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On
April 23rd 1875 near the Sappa Creek in Kansas a
small and ugly action took place between a small
group of Cheyenne indians and Company H of the United
States Sixth Cavalry. The entire battle was likely
over in about an hour but the controversy around
the event continues to this day. Author William
Y. Chalfant does an admirable job of not only telling
a detailed account of the fight but also exploring
the events leading up to the action and the distortions
and misunderstandings that took place following
the action.
Chalfant
has an even handed approach to the history of the
Plains Indian Wars. He does not seek to demonize
either side of the conflict. He is sympathetic to
the plight of the Cheyenne indians at the time but
does not ignore the fact that atrocities occured
on both sides during these bloody episodes. What
he does try to do is estabish what very likely actually
happened when Lieutenant Austin Henely's troops
engaged the indians at Sappa Creek. It was amazing
to read how the facts often became distorted in
the years following the battle by individuals who
had little connection to the fight.
I
would personally recommend the book. There have
been other books written about this incident but,
from my perception, I doubt that any author could
take a more balanced approach to the event. |
