War, taxes, debt, and the resultant lure of gold -- Gold in Montana, disaster in Wyoming -- The adversaries -- The Gilded Age -- Politics, philanthropy, and corruption -- The Northern Pacific Railroad -- Custer agonistes -- The Yellowstone Expedition -- The Yellowstone battles -- Anatomy of a crash -- Build-up -- Soldiers, scouts and scientists -- Alkali and comets, grass and stars -- In the moon of black cherries -- Homeward bound -- Invasion. |