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Halfbreed: The Remarkable True Story Of George Bent -- Caught Between The Worlds Of The Indian And The White Man
This is the story of the amazing and uncommon life of George Bent-a "halfbreed" born to a prominent white trader and his Indian wife-whose lifetime spanned one of the most exciting epochs in our nation's history. Raised as a Cheyenne but educated in white schools, George Bent fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War, became a Cheyenne warrior and survived the horrific 1864 Sand Creek Massacre, rode and killed for revenge with the ferocious Cheyenne Dog Soldiers, and later became a prominent interpreter and negotiator for whites and adviser to tribal leaders. He hobnobbed with frontier legends Kit Carson, Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill Hickok, and George Custer, and fought side-by-side with great Indian leaders. After a lifetime of adventures and misfortunes, accomplishments and failures, George Bent made a lasting contribution to the memory of his people by sharing with historians the story of the fighting Cheyennes.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 7, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 12, 2012
For anyone interested in the Colorado history, or the history of the Western U. S. in the 19th century, this is really a great find. This is a perfect biography of George Bent, the son of William Bent and Owl Woman, who were both distinguished representatives of the white and Indian worlds in their day. Over a year ago we had finally gotten around to visiting "Bent's Old Fort" national historic site near La Junta, Colorado -- great place to visit. The "Bent" who built this fort was not George, but George's father William, who also gets extensive treatment in this biography.
I had previously read several books about Custer and the Indian wars in the north, such as Lakota Noon: The Indian Narrative of Custer's Defeat, and Give Me Eighty Men: Women and the Myth of the Fetterman Fight. This book is different from this genre in several ways. First, it concerns the southern Cheyenne, so "Custer's Last Stand" rates just a paragraph or two, as an important event that happens offstage. The Indian world in the west was huge and involved many different tribes over vast land areas.
Second, this book also illustrates the considerable interaction, primarily off the battlefield, between Indians and whites. George Bent's father, William, was heavily involved not only in keeping the peace between Indians and whites, but also between the different Indian tribes. War was bad for business! George Bent himself, though he fought for the Cheyenne, seemed to follow roughly in his father's mold, serving as an intermediary between the Indian and white worlds throughout his life.
I liked the extensive discussion of the Sand Creek Massacre. The authors discuss the event itself, in which George Bent was a direct witness and participant (on the Indian side). But they also discuss what led up to it and what followed. Sand Creek could and should have been averted, even in the context of the politics of the day. It led to continued warfare (like the "sacking" of Julesberg, twice) and to further deaths just as the Civil War was winding down. Later in life, George was instrumental in bringing the true history (and location) of Sand Creek to the world's attention.
It was also touching to see how George struggled with alcohol, and how others shamelessly took advantage of his weakness for alcohol to manipulate Indian - white relations in the late 19th century. Fortunately, he finally did overcome alcohol, but it left a devastating impact on him (and the Cheyenne) while he was addicted. Finally, it was also interesting to see how George struggled to get the history of the southern Cheyenne recognized later in his life. He had to push and push the historians George Grinnell and George Hyde to publish all the extensive stories that George Brent had told them. Grinnell did publish his stuff, but George Hyde never got his biography of George Bent published at all; it was finally found by a University of Oklahoma professor over 50 years later, and published in 1968.
If you are interested in Colorado history, this book is fascinating and informative.
I had previously read several books about Custer and the Indian wars in the north, such as Lakota Noon: The Indian Narrative of Custer's Defeat, and Give Me Eighty Men: Women and the Myth of the Fetterman Fight. This book is different from this genre in several ways. First, it concerns the southern Cheyenne, so "Custer's Last Stand" rates just a paragraph or two, as an important event that happens offstage. The Indian world in the west was huge and involved many different tribes over vast land areas.
Second, this book also illustrates the considerable interaction, primarily off the battlefield, between Indians and whites. George Bent's father, William, was heavily involved not only in keeping the peace between Indians and whites, but also between the different Indian tribes. War was bad for business! George Bent himself, though he fought for the Cheyenne, seemed to follow roughly in his father's mold, serving as an intermediary between the Indian and white worlds throughout his life.
I liked the extensive discussion of the Sand Creek Massacre. The authors discuss the event itself, in which George Bent was a direct witness and participant (on the Indian side). But they also discuss what led up to it and what followed. Sand Creek could and should have been averted, even in the context of the politics of the day. It led to continued warfare (like the "sacking" of Julesberg, twice) and to further deaths just as the Civil War was winding down. Later in life, George was instrumental in bringing the true history (and location) of Sand Creek to the world's attention.
