The period 1865-90 was one of unparalleled change in American frontier history. This span of 25 years witnessed the end of the traditional nomadic lifestyle of the plains Indians, the colonisation of the West by white settlers, and the first experience of the US army in fighting a form of irregular warfare for which its soldiers and commanders were untrained, and its equipment unsuited. That they acquitted themselves so well in the face of bureaucratic meddling, poor supply and appalling climatic conditions, speaks highly of the tenacity and physical toughness of the volunteers who served in the West. Men-at-Arms 163 and 186 and Warrior 4 are also available in a single volume special edition as 'To Live and Die in the West'.

Introduction · Historical Background · Chronology · Enlistment · Training · Uniform and Equipment · Weapons · Field Service · Combat and Tactics · Wounds and Sickness · Campaigns · Sites of Interest · Glossary

Martin Pegler is a Senior Curator of weapons at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds; his hobbies include shooting historic firearms and touring Europe by motorcycle.
Christa Hook is one of Osprey's most popular illustrators, a reputation justly deserved given the perfect blend of attention to detail and narrative realisation that penetrates her work. Her work for Osprey to date includes several joint collaborations with her father Richard. Peter Sarson has produced graphic cutaways for many armoured vehicle publications, and is regarded as one of the world's great illustrators of military vehicles. David Sque has worked on a number of titles for Osprey.