First published 1967
Colorado Territory, 1868. Army scouts ride across windswept plains when Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors strike without warning. The ambush traps the scouting party on a small island in the middle of hostile territory. Lieutenant Frederick Beecher and his men dig in as hundreds of warriors surround them. The soldiers are badly outnumbered. Fear spreads through their ranks. Some men crack under pressure while others find unexpected courage. Wave after wave of attacks test their resolve. Ammunition runs low. Water becomes scarce. The wounded pile up in their makeshift trenches. Each man must choose between breaking and standing firm. As the siege continues, the fate of the entire frontier campaign hangs on whether these isolated soldiers can survive. Brown strips away romantic notions of western warfare to reveal the raw terror and brotherhood forged in desperate combat.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, adventure, action
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: brotherhood, survival
Setting: Colorado
Period: 1868
232 pages · Kindle Edition · Open Road Media