Warpath: The True Story of the Fighting Sioux Told in a Biography of Chief White Bull

by Stanley Vestal, Raymond J. Demallie (Foreword)

Nephew to Sitting Bull, chief of the Sioux, Pte San Hunka (White Bull) was a famous warrior in his own right. He had been on the warpath against whites and other Indians for more than a decade when he fought the greatest battle of his life. On the afternoon of June 25, 1876, five troops of the U. S. Seventh Cavalry under the command of George Armstrong Custer rode into the valley of the Little Big Horn River, confidently expecting to rout the Indian encampments there. Instead, the cavalry met the gathered strength of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors, who did not run as expected but turned the battle toward the soldiers. White Bull charged again and again, fighting until the last soldier was dead. The battle was Custer's Last Stand, and White Bull was later referred to as the warrior who killed Custer. In 1932 White Bull related his life story to Stanley Vestal, who corroborated the details, from other sources and prepared this biography. "All that I told him is straight and true," said White Bull. His story is a matchless account of the life of an Indian warrior.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Native American

291 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1984

About the author

Walter Stanley Vestal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley...

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, but the narrator got in the way too frequently. I prefer verbatim memoirs like those of Yellow Wolf, Two Leggings, and Plenty Coups.

[John Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative read. Provided good insight of the plains Indian culture and the importance for a man to prove himself in battle. Counting coup, stealing horses and killing enemies were portrayed as a necessary rite of passage if a Sioux man was to have honor and good standing in the tribe. Conversely, I was somewhat surprised to learn that Indian wives were treated like chattel. Fidelity and monogamy, at least for White Bull, were values not readily subscribed to. White Bull had 15 wives over the course of his life. Still, it appeared the Sioux family structure was strong. Would recommend this book to anyone wanting a good historical reference dealing with plains Indian warfare and culture.

[John Kimsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone with a slight interest in the history of the American West should read this book. A perspective from an overlooked Sioux chief that brings to light the way Tribes of the Plains went to war.

[Hugh Benson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a puzzling book. I would love to hear what professional historians of Native American history think.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first-hand recounts of the Little Bighorn battle were fascinating; White Bull's narrative of the fight from a Sioux/Cheyenne perspective added small details I had not know before now. For instance White Bull was fighting along side Crazy Horse and he asked him if he was going to lead a small charge into on of the enemy positions. When Crazy Horse said no, White Bull replied "Then I will!" and took off on his pony at a callop.

[Jeremy H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whitebull- my online ego- comes from this book....