This edition of A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity rescues from obscurity a crucially important work about the bitterly contested U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Written by Mary Butler Renville, an Anglo woman, with the assistance of her Dakota husband, John Baptiste Renville, A Thrilling Narrative ... Les mer

This edition of A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity rescues from obscurity a crucially important work about the bitterly contested U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Written by Mary Butler Renville, an Anglo woman, with the assistance of her Dakota husband, John Baptiste Renville, A Thrilling Narrative was printed only once as a book in 1863 and has not been republished since. The work details the Renvilles' experiences as captives among their Dakota kin in the Peace Party camp. Their sympathetic portrayal of those Dakotas who opposed the war combats the stereotypical and inaccurate view that most Dakotas supported the war in 1862. What emerges from the Renvilles' story is a complex and unique picture of race, gender, and class relations on the Minnesota frontier. As the state of Minnesota commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Dakota War, this narrative provides fresh insights into the most controversial event in the region's history. This new, annotated edition includes groundbreaking historical and literary contexts for both the war and the text.

150th anniversary of the Dakota War, this narrative provides fresh insights into the most controversial event in the region's history.

Mary Butler Renville (1830-1895) and John Baptiste Renville (1831-1903) dedicated their lives to education and mission work among the Dakotas. Carrie Reber Zeman is an independent historian specializing in the context and historiography of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Kathryn Zabelle Derounian-Stodola is a professor of English at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the author of "The War in Words: Reading the Dakota Conflict through the Captivity Literature" (Nebraska, 2009). Dakota scholar Gwen N. Westerman is a professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and director of the annual Native American Literature Symposium.
Lukk