It was also touching to see how George struggled with alcohol, and how others shamelessly took advantage of his weakness for alcohol to manipulate Indian - white relations in the late 19th century. Fortunately, he finally did overcome alcohol, but it left a devastating impact on him (and the Cheyenne) while he was addicted. Finally, it was also interesting to see how George struggled to get the history of the southern Cheyenne recognized later in his life. He had to push and push the historians George Grinnell and George Hyde to publish all the extensive stories that George Brent had told them. Grinnell did publish his stuff, but George Hyde never got his biography of George Bent published at all; it was finally found by a University of Oklahoma professor over 50 years later, and published in 1968.
If you are interested in Colorado history, this book is fascinating and informative.
October 15, 2018
The writer obviously did a good job of research, and some of the chapters are very interesting. But I frequently lost track of the many characters introduced throughout the book. Indian names (without any character background) all become muddled until I’m not sure if we’re talking about ‘Dog Soliders’, Cherokees, Kiowa, etc, or Bent’s own tribe. And in fact, the same muddled feeling was felt when reading about the white people as well.
However, since much has been written from the white perspective on these times, it was interesting enough to look at it from the Indian side. Bent spent his time between both sides, and there is considerable insight about the interaction among the Indians, the army, and the government, not much of it admirable of course.
However, since much has been written from the white perspective on these times, it was interesting enough to look at it from the Indian side. Bent spent his time between both sides, and there is considerable insight about the interaction among the Indians, the army, and the government, not much of it admirable of course.
July 17, 2009
What sets this book apart from other western histories is the character of the subject. Bent was simultaneously influential (rich and powerful as a white man because of his father's trading interests, trusted by the Indians because he knew the language and had grown up in their culture) and marginalized because he was an "outsider" to everyone. In many ways, his personal life mirrored the destruction of the Cheyenne people, powerful and free in his youth, and confined to a small and unfamiliar land by his middle age. (Among the many sad ironies of the story is that Bent was unable to accompany the chiefs on any of the journeys to Washington which he so desperately wanted to do because neither group really trusted him.)
For pure "gossip," it's fun to see Bent's views of Grinnel, Hyde and Mooney. Battles, ceremonies, and human interactions are beautifully described; landscapes are not as well drawn.
For pure "gossip," it's fun to see Bent's views of Grinnel, Hyde and Mooney. Battles, ceremonies, and human interactions are beautifully described; landscapes are not as well drawn.
January 9, 2017
The book got off to a really slow start, and there were times where I felt they were injecting too much of their own opinions, and why was I reading this book if he has his own book? But that is because they can add background information and there is a lot of information in the book. I wished they had written a little bit more about his time as a school administrator.
At times it felt like they overly belabored the point about his conflict over his mixed race status, but there were real ways in which it was a problem that was always there, and with which I could sympathize. Having contrasting examples with his siblings was helpful.
At times it felt like they overly belabored the point about his conflict over his mixed race status, but there were real ways in which it was a problem that was always there, and with which I could sympathize. Having contrasting examples with his siblings was helpful.
January 1, 2010
I think the author does a decent job of presenting a non-traditional non-anglocentric perspective, but 'twas not impeccable. One can detect the influence of that old textbook cliche propaganda ever so subtly. I thought the last chapter was a clever twist, highlighting some of the primary sources. Perhaps someday I will visit Yale Divinity School library to check out the Coe Collection of George Bent's papers.
April 9, 2013
Good research, and very readable. Much is drawn from Bent's personal correspondence. Plenty has been written on the white perspective of these events, and as Bent served as interpreter for the Cheyenne, this book provides valuable and often intimate insight to the Southern Cheyenne struggle with army and agency officials. But it's far more than a chronology, and frequently delves into Bent's personal life and the many roles he played in tribal and US history.
March 23, 2015
This is the story of George Bent's life as a halfbreed White/Cheyenne Indian from the mid-1800's to the early 1900's. Bent was the son of famed trader William Bent and his Cheyenne Indian wife Owl Woman. He was educated in the White man's world and served in the Confederate Army, but later became a Cheyenne warrior when his tribe went to war with the United States. A very scholarly book from the Native American point of view. It was very interesting.
January 14, 2016
This book was purchased by my dear friend, Eileen, as part of the genealogy research into my family's history. Turns out the Owl Woman that is my great, great, great grandmother is not the mother of George Bent, the Cheyenne Halfbreed about whom this book is written. The book is a fascinating and sobering look at the lives of the Plains Indians.
January 12, 2009
Amazing true story of George Bent - son of William Bent from Bent's Fort, Colorado, who lived in the two worlds of tribal Indian life and the white man's world. He is a very distant cousin of mine through the Bent family of St. Louis.
July 10, 2011
I grew up 10 miles from Bent's Fort in Colorado and loved this book!
August 11, 2011
Excellent biography of George Bent but also great history of the Southern Cheyenne.
Read
July 15, 2015could not finish this book - too slow reading
March 14, 2017
It was a great insight into Cheyenne history. I really enjoyed it.
December 5, 2016
Helpful to understand the history of the Southern Cheyenne through the life of George Bent, a halfbreed Cheyenne/White.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews