Fighting Indian warriors: True tales of the wild frontiers

by Earl Alonzo Brininstool

B0028H3QBI Fighting Indian True Tales of the Wild Frontiers hardcover Publication 1953Stackpole 1953

353 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1975

Reviews

[Richard Klueg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was going to give this book a 3 because of the somewhat clumsyt writing style, but it was just so refreshing to read a non-Politically Correct book on the American West I bumped it to 4. The author declares right from the start that he is "for the red man," pointing out that treaties were not honored because "the white man wanted it." Then he proceeds to describe incidents and individuals with proper reference to their personal skill, courage, and exploits (on both sides), without the insufferable virtue-signaling of so many contemporary writers. The book's title may be a bit misleading, since the white soldiers and scouts are treated more than the Indians.

I mentioned the curious style of the book. It was written in 1953, at a time when the author was able to get information from those who personally knew some of the participants. He also includes material from many of the participants (letters and recollections), though not without mentioning when he had reason to see inaccuracies in their claims. He often relates events in a narrative form with the characters speaking in a quaint form of jargon and slang.

All in all I appreciated the book, which serves to confirm the unfair treatment of the American Indian, but also the courage and determination of those who opened and settled what is now the Western United States.

[Jay Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. It was written while some of the actors were still alive. The book contains oral history, government documents, and letters (plus some other sources). While it is not a scholarly work, I have found oral histories and great source for information. The author points out inconsistencies in some of the accounts, it provides a different perspective than the usual self promotion by certain individuals such as Custer in his one work. I found it very interesting and humorous at times.

[Cws]

AI 970.6