Fought by former allies, the battle became one of the longest sustained engagements between the U.S. Cavalry and Native Americans. No one really won the battle of Milk Creek. While the Utes controlled the battlefield for most of the conflict, they were soon forced from their land and sent to a new reservation. The soldiers failed miserably in their effort to protect agent-personnel. Perhaps the only measure of benefit was garnered by immigrants when Colorado opened the former Ute land to non-Indian settlement.

Hollow Victory is a fresh and in depth examination of this tragic conflict and its consequences that will be of vital interest to readers interested in the Indian Wars and western history.