Sitting Bull: Champion of the Sioux (Volume 46)

by Stanley Vestal

"If that is Long Hair, I am the one who killed him," White Bull, the young nephew of Sitting Bull, said when Bad Juice pointed out Custer's body immediately after the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Yet it was Sitting Bull who acquired the notoriety and was paraded in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show as "the warrior who killed Custer." But this new edition of Stanley Vestal's classic biography of the famous chief emphasizes that "Sitting Bull's fame does not rest upon the death of Custer’s five troops. Had he been twenty miles away shooting antelope that morning, he would still remain the greatest of the Sioux."

The stirring account of the death throes of a mighty nation and its leader is the story of the "greatest of the Sioux" and his struggle to keep his people free and united. The Sioux were formidable warriors, as attested to by men who fought against them, like General Anson Mills, who said, "They were the best cavalry in the world; their like will never be seen again," but they were up against an overwhelming tide of soldiers, homesteaders, and bureaucrats. Sitting Bull fought long and hard and "He was ... a statesman, one of the most farsighted we have had," but statesmanship could not prevail against such odds.

This powerful biography of Sitting Bull is brought to a new generation of readers in h a new and expanded edition, for much new material had been added to the original edition (published in 1932) that could not be disclosed while the informants were still living. Sitting Bull is a moving account of the epic courage of one man in the face of his inevitable defeat as the last defender of his people's rights.

Genres: Biography, Native American, History, American History

400 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1957

About the author

Walter Stanley Vestal

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

Reviews

[Petter Nordal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has two great virtues not often found together in history books:

First, the author has taken great pains not only to be historically accurate even when others have written slander and lies, but he explains how he came to the conclusions he drew. This book could not have been written today, since Vestal could not have interviewed so many people who were witnesses.

Second, it is beautifully readable. The story is engaging enough, but the prose is lucid and lively as well.

If you want to know who Sitting Bull was, you will need to read this book.

[Jessica DeWitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book primarily to scan it for genealogical information. The book is more of a collection of chronological narrative short stories about Sitting Bull's life (particularly in the first half) than a traditional biography. It should be noted that Walter Stanley Campbell (pen name Stanley Vestal) did have personal relationships with Sitting Bull's nephews and other Dakota and Lakota and did consult them directly for much of the text. This book should be read critically though. Originally published in 1932, Campbell's biography should be considered both a biography of Sitting Bull and as an example of settler writing on Indigenous peoples from the first half of the twentieth century.

[Brook Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating book, based upon research and interviews done by writer Stanley Vestal in the first half of the 20th century. Vestal became close to Sitting Bull's aging nephews and interviewed them exhaustively to compile this work.

Both the history of westward expansion as it pertains to Native Americans as well described traditions are touched upon. Though I was reading it for my own research, I found it to be both helpful and most intriguing.

History has always belonged to the winners, but Vestal has presented the Indians' own story to balance out the narrative.

Well-written and well-done.

[Isabelle Zazaboum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une biographie qu’il faut prendre le temps de lire ! L’auteur a fait un travail de recherche admirable et toutes ses sources semblaient plutôt fiables. Très intéressante et qui donne une autre vision des SIoux, elle reste malgré tout complexe ne serait-ce que par le fait que les indiens changeaient de nom selon avec qui ils étaient, leur âge et la tribu dans laquelle ils séjournaient !

Manifestement Sitting Bull était un homme qui sortait de l’ordinaire par son magnanisme, son charisme et sa sagesse ! Il n’était en rien manichéen, à l’inverse de beaucoup d’autres chefs et savait faire la différence entre les blancs agressifs et ceux dont ils ne risquaient rien.

Tout ça ne l’empêchait en rien d’attaquer en tête, de tuer et de scalper ! Il y a une chose que je retiens et qui m’a énormément étonnée, c’est que la bravoure des Sioux est mesurée en fonction des “coups” portés aux ennemis ! Non pas en tirant, mais en frappant l’ennemi avec l’arme ou à main nue, donc en arriver à une situation de corps à corps.

Pacifiste avant tout, tant que les traités étaient respectés, il était aussi le Grand Chef des indiens des plaines capable de lancer des attaques d’envergures pour faire valoir ses droits. Ce qui pour nous était la tribu Sioux s’avère être un amalgame fluctuant de tribus avec des particularités distinctes.

Cette biographie est aussi l’histoire de ce peuple qui a été trahi, massacré, vendu et affamé alors qu’avec un chef comme Sitting Bull la cohabitation aurait été possible mais, s’il n’a pas été le seul à vouloir la paix, l’envie, le profit et le mépris des indiens ont été plus forts !

#SittingBull #NetGalleyFrance

[Kt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting, but author does romanticize his writing about Sitting Bull. Would definitely recommend this book.

[Lyric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting take on the life and times of the great Indian chief.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. I liked this the best of the more than several books I've read on Sitting Bull.

[Brian Littlehale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vestal did a great job reseaching and writing this from sioux perspective. It also shows the dispicable lack of understanding of our government. A great read!

[Ruth Ellen]

I liked this story much better than the other one. It was a smoother read. I wish Sitting Bull has lived longer. He was an very interesting man.

[Ravi Pulipaka · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was very interesting to know about the Indian chief Sitting Bull