Raised among the Sioux until the age of 15; Charles Alexander Eastman (1858–1939) resolved to become a physician in order to be of the greatest service to his people. Upon completing his education at Boston University School of Medicine; he accepted an appointment to a South Dakota Indian reservation; where he was the only doctor available to the victims of the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee. With the encouragement of his wife; he further distinguished himself both as a writer and as a uniquely qualified interpreter of Native American ways. His writings offer authentic; sometimes stirring views of a world that has forever changed.In The Soul of the Indian; Eastman brings to life the rich spirituality and morality of the Native Americans as they existed before contact with missionaries and other whites. This is a rare firsthand expression of native religion; without the filters imposed by translators or anthropologists. Rather than a scientific treatise; Eastman has written a book; "as true as I can make it to my childhood teaching and ancestral ideals; but from the human; not the ethnological standpoint." His discussions of the forms of ceremonial and symbolic worship; the unwritten scriptures; and the spirit world emphasize the universal quality and personal appeal of Native American religion.
#809782 in Books Frederick William Baron von Steuben 1985-09-01 1985-09-01Format: FacsimileOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.10 x .39 x 5.32l; .42 #File Name: 0486249344192 pagesBaron Von Steuben s Revolutionary War Drill Manual A Facsimile Reprint of the 1794 Edition
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good history; odd lettering; with a bonus.By Bookworm64Not just the drill manual reproduced; but also with the engraved plates showing what was being instructed. Also has the Militia Act of 1792; which should be in any rational discussion of the Second Amendment these days (all able-bodied men; 18-45; are in the militia; must provide own weapon and equipage to certain specifications; and train with everyone else). It also gives basic knowledge of what the duties of most ranks and specialists are; hospitals; camps; marches are covered in a very basic sense for the part-time soldier. The only problem I have with the book is it's such an exact reproduction; it uses the uncrossed lowercase 'f' instead of 's'; which takes a lot of not quite getting used to when reading. It also covers only infantry; as I would guess the average person would not have the funds to be cavalry and artillery is probably the regular army's field of expertise. Note: there was an advice book that I had long ago; for British army officers that I got from Jockey Hollow in NJ. The instructions given to all the ranks in this book certainly make clear what was being parodied in the other one (old school army humor). I wish I had both of them; but I gave away the other one for the exact reason that I have a problem with this one...the odd 's' symbol used.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Good Reference BookBy LtCol ret E. Kennedy; Jr.This is an excellent mark-up reference but it is very different from the original. I don't like the illustrations in the book as they are incomplete (not as many as the original) and split between pages rather than the fold-outs from the originals. Since it is a copy; but not facsimile version; it would be nice if the letters were typed in modern script to make it easier to read. Overall; it is a good academic reference since the wording is virtually identical to originals.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Incredible historical documentBy E. M. Van CourtVon Steuben's drill manual is of extrordinary importance for several reasons.At the shallowest level; it is a primary source for Revolutionary War and War of 1812 reenactors. For 34 years; (1778-1812) this was THE book for the U.S. Army; so any reenactor interested in this period should start here.Pertaining to the history of the U.S. Army; this was the first manual; the first set of standards in place in the army. The first of anything sets the tone for later developments; and any serious research about the U.S. Army or Army doctrine should start here.As an enduring framework; the "Instructions" section is still echoed in U.S. Army leadership doctrine. The roles; responsibilities; and relationships of officers and non-commissioned officers haven't changed that much; especially when compared to the changes in tactics and technology in the intervening centuries. A regimental commander's "first and greatest care" should be "the preservation of the soldiers health"; "A captain cannot be too careful of the company the state has committed to his charge"; "the discipline and order of a company" depend upon the non-commissioned officers. All these ideas ring true whether the army was outfited with flintlocks or thermal-sighted gas-operated selective fire rifles. This continuity is of tremendous value to the spirit of a successful army.This manual was also the instrument of a military transformation for the U.S. Army. Von Steuben arrived at the Continental Army's encampment; and popular legend in the U.S. Army is that he was so shocked by the lack of discipline and disorder that he sat down and wrote the first copy of this manual that very night. This is not true; as mentioned in the publisher's note; but by bringing military discipline to the Continental Army; a bunch of farmers and store clerks were able to turn the tides and defeat the premier ground forces of the era. Again; a significant event in the history of military science as well as American history.As a fencer; I was a little disappointed. Although in the first chapter it mentions that officers and NCOs are to be armed with swords; there is no further mention of the use of swords. Other than this one shortcoming; this was a very enlightening book about the period; and is an influential manual with continuing significance to military science and U.S. Army history.
