The fetterman fight ranks among the most crushing defeats suffered by the u. Book overview this description may be from another edition of this product. Sep 11, 2020 the sioux and their allies lured captain william fetterman s patrol at fort phil kearny into a deadly trap in the winter of 1866 in retaliation for trespassing on treaty lands. The civil war was over, and a great westward march began. Fetterman massacre by dee brown hardcover excellent. In the fetterman massacre he tells the story of a needless waste of good lives perpetrated by the sioux people, who. Fetterman arrived at fort phil kearny with extensive combat experience during. Based on a wealth of historical sources and sparked by browns narrative genius, the fetterman massacre is an essential look at one of the frontiers defining. Fetterman and his entire command ironically said to number 80 men were wiped out in about 20 minutes after riding and marching into a trap sprung by 1,500 or more lakota sioux, northern cheyenne and arapaho warriors. Sep 17, 2017 the fetterman massacre was the first time that the native americans defeated and destroyed a large number of soldiers 81. However, knowing how the book would end did not diminish it, if anything, reading a battle summary before hand helps keep the book exciting. Fetterman battle friends of the little bighorn battlefield. Sioux dawn is a retelling of the fetterman massacre.
The party of woodcutters made it safely back to the fort, but colonel fetterman and. Red cloud and his fighters knew there would be no option but to fight for their inherited lands. Dee browns authoritative history of fort phil kearney and the notorious fetterman massacre. As usual this book is very well written, both informative but also interesting. The fetterman massacre bison bks volume 523 of bison book. Read the native american experience online by dee brown books. Carrington who built the fort from which captain william j.
Includes pictures includes accounts of the fighting includes a bibliography for further. The promise implicit in the title of this book is not broken. Like custers last stand, the fetterman massacre of books, novels, and articles keeps the myth solidly in the narrative of the countrys heritage. The fetterman massacre is very much a battle or slaughter that gets grossly overshadowed by the death of custer and his cavalry. This remarkable book synthesizes a lifetime of indepth research into one of americas most storied disasters, the defeat of custers 7th cavalry at the hands of the sioux and cheyenne indians, as well as the complete annihilation of that part of the cavalry led by custer himself. The fetterman battlefield is located north of buffalo, wyoming near the site of fort phil kearny. The fetterman massacre by dee brown open road media. Seen through the eyes of gruff sergeant seamus donegan, here is the historically accurate tale of a.
The fetterman massacre site is a historical site maintained by the state of wyoming. Ive been to the site of fort kearney walked over lodge pole ridge as fetterman did when breaking orders to be massacreed. The second battle in american history from which came no survivors, it. Fetterman paused at the top of the ridge, with an anxious carrington watching through field glasses from the fort wall. The fetterman massacre and the galvanized yankees are both available as bison books. William fetterman, born in 1833 in cheshire, connecticut, was the son of army lieutenant george fetterman and anna maria judd. The book starts out by describing the political background related to the desire of americans wanting the land that the native americans had owned for centuries. This story has always intrigued me because there were no survivors of the fight on the u. Dee brown the fetterman massacre elephant bookstore. One of my favor story is of the fetterman massacre in 1866. New york herald tribune books underlying the book s fascinating comedy and pathos and terror, there is a sociological overtone. Based on a wealth of historical sources and sparked by browns narrative genius, the fetterman massacre is an essential look at one of the frontiers defining conflicts. Dec 21, 2020 the fetterman massacre in 1866 was a prelude to what happened to custer a decade later.
The massacre itself fills only one chapter out of 11, but it is remarkably detailed and by no means is this a criticism. The 1866 fetterman fight, a reconstruction digital scholarship. Carrington set out from fort laramie to establish a series of forts along the bozeman trail with the goal of protecting migrants moving along the trail. The second battle in american history from which came no survivors, it became a cause clbre and was the subject of a congressional investigation. John monnett frames the 1866 fetterman fight on the bozeman trail in presentday wyoming from the viewpoint of lakota and cheyenne participants.
It ranks up there with walter lords classic alamo book a time to stand. William fetterman comes off in the book as a rash hotshot, new to the frontier and used to battlefield success in the civil war. Lamar, ed the new encyclopedia o ft he american fvest new haven. Bury my heart at wounded knee, the fetterman massacre, and creek marys blood. The struggle for the powder river country in 1866 and the making of the fetterman myth.
Phil kearney and the remarkable men who built and defended it. This novel sheds light on some important historical facts before the great battle at fetterman. I cant imagine traveling by covered wagon hundreds of miles a. Dee browns the fetterman massacre is clearly the latter. The fetterman massacre by dee brown, paperback barnes. This dark, unflinching, and fascinating book is dee browns riveting account of events leading up to the battle of the hundred slainthe devastating 1866 conflict that pitted lakota, arapaho, and northern cheyenne warriors, including oglala chief red cloud, against the united states cavalry under. Dee browns authoritative history of fort phil kearney and the notorious fetterman massacre this dark, unflinching, and fascinating book is dee browns riveting account of events leading up to the battle of the hundred slainthe devastating 1866 conflict that pitted lakota, arapaho, and northern cheyenne warriors, including oglala chief red cloud, against the united states. The fetterman massacre occurred on december 21, 1866, at fort phil kearny, a small outpost in the foothills of the big horns. Most americans are unaware of history, and they are certainly unaware of the many, many american losses that the military experienced when fighting wars. With 81 fatalities, the fetterman massacre was the armys worst defeat in the. This dark, unflinching, and fascinating book is dee brown. William judd fetterman arrived at fort phil kearny on nov. Expressed through the firsthand experiences and accounts of sergeant seamus donegan.
