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Most famous today as a founding father, inventor and diplomat, Franklin also commanded troops during the French and Indian War Weapons ready, slogging into the deserted village, the men and their commander were appalled at what they saw: dead soldiers and civilians and evidence of a hasty retreat. The commander ordered quick fortifications against further attack, then burial parties. The orders came from an unlikely figure: Benjamin Franklin, 50 years old, already rich, retired from his printing business and notably famous for his inventions. He had received the Copley Medal from the Royal Society of London in 1753 for his...

"Crook never lied to us. His words gave the people hope." -- Lakota Chief Red Cloud General George Crook, considered by many of his contemporaries, and historians alike to be the US Army's most skilled Indian fighter, respected Native Americans as valiant foes who deserved to be treated fairly and humanely in defeat. Early Years Born near Dayton, Ohio, September 8, 1828, George Crook graduated near the bottom of his class from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1852. As a young lieutenant in Oregon and California, he received his first experience with Indians and saw first-hand how...