE FEDERAL VIEW, pp. 3-14. Carroll characterizes all of the reports that pertain to Custer/Battle of Little Big Horn as being rare, and regarding the present report, notes: "Where to begin was at first a difficult problem but it was decided that Senate Executive Document No. 52 qualified for the distinction of being first…It includes reports from agents and representatives of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs written between November 9, 1875, and April 3, 1876. In effect, these reports-which predated the Custer massacre and which were presented to our Federal assembly exactly two month prior to the Little Big Horn confrontation- must be considered the major first indications of the approaching "show-down" even though there were isolated, individual reports prior to this which seem to have gotten lost in all the publishing efforts and the need of the Federal Government. This consolidated report also sets the stage for the Custer disaster as well as subsequent events."

A major document for serious Little Big Horn buffs.