by Grace E. Meredith
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Product Description
This book presents the incredible story behind a celebrated legend of the American West. It draws from the personal reflections of the four sisters. In 1874, a Cheyenne war party attacked the wagons of a family of settlers traveling through Kansas. Only four survived - all young girls who witnessed the slaughter of their parents and siblings before being carried off by the Indians. The girls were eventually set free, but not before their ordeal became a cause celebre of the Red River War. Grace E Meredith, a niece of one of the sisters, deftly uses their words and memories to craft a first-person narrative that makes for engaging reading.
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Average Customer Review:
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
Eye-Witness History, 2007-04-27
Zane Grey called his copy of this book "one of the prized volumes of my Western library" and it is almost unique. On 9/11 in 1874, a lone wagon with a family of nine was ambushed in western Kansas, the parents and three of the older children were killed, and a massive manhunt that mobilized armies across the west was put into action. The two youngest girls were rescued in a daring attack that earned the commander a Congressional Medal of Honor. The older girls were surrendered the following spring.
The story is told from the perspective of the oldest surviving daughter by her niece. I appreciated it because I like to go to the source (I read 19th century books as a hobby) and this gives a first-person account of what it was really like to live in the Cheyenne culture in the mid 1870's. It is balanced in the sense that it is honest and not written to incite hostility or revenge. I have other manuscript reports of this incident and this is consistent with them.
The new introduction by Peter Cozzens is very helpful in filling in some facts--not all of them very pleasant. He also broadens the perspective to include events and movements that are beyond the scope of the original book.
One of the most worthwhile parts of the book is just the amazing resiliancy of the German (the "Ger" is pronounced hard as in "Grape") girls. Despite amazing trauma, they grew up to live relatively normal, happy, long lives. It's worth reading, even if you are not primarily a historian.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Gripping Tale, 2005-03-30
Peter Cozzens' introduction is equally as enthralling as the actual story written by the niece of one of the captive daughters. He fills in much information that would not have been included in an account from nearly 80 years ago.
The German sisters, their brother, and parents, attempted to move from Georgia to Colorado over a period of several years. Along the way, they had to stop to earn money and gather provisions to continue. The whole family except the father wanted to remain in Missouri, but Mr. German had his way, and they continued on to Colorado. They were travelling alone, and were attacked by Indians September 11, 1874. Only four of the sisters survived.
One of the most fascinating things is how they eventually had fairly normal lives after they were rescued and rehabilitated.
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