Capturing military men in contemplation rather than combat, Sherry
Smith reveals American army officers' views about the Indians
against whom they fought in the last half of the nineteenth
century. She demonstrates that these officers--and their wives--did
not share a monolithic, negative view of their enemies, but instead
often developed a great respect for Indians and their cultures.
Some officers even came to question Indian policy, expressed
misgivings about their personal involvement in the Indian Wars, and
openly sympathized with their foe. The book reviews the period
1848-1890--from the acquisition of the Mexican Cession to the
Battle of Wounded Knee--and encompasses the entire
trans-Mississippi West. Resting primarily on personal documents
drawn from a representative sample of the officer corps at all
levels, the study seeks to juxtapose the opinions of high-ranking
officers with those of officers of lesser prominence, who were
perhaps less inclined to express personal opinions in official
reports. No educated segment of American society had more prolonged
contact with Indians than did army officers and their wives, yet
not until now has such an overview of their attitudes been
presented. Smith's work demolishes the stereotype of the
Indian-hating officer and broadens our understanding of the role of
the army in the American West.
General
Imprint: |
University of Arizona Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
February 1991 |
First published: |
February 1991 |
Authors: |
Sherry L. Smith
|
Dimensions: |
247 x 151 x 24mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
263 |
Edition: |
New ed |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-8165-1245-4 |
Categories: |
Books >
Humanities >
History >
General
Books >
History >
General
|
LSN: |
0-8165-1245-0 |
Barcode: |
9780816512454 |
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