Death on the Prairie: The Thirty Years' Struggle for the Western Plains

The Indian Wars of the West #1

by Paul I. Wellman

Death on the Prairie is a sweeping narrative history of the Indian wars on the western plains that never loses sight of the individual actors. Beginning with the Minnesota Sioux Uprising in 1862, Paul I. Wellman shifts to conflicts in present-day Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, and South Dakota, involving, most spectacularly, the Sioux, but also the Cheyennes, Arapahos, Comanches, Kiowas, Utes, and Nez Perces—all being ezed out of their hunting grounds by white settlers.

 

There is never a quiet page as Wellman describes the Sand Creek Massacre (1864), the Fetterman Massacre (1866), the Battle of the Washita (1868), the Battle of Adobe Walls (1874), the Battle of the Little Big Horn (1876), the Nez Perce War (1877), the Meeker Massacre (1879), and the tragedy at wounded Knee (1890) that ended the fighting on the plains. Celebrated chiefs (Red Cloud, Crazy Horse, Black Kettle, Satanta, Joseph, Ouray, Sitting Bull) clash with army officers (notably Custer, Sheridan, Miles, and Crook), and uncounted men, women, and children on both sides are cast in roles of fatal consequence.

Genres: American History

322 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1934

About the author

Paul Iselin Wellman, newspaperman, writer of popular history, novelist and screenwriter, is best known for his books set in the Great Plains of the United States and Kansas. In addition to his books several Hollywood movies , Cheyenne, The Walls of Jericho, Jubal, Apache, The Comancheros, and The Iron Mistress are based on his novels.

Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Wel...
http://www.washburn.edu/reference/cks...

Reviews

[Gabriele Carli · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Se mai questa terra è stata nostra, allora lo è tuttora poiché non l'abbiamo mai venduta. Nelle trattative i commissari hanno sostenuto che il nostro paese è stato venduto al governo. Supponiamo che venga da me un uomo bianco e mi dica: «Giuseppe, mi piacciono i tuoi cavalli e voglio comperarli». Io gli ri spondo: «No, servono a me e non intendo venderli». Allora quello si reca da un vicino e gli dice: «Giuseppe ha dei bei cavalli. Voglio comperarli, ma lui rifiuta di vendermeli». Il mio vicino gli risponde: «Dammi i soldi e ti venderò io i cavalli». L'uomo bianco torna da me e mi dice: «Giuseppe, ho comperato i tuoi cavalli e tu ora devi darmeli». Se noi abbiamo venduto le nostre terre al governo, allora è stato così che voi le avete comperate.”
~ Capo Giuseppe

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I inherited pencil sketches of Indian chiefs made by my artist grandfather in the 1930s based on the photos in Wellman's book. Bought it on eBay; it's considered a classic. Portrayal of natives unusually sympathetic for 1934; Wellman had Indian blood. While the ultimate outcome of the wars is well-known, it's astonishing that they lasted a full 30 years. The chiefs and warriors are unusually presented as fully rounded, extremely capable, politically canny human beings fighting for a just cause. The whites' constant treachery is well-documented here.

[Ronald J Schulz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific overview of the main conflicts with empathy.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wellman's book has to be read with the knowledge that it was written in the 1930's, not long after the Indian wars of the west were finished therefore his perspective is from that era and not from the current 21st century Politically Correct viewpoint. Having said that, I was quite surprised at the author presenting both the Indian and the military viewpoints as he covered the the wars starting with Minnesota's Dakota Uprising of 1862 through to the Plain's Indian wars into the 1880's. It is not a shining part of history for the U.S. and in retrospect could have been handled in many other ways but hindsight doesn't change history.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unbelievably detailed history of the Indians in America...