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The Warren Wagontrain Raid: The First Complete Account of an Historic Indian Attack and Its Aftermath
Excellent Book
- GenresHistory
239 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1974
About the author
Benjamin Capps
28 books12 followersBenjamin Capps was an award-winning novelist and chronicler of western life. Among his works are The Trail to Ogallala, The White Man's Road, The Warren Wagontrain Raid, Sam Chance, and The Indians and The Great Chiefs (Time-Life Old West Series).
Capps was also the author of numerous published short stories, articles, essays, and book reviews. In 1991 he won the Western Writers of America Spur Award for one of his short stories, "Cimarron, The Killer." He wrote on many subjects and did not consider himself only a western writer, even though his greatest successes were western novels.
However, he was primarily interested in the past and its influence on us today. Much of his writing's appeal lies in his knowledge of the Old West's folklore. According to Capps, his writing's aim was to be authentic and "to probe the human nature and human motives" involved in his stories. His works were painstakingly researched for historical accuracy and generally explored lesser known facets of the American frontier. The Western Literature Association honored Capps with the Distinguished Achievement Award in October 1986.
Capps was also the author of numerous published short stories, articles, essays, and book reviews. In 1991 he won the Western Writers of America Spur Award for one of his short stories, "Cimarron, The Killer." He wrote on many subjects and did not consider himself only a western writer, even though his greatest successes were western novels.
However, he was primarily interested in the past and its influence on us today. Much of his writing's appeal lies in his knowledge of the Old West's folklore. According to Capps, his writing's aim was to be authentic and "to probe the human nature and human motives" involved in his stories. His works were painstakingly researched for historical accuracy and generally explored lesser known facets of the American frontier. The Western Literature Association honored Capps with the Distinguished Achievement Award in October 1986.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 18, 2017
Another book about the destruction of a way of life that has scenes which will linger long.
Here's a quote from page 106 :
"Tsatangya was an unusual man. Back at the time of the great Medicine Lodge Treaty ... They received him formally, impressed by his quiet dignity, and he spoke of the changing relationship between the white man and his red brother, about his understanding that Indians must eventually change ... They were profoundly moved. The newsmen there covering the council were strongly affected also. The correspondent HJ. Budd, an Indian hater, a cynic about the dirtiness and unreliability of the redman, wrote this of Tsatangya's brief talk"
"'I have heard the re-echoing eloquence of statesmen, as it warbled through the House and Senate of our nation Capitol. I have heard and felt the influence of ministerial oratory as it came from the rostrum.... But never have I known true eloquence before this day.... When the last goodbye fell from his lips, it was not the voice of college culture, of prejudice, or partisan strife; it was the voice of nature and of God.'"
"Of course, all that had been before Tsatangya lost his favorite son, who was raiding in Texas.."
**
Until page 242, I was wavering about rating the book, perhaps just 3 stars. Then, the way Capps described Satanta's final act ...
quote from page 244 :
"In December of the year when the chief died, a woman, dressed in black and heavily veiled, appeared at the marble yards of Thomas E. Byrne of Houston, Texas, just as he was closing his office for the day. She would not give her name. She bought a monument and made arrangements for him to erect it, telling him the exact spot where the grave could be found. She gave him a slip of paper showing him the inscription he must cut: 'Satanta, Chief of the Kiowas.' Then some Latin (or was it Spanish?) which he could not translate. The woman paid him, and he gave her a receipt reading: 'A stone for Indian Chief, $127.00. Paid in cash.' The monument stood at the head of Satanta's grave for many years, then was carried off by thoughtless vandals.
"If the story be true, one would like to know what the Latin or Spanish said."
(Satanta spoke 5 languages, including Spanish.)
Here's a quote from page 106 :
"Tsatangya was an unusual man. Back at the time of the great Medicine Lodge Treaty ... They received him formally, impressed by his quiet dignity, and he spoke of the changing relationship between the white man and his red brother, about his understanding that Indians must eventually change ... They were profoundly moved. The newsmen there covering the council were strongly affected also. The correspondent HJ. Budd, an Indian hater, a cynic about the dirtiness and unreliability of the redman, wrote this of Tsatangya's brief talk"
"'I have heard the re-echoing eloquence of statesmen, as it warbled through the House and Senate of our nation Capitol. I have heard and felt the influence of ministerial oratory as it came from the rostrum.... But never have I known true eloquence before this day.... When the last goodbye fell from his lips, it was not the voice of college culture, of prejudice, or partisan strife; it was the voice of nature and of God.'"
"Of course, all that had been before Tsatangya lost his favorite son, who was raiding in Texas.."
**
Until page 242, I was wavering about rating the book, perhaps just 3 stars. Then, the way Capps described Satanta's final act ...
quote from page 244 :
"In December of the year when the chief died, a woman, dressed in black and heavily veiled, appeared at the marble yards of Thomas E. Byrne of Houston, Texas, just as he was closing his office for the day. She would not give her name. She bought a monument and made arrangements for him to erect it, telling him the exact spot where the grave could be found. She gave him a slip of paper showing him the inscription he must cut: 'Satanta, Chief of the Kiowas.' Then some Latin (or was it Spanish?) which he could not translate. The woman paid him, and he gave her a receipt reading: 'A stone for Indian Chief, $127.00. Paid in cash.' The monument stood at the head of Satanta's grave for many years, then was carried off by thoughtless vandals.
"If the story be true, one would like to know what the Latin or Spanish said."
(Satanta spoke 5 languages, including Spanish.)
July 13, 2011
The Warren Wagontrain Raid was a small affair (5 or 6 dead), but it led to the destruction of the Kiowa nation. Capps provides an in-depth account of a rarely mentioned event, and fleshes out most of the participants.
August 17, 2013
Indians attacked the Warren wagon train just a short distance from a frontier Texas. They just missed the top military commander west of the Mississippi by ignoring his party in favor of the wagon train.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews