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
Battle of the Little Bighorn Sitting Bull's ranks for the summer buffalo hunt. The agents did not take into account the many thousands of these "reservation Indians" who had unofficially left the reservation to join their "uncooperative non-reservation cousins led by Sitting Bull". Thus, Custer unknowingly faced thousands of Indians, including the 800 non-reservation "hostiles". All Army plans were based on the incorrect numbers. Although Custer was severely criticized after the battle for not having accepted reinforcements and for dividing his forces, it must be understood that he had accepted the same official government estimates of hostiles in the area which Terry and Gibbon had