Colorado Territory in 1864 wasn't merely the wild west; it was a land in limbo while the Civil War raged in the east and politics swirled around its potential admission to the union. The territorial governor; John Evans; had ambitions on the national stage should statehood occur--and he was joined in those ambitions by a local pastor and erstwhile Colonel in the Colorado militia; John Chivington. The decision was made to take a hard line stance against any Native Americans who refused to settle on reservations--and in the fall of 1864; Chivington set his sights on a small band of Cheyenne under the chief Black Eagle; camped and preparing for the winter at Sand Creek.When the order to fire on the camp came on November 28; one officer refused; other soldiers in Chivington's force; however; immediately attacked the village; disregarding the American flag; and a white flag of surrender that was run up shortly after the soldiers commenced firing. In the ensuing "battle" fifteen members of the assembled militias were killed and more than 50 wounded Between 150 and 200 of Black Kettle’s Cheyenne were estimated killed; nearly all elderly men; women and children. As with many incidents in American history; the victors wrote the first version of history--turning the massacre into a heroic feat by the troops. Soon thereafter; however; Congress began an investigation into Chivington's actions and he was roundly condemned. His name still rings with infamy in Colorado and American history. Mochi’s War explores this story and its repercussions into the last part of the nineteenth Century from the perspective of a Cheyenne woman whose determination swept her into some of the most dramatic and heartbreaking moments in the conflicts that grew through the West in the aftermath of Sand Creek.
#165095 in Books 2015-03-20Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 11.13 x 1.00 x 9.63l; 2.35 #File Name: 076034812X224 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Very good edition.By cynthia perkinsReally enjoyed.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The real true story behind Melville's "Moby Dick".By ValNot only did this book meet my expectations but it exceeded my expectations. This story has fascinated me for years; ever since I first read Moby Dick and found out it was based on a true story. To read it as written by a man who experienced it first hand was astonishing. I cannot imagine living through such an ordeal.2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. This particular version is very well-illustrated and could easily find its way onto many coffee tablesBy beetdaddyThe book written by Owen Chase is a riveting account of a harrowing experience full of excitement; action; death and the darkest side of human nature when under pressure. Try cutting out the heart of a dead comrade; roasting it on an open fire and then slicing it up for the eating. There's much more. Anyone interested in the history of whaling or early ocean adventures must read this.This particular version is very well-illustrated and could easily find its way onto many coffee tables.This is; however; a rather irritating read in that Chase's book is laid out with numerous interruptions of side stories and distractions. You read along with Chase and then; all of a sudden; you have a break where an article about some other experience or item of interest may take up several pages. To keep your train of thought with Chase; you have to leaf through several pages and try to find where his book resumes.I danced through all the distractions and finished Chase's book and then back-tracked to read the many distracting inserts. It's all interesting but the layout could have been better done to preserve the flow of reading the main book and adding the accessory material in an appendix or at least between chapters of the main book.Overall; though; get the book. It's a large book with good information and pretty illustrations.
