Tom Smith mentioned this text recently, which caused me to think of it again. It is, indeed, a unique book.
"Indian Fights and Fighters" is a fairly short text covering a variety of the more notable battles of the post Civil War Indian Wars. It cannot be considered a definitive text on the entire Indian War period. Rather, it is basically a survey of some of the more interesting or significant battles and personalities. The book discusses The Powder River Expedition, the Fetterman Fight, the Wagon Box Fight, Washita, Little Big Horn, and Rosebud, amongst other battles.
The text of the book flows well, and it is interesting and informative within the limited scope of the work. Indeed, it is a very lively book, engaging the interest of the reader on its topics. I believe that I read the book for the first time around age eleven, as it was in my father's library and I was attracted by the Paxson painting on the cover, and the simple pen and ink drawings found in that particular volume, which are not found in the more recent edition I have. This shows that the book is at least sufficiently easy to read that even a fairly young person can read it. I most recently re read it a couple of years ago, and it was still engaging.
A couple of things need be noted for the potential reader, however. Brady, an Episcopal priest, wrote this book in 1904. Typical for a book of its time, it is one sided in its treatment of the Native American. The book is called, of course, Indian Fights and Fighters, and that is all the more it is about. While it does address the Indian somewhat, unlike latter books Brady clearly wasn't troubled by the outcome of the topic, nor even particularly concerned about it. For those who want to read a balanced account of any one of these battles, this is not it. The story is more or less limited, with some exception, the soldier's side of it, with no really inquiry as to the why or wherefore of events. This is an important distinction.
Additionally, Brady is partisan in his treatment of some of the topics where there is a difference of opinion as to the conduct of the battle. This is particularly evident in his discussion of the Fetterman Fight. Brady is definitely in Carrington's camp, as opposed to some of his predacessors who were in Fetterman's. That being said, later writers are probably just as partisan, only on a clandestine level.
Finally, as this book was written in 1904, Brady cannot have been expected to have made a personal tour of all the sights he discusses. Frankly, I would expect most modern writers to do so, but given the nature of travel when the book was written I would not.
Caveats in mind, this book has remained an important work for nearly a century, which says a lot for the work. It compiled a lot of first hand information, when that could still be done, and is an important reference for the first hand information. It makes, therefore, a good starting point in examination of these battles, from the soldier's viewpoint, at a time close to the battles, when soem first hand information was stilla available.
Pat