- Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Random House (Jan 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0375758569
- ISBN-13: 978-0375758560
- Product Dimensions: 15.2 x 2.5 x 22.9 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 908,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Wild Frontier
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Product Description
Product Description
The real story of the ordeal experienced by both settlers and Indians during the Europeans' great migration west across America, from the colonies to California, has been almost completely eliminated from the histories we now read. In truth, it was a horrifying and appalling experience. Nothing like it had ever happened anywhere else in the world.
In The Wild Frontier, William M. Osborn discusses the changing settler attitude toward the Indians over several centuries, as well as Indian and settler characteristics—the Indian love of warfare, for instance (more than 400 inter-tribal wars were fought even after the threatening settlers arrived), and the settlers' irresistible desire for the land occupied by the Indians.
The atrocities described in The Wild Frontier led to the death of more than 9,000 settlers and 7,000 Indians. Most of these events were not only horrible but bizarre. Notoriously, the British use of Indians to terrorize the settlers during the American Revolution left bitter feelings, which in turn contributed to atrocious conduct on the part of the settlers. Osborn also discusses other controversial subjects, such as the treaties with the Indians, matters relating to the occupation of land, the major part disease played in the war, and the statements by both settlers and Indians each arguing for the extermination of the other. He details the disgraceful American government policy toward the Indians, which continues even today, and speculates about the uncertain future of the Indians themselves.
Thousands of eyewitness accounts are the raw material of The Wild Frontier, in which we learn that many Indians tortured and killed prisoners, and some even engaged in cannibalism; and that though numerous settlers came to the New World for religious reasons, or to escape English oppression, many others were convicted of crimes and came to avoid being hanged.
The Wild Frontier tells a story that helps us understand our history, and how as the settlers moved west, they often brutally expelled the Indians by force while themselves suffering torture and kidnapping.
From the Hardcover edition.
In The Wild Frontier, William M. Osborn discusses the changing settler attitude toward the Indians over several centuries, as well as Indian and settler characteristics—the Indian love of warfare, for instance (more than 400 inter-tribal wars were fought even after the threatening settlers arrived), and the settlers' irresistible desire for the land occupied by the Indians.
The atrocities described in The Wild Frontier led to the death of more than 9,000 settlers and 7,000 Indians. Most of these events were not only horrible but bizarre. Notoriously, the British use of Indians to terrorize the settlers during the American Revolution left bitter feelings, which in turn contributed to atrocious conduct on the part of the settlers. Osborn also discusses other controversial subjects, such as the treaties with the Indians, matters relating to the occupation of land, the major part disease played in the war, and the statements by both settlers and Indians each arguing for the extermination of the other. He details the disgraceful American government policy toward the Indians, which continues even today, and speculates about the uncertain future of the Indians themselves.
Thousands of eyewitness accounts are the raw material of The Wild Frontier, in which we learn that many Indians tortured and killed prisoners, and some even engaged in cannibalism; and that though numerous settlers came to the New World for religious reasons, or to escape English oppression, many others were convicted of crimes and came to avoid being hanged.
The Wild Frontier tells a story that helps us understand our history, and how as the settlers moved west, they often brutally expelled the Indians by force while themselves suffering torture and kidnapping.
From the Hardcover edition.
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19 reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
You are not welcome and we WILL kill you
12 Oct 2005
Format:Paperback
The other reviewers did a good job synopsizing the content of this very good book. I don't want to repeat them so I will note a few things that stood out for me in an effort to not be repetitive
First of all, I found "Wild Frontiers" to be a very interesting compendium of the subject matter which is documented cases of murder in the 300 years of conflict between the Native American and the encroaching stream of immigrants seeking greener pastures.
These new arrivals had goods the Native Americans were interested in after being stuck in 5000 B.C. for 6000 years. The immigrants were able to capitalize on competitions and animosities that had existed for eons between tribes. The Native Americans never seemed to unify to a point where they could effectively stop the onslaught of expansionism. So they killed, often brutally. The settlers did too but the Native Americans culture seemed to hold torture in high regard. Lots of examples are held within. No disrespect meant for the Native Americans, the torture was simply part of the culture, good or bad. Yes I know the Settlers broke every treaty ever made, and I further know it is not fair to judge the past by the mores of today. But slowly burning someone to death over the course of 4 days or cutting someones lower intestine out and tying it to a tree while you beat them so they are made to walk around the tree while they slowly unravel their large and small intestine must have hurt. It's hard not to wince a little.
I decided to read this book after reading Eckert's most excellent "Frontiersmen". It reaffirmed some of the brutality laid out in that amazing story of the Kentucky and Ohio Frontier.
I think scholars would have a hard time debunking any of the reports from this well researched book
I gave this book 4 stars because at times the writing was choppy especially when attempting to segway (sp) into a new story.
Very informative and mostly well written book that I read quickly. I recommend this book to all interested.
First of all, I found "Wild Frontiers" to be a very interesting compendium of the subject matter which is documented cases of murder in the 300 years of conflict between the Native American and the encroaching stream of immigrants seeking greener pastures.
