Lewis F. Crawford

First impression: I found the first three chapters to read quickly, with engaging description of the soldier's route around Fort Kearney. The photographs are startlingly plain but implicitly accurate. The author's writing style invites the reader's trust.

At the conclusion: From the subject (Ben Arnold Connor): In bringing these reminiscences to a close I want to emphasize the fact that I have tried to give a few sketchy pictures of the old trail-blazers; those who lived and labored in subduing the wilderness -- the frenzied miner, the obscure scout, the patient bull-whacker, the picturesque cowboy riding the plains, and the old time rancher, sometimes harassed or brought to poverty by blizzards, Texas fever, grasshoppers, and drought, yet through it all cheerful and heroic; and last of all to give credit to individuals of the Red race who with honesty and courage resisted the white men by whom they were despoiled.

Crawford describes the volume as "not the biography of a certain man; but rather the story of the times in which a certain man lived and did his humble part. " In my first reading, I appreciated the descriptions of the Oregon Trail, the balanced depictions of Dakota Indian life, the insight into the military campaigns and forced Indian treaties, the overarching extermination policies being implemented at the time without remorse, and the glaring lack of meaningful roles observed of the subject's women (spouses, daughters, collaborators, coworkers). Life seems cheap with countless individuals killed without any further note of their having been alive or contributing to the conquering of the natives and exploitation of the Old West.

The subject traveled seeking work and labored at tasks not usually recognized such as harvesting trees for firewood to be sold to steamboats, and carrying mail as a courier for military, postal and private employers. The subject's perspective into native life suggests privileged access due to learning many different Indian languages and marrying at least once with a Dakota bride, Itatewin. Their daughter was consulted by the author on interpretation of facts and incidents, and the narrative is sympathetic to native perspectives throughout.

The accompanying map would have been more useful if enlarged at least 4 or 5 times. The B & W photographs grabbed my attention and corroborated the story convincingly.… (mehr)