Author Matt Vincent to speak at Nov. 30 History Café
Please join us on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 10:30 a.m. for History Café at the Overland Trail Museum. Matt Vincent and Brigitte Shafer have teamed up for yet another western adventure with their newly released book called “The Chronicles of Custer: First Stand of a Failed Campaign.” Both author and artist will be at the Overland Trail Museum discussing this fascinating new book.
Their first book published in early 2021 was a collection of short stories and essays titled “Wild Times & True Tales from the High Plains” and has since sold out after three printings.
“The Chronicles of Custer” follows the trials and tribulations of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the newly formed 7th Cavalry during the disastrous Hancock Expedition of 1867, which was directed against the Oglala Sioux, Cheyenne Dog Soldiers and other indigenous tribes to remove them from a large portion of Kansas, Nebraska and the eastern half of what was then Colorado Territory.
Nine years before his more famous ride into the Little Bighorn Valley, Custer’s first western field command brought the 7th Cavalry to the South Platte River and the Overland Trail — only a dozen miles from Sterling and the present-day site of the Overland Trail Museum. And as Vincent uncovered in his new book, what followed was an unmitigated disaster marked by mass desertions, Indian attacks, the attempted execution of his own soldiers, and Custer’s own courtmartial and suspension from the U.S. military.
A native of Yuma, Colo., Vincent grew up immersed in western history and lore. He graduated from Yuma High School in 1975 and from the University of Colorado School in 1980. He spent the next 40 years in the publishing industry, becoming an awardwinning newspaper and magazine writer, a photographer, and editor of several national fishing publications.
Brigitte Shafer is a selftaught artist and illustrator who resides on a ranch in northern Washington County. Her unique style of western art has been showcased in several galleries in the area and her beautiful illustrations recently became part of the new Battle of Summit Spring artifact display at the Overland Trail Museum.
Limited edition prints of Shafer’s artwork and copies of “The Chronicles of Custer: First Stand of a Failed Campaign” will be available at the upcoming event in Sterling.
Please call the Museum at 970-522-3895 to reserve your spot at this event!