These new arrivals had goods the Native Americans were interested in after being stuck in 5000 B.C. for 6000 years. The immigrants were able to capitalize on competitions and animosities that had existed for eons between tribes. The Native Americans never seemed to unify to a point where they could effectively stop the onslaught of expansionism. So they killed, often brutally. The settlers did too but the Native Americans culture seemed to hold torture in high regard. Lots of examples are held within. No disrespect meant for the Native Americans, the torture was simply part of the culture, good or bad. Yes I know the Settlers broke every treaty ever made, and I further know it is not fair to judge the past by the mores of today. But slowly burning someone to death over the course of 4 days or cutting someones lower intestine out and tying it to a tree while you beat them so they are made to walk around the tree while they slowly unravel their large and small intestine must have hurt. It's hard not to wince a little.
I decided to read this book after reading Eckert's most excellent "Frontiersmen". It reaffirmed some of the brutality laid out in that amazing story of the Kentucky and Ohio Frontier.
I think scholars would have a hard time debunking any of the reports from this well researched book
I gave this book 4 stars because at times the writing was choppy especially when attempting to segway (sp) into a new story.
Very informative and mostly well written book that I read quickly. I recommend this book to all interested.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
A History of the Indian Wars
17 Nov 2005
Format:Paperback
"Wild Frontier" is the story of the conflicts between Indians and Whites in the United States from the first Indian/White war in Jamestown in 1622 until Wounded Knee in 1890. The author characterizes this period as a single war lasting 268 years and he describes many of the thousands of atrocities which occured during that period giving approximately equal weight to those committed by Indians and Whites. Scattered throughout his narrative are many quotes which illustrate the attitudes of the two races toward each other over the course of this long, sordid history.
The heart of the book is found in the three appendices. Appendix A lists known intertribal Indian wars; Appendix B lists the number of deaths caused by Indian atrocities and Appendix C lists the number of indian deaths caused by settlers. The author totes up about 9,000 deaths of Whites attributed to Indians and 7,000 deaths of Indians attributed to Whites.
These long lists are admirably conceived -- but by no means complete casualty lists. For example, the book lists only about 400 Whites killed by Indians during the French and Indian War. I think the total -- from what I have read -- should be much higher. Not listed are Braddock's battle in 1755 and St Clair's in 1791 in which the Indians killed hundreds of White soldiers. Also, the list is probably incomplete for the Whites killed by Apaches and Comanches in the Southwest during the 19th century. On the other side of the conflict, the murder of many, many Indians went unrecorded.
The book is balanced in that it does not minimize or excuse atrocities by either Whites or Indians. The conquest of the United States from the Indians was a long and brutal affair and this book gives you a capsule history of many of the major battles and events in the war.
Smallchief
The heart of the book is found in the three appendices. Appendix A lists known intertribal Indian wars; Appendix B lists the number of deaths caused by Indian atrocities and Appendix C lists the number of indian deaths caused by settlers. The author totes up about 9,000 deaths of Whites attributed to Indians and 7,000 deaths of Indians attributed to Whites.
These long lists are admirably conceived -- but by no means complete casualty lists. For example, the book lists only about 400 Whites killed by Indians during the French and Indian War. I think the total -- from what I have read -- should be much higher. Not listed are Braddock's battle in 1755 and St Clair's in 1791 in which the Indians killed hundreds of White soldiers. Also, the list is probably incomplete for the Whites killed by Apaches and Comanches in the Southwest during the 19th century. On the other side of the conflict, the murder of many, many Indians went unrecorded.
The book is balanced in that it does not minimize or excuse atrocities by either Whites or Indians. The conquest of the United States from the Indians was a long and brutal affair and this book gives you a capsule history of many of the major battles and events in the war.
Smallchief
15 of 19 people found the following review helpful
"Must Reading" for anyone interested in the old West.
26 Jun 2001
Format:Hardcover
I had a chance to read this book recently. Over the last thirty odd years, since the publication of Dee Brown's BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE, it has been fashionable to depict whites as the villains of the Indian Wars. In point of fact the story is far more complex, with more twists and turns. Indian tribes were at war with one another from before the arrival of the whites and in fact were often allied with whites against other tribes during the course of the 300 odd years of conflict.
The Indian Wars were essentially guerrilla wars, and like all such wars evolved into a downward spiral of atrocity and counter-atrocity. You can see similar things happening in contemporary Latin America, where paramilitary forces battle guerrillas in Columbia. The author points out that often the hostilities were not the result of tribes or governments breaking treaties, but rather by individuals beyond the control of same. Indian "tribes" were often loosely controlled groups of culturally similar peoples. Only with the formation of various "Indian Police" on reservations, in the late 1800's was there any real control of individuals to attempt to restrain intertribal warfare, or even conflict between factions of a tribe. The knee-jerk reaction to a group raiding another tribe, or settlers, was to hold the larger "tribe" responsible, and often the resultant conflict generated atrocities by whites. One can see the same thing happening in the Middle-east, as one Palestinian group bombs a bus or nighclub, and the Israeli's retaliate on the Palestinians as a whole. It's a sad commentary on human nature.
I would consider this book "Must Reading" for anyone interested in the old West and the Indian wars. I expect some will take this book, and maybe this review, to task. For the record I am a registered Democrat. The author points out how our acceptance of false history or myth has created problems in dealing with the present state of Indian relations. I see how this goes with other areas in the history of both America and the West. The author is a retired attorney and his sources are documented. Neither whites nor Indians come out of his book smelling like a rose. There is enough stupidity to go around, but the author offers a hopeful note at the end. If some of the acts detailed were to happen in the third world, as they still do, we would probably shake our heads. The Indian Wars were part of our evolution from a third world country, not too far distant in our past, to a hopefully more enlightened present and future.
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