For a synopsis of the fetterman battle please read bill prices, the fetterman battle. I just didnt like the way johnston writes and the two maps didnt help with any of the details. The bozeman trail ran through the powder river country, which. The fetterman massacre by dee brownpaperback by dee brown. This is a historical fiction book on the fetterman massacre, 1866 up in montana at the fort phil kearny. Book overview no one captures the glory, adventure and drama of the courageous men and women who tamed the america west like awardwinning author terry johnston. The fetterman massacre 9780739412046 by brown, dee and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. For red cloud and his warriors, there would be no choice but to fight for their ancestral rights. He boasted how his 80 plus men could not only find the native american villages, but also wipe them out and thereby end the war.
To learn more about the fort, its history, and current events please visit the fort phil kearny bozeman trail association. Until custers equally foolish mistake ten years later, the fetterman massacre was the low point for the us army in the west. Bury my heart at wounded knee, the fetterman massacre, and creek marys blood ebook written by dee brown. United states army register of enlistments 17981914. Before historical author dee brown penned his ultimate and most famous work bury my heart at wounded knee, he was out hiking in the sticks, so to say, with his carefully researched the fetterman massacre. The fetterman fight, sometimes called the fetterman massacre, is among the bestknown events of the indian wars. The fetterman massacre by dee brown 1970, trade paperback. This dark, unflinching, and fascinating book is dee browns riveting account of events leading up to the battle of the. Author dee brown takes you back to the 1800s and shows you what life was like in the untamed west. American indians remember it as the battle of the hundred slain. Bury my heart at wounded knee, the fetterman massacre, and creek. Ive written about it and custer in several books, both fiction and nonfiction.
Warning explicit language and graphic contenton a frigid december day in 1866, captain william j. For the first time we have the detailed story of all the little fights that preceded the major disaster of the fetterman massacre. In a little more than15 minutes, fetterman and his men were all dead. The book the fetterman massacre, by dee brown, is a novel based on an event that happened on december 21, 1866.
The book the fetterman massacre, by dee brown, is a. George fetterman graduated from west point on 1 july 1827 and served in the army artillery. The indians sent decoy riders who easily pulled him further from the fort. About the book the fetterman massacre occurred on december 21, 1866, at fort phil kearny, a small outpost in the foothills of the big horns. From the little research i have done, the broad strokes of the book are pretty historically accurate at least in regard to the common accepted actions. The fetterman massacre, 1866 ebook written by terry c. The fetterman massacre was the first time that the native americans defeated and destroyed a large number of soldiers 81. According to the version of the story accepted for well over a century, captain william judd fetterman, 18th u. The fetterman massacre fort phil kearny and the battle of the hundred slain ebook by. The fetterman massacre by charles river editors audiobook. Providing a vivid backdrop to the battle, brown offers a portrait of wyomings ft. The basis of the story is interesting and ive never heard of this massacre.
Although i maybe considered a bit biased as i love any book written by dee brown. Like other myths, this one originated in controversy and was built upon actual deeds and events, magnified, distorted and disproportioned by fiction, invention, imagination and speculation. His plainsmen series brims with colorful characters, fierce battles and compelling historical lore. The second battle in american history from which came no survivors, it became a cause celebre and was the subject of a congressional investigation. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the native american experience. Acting under orders from colonel carrington, brevetcolonel william judd fetterman led eighty men out of the gates of fort phil kearny at 11. Phil kearny, wy, where fetterman left on his infamous ride through the sioux nation with 80 men. Armys worst defeat during red clouds war 9781976539664. Despite this, browns book is not better than the far more recent where a hundred soldiers were killed by john monnett, but rather equally good. The fetterman fight or the battle of a hundred in hand.
The fetterman fight, also known as the fetterman massacre or the battle of the hundredinthehands or the battle of a hundred slain, was a battle during red clouds war on december 21, 1866, between a confederation of the lakota, cheyenne, and arapaho tribes and a detachment of the united states army, based at fort phil kearny, wyoming. While the focus of the book is the fetterman massacre, it is full of details about how the army in the west moved its men and supplies. The fetterman fight irish casualties irish in the american. About the author 1984 dee brown is the author of several novels in addition to his nonfiction books, which include bury my heart at wounded knee, the gentle tamers. On the far side of lodge trail ridge as many as 2,000 warriors waited. Westerners internationals cofounders, best book of 2017.
The fetterman fight army disaster in red clouds war. The fetterman massacre ebook by dee brown 9781453274163. The fetterman massacre was the second battle in american history from which came no survivors, and was a nationally debated incident for ten yearsuntil overshadowed by the custer massacre of 1876. Oct 23, 2012 based on a wealth of historical sources and sparked by browns narrative genius, the fetterman massacre is an essential look at one of the frontiers defining conflicts. An american saga, the book does indeed center on colonel henry b. Dee brown is the author of several novels in addition to his nonfiction books, which include bury my heart at wounded knee, the gentle tamers. At the time of williams birth, lieutenant fetterman was assigned to fort trumbull, new london, connecticut. The daily life of the wives and children is discussed, too. Brown has assembled a notable collection of women who took part in the migrations westward, mostly in the period of 18501880, and presents them, often with enthusiasm and always with sympathy. Infantry regiment, was an arrogant fireeater of an officer, contemptuous of the fighting abilities of the plains indians. Includes pictures includes accounts of the fighting includes a b. Praise the promise implicit in the title of this book is not broken.
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