Old West Books has published their latest collection of “rare, out of print books on the American West,” Catalogue 63 October 2023. There is a wide variety of western material here. It is not focused on the common names, like The Kid or Custer or famed outlaws, just lots of unusual and uncommon items that reflect the American West, primarily of the 19th century. These are a few selections.
We begin with an Indian captivity, one of those books about whites captured by Indians and forced to remain with them. Some ended up adopting Indian ways and did not want to return to Western civilization, but that was not the case with these young ladies. This was an unhappy captivity. The book is Girl Captives of Cheyennes. A True Story of the Capture and Rescue of Four Pioneer Girls 1874. It was written by Grace E. Meredith, niece of Catherine German, the eldest of the sisters, and published in 1927. The family was traveling from Georgia to Colorado in 1874 when they were attacked by Indians. Their parents and other siblings were killed, the girls taken captive by the Cheyenne. The two youngest, Julia and Addie, were freed when the Indian camp was overrun by cavalry. They fled leaving the girls in a pile of buffalo hides. The two girls were emaciated and starving, bringing the soldiers who freed them to tears when they told their story. Catherine and Sophia were released in June of the following year in return for food and gifts. They told of mistreatment, including gang rape. The sisters were all reunited at Fort Leavenworth. Congress set aside $10,000 of payments to be made to the Cheyenne to give to the girls instead when they reached maturity. The man who freed the youngest two was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions. The book is based on the notes and recollections of the oldest sister. This is a very special copy in that it has been signed by all four of the sisters. Old West notes that they occasionally see copies signed by one or two of them, but this is the first they have seen signed by all four. Item 41. Priced at $4,250.
Before getting too angry at the Cheyenne for their behavior, it's important to understand the mistreatment they received, with the major difference being that it was their homeland that was being invaded, not that of the whites. This next item is Dull Knife a Cheyenne Napoleon. The Story of a Wronged and Outraged Indian Tribe, and the Most Masterful and Stubborn Resistance in the History of the American Indians. It was written by noted writer on the Indian wars E. A. Brininstool, published in 1935. He was known as “Dull Knife” to the Sioux though he was “Morning Star” to his Northern Cheyenne people. A couple of months after the Custer battle, the Northern Cheyenne camp was attacked by the Army. Most escaped but lost their shelter and supplies. Many starved before they surrendered. They were sent to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. It was inhospitable with little food and more continued to die. They were desperate to go home. Their pleas were denied. Finally, Dull Knife led them on a daring escape, holding off and hiding from the Army, until captured near Fort Robinson in Nebraska. They sought to join their friends, the Sioux, on the Pine Ridge Reservation, but again were denied. They broke out of their prison and again headed north. Many were killed, but a few, including Dull Knife, finally made it. The authorities still wanted to send them back to Indian Territory, but by this time, their saga had turned much public opinion against the Army. They were allowed to continue to a new reservation in Montana. This is a limited edition copy (250) signed by the author. Item 10. $175.
He may not have been the greatest or most accurate writer ever, but he had a great name. Item 25 is History of the Chisum War or Life of Ike Fridge. Stirring Events of Cowboy Life on the Frontier as Told to Jodie D. Smith, published in 1927. The Chisum War or Pecos War involved battles between large rancher John Chisum and various small ranchers, rustlers, and Apache Indians, and even Billy the Kid. Ike Fridge met Chisum as a very young man serving the Confederacy when Chisum was selling cattle to that side in the Civil War. He later followed Chisum back to Texas and became a working cowboy for him. With encroachments on his land in Texas, Chisum moved his cattle and claimed land in eastern New Mexico. That led to the conflicts between Chisum and others. In time, the Chisum War was absorbed by the larger Lincoln County War, introducing Billy the Kid to Fridge's tale. Ike had numerous things about the Kid wrong, but it is probably based on what he had been told at the time. $2,000.
You probably wouldn't expect to find a statue of Gen. George Armstrong Custer in Michigan. He made his name fighting in the Civil War, and then fighting Indians on the western plains. None of those battles came anywhere close to Michigan. Nor was Custer born in Michigan. He was born in Ohio. Nevertheless, he spent much of his time growing up in Monroe, Michigan, and the people of that community claimed him as their own. That explains this book – Ceremonies Attending the Unveiling of the Equestrian Statue to Major General George Armstrong Custer by the State of Michigan, and Formally Dedicated at the City of Monroe, Michigan, June Fourth, 1910. Laid in is the original unveiling program with a photo of Custer. The ceremony was sufficiently significant to draw President William Howard Taft to speak to the crowd. Custer was not without controversy in his day. Many felt his recklessness and not following orders was what led to his men finding themselves in an untenable position. Still, it does not appear he was controversial in Monroe, at least then. Recently, there have been protests and a movement to have Custer's statue removed. This time, it's not because he lost. It is like the movement to have Columbus statues removed – he was fighting to remove Indians from their own homeland and at times was perhaps unnecessarily brutal. Item 21. $450.
We hear many stories of the winning of the West, and particularly of the journey that brought thousands of people from east of the Mississippi to Oregon and California. Most of the tales came from men. This is a set of 11 volumes from the perspective of women who made the journey. The title is Covered Wagon Women: Diaries & Letters from the Western Trails, 1840-1890. As the title implies, their stories were not meant for publication. They were the thoughts of women making the crossing, either kept for their own memories or sent to loved ones back home. Editor Kenneth L. Holmes presents them exactly as written. He has not corrected grammatical or spelling mistakes, nor added punctuation that ought to be there but sometimes isn't. Some of the women are well-educated and literate, others barely make the grade, but what matters is their experiences, and those are told. It was dangerous and difficult. Hostile Indians, disease, drought and extreme weather, difficult river crossings were part of their reality. They passed the graves of many who had fallen on the way, some seeing husbands and children pass from this life on the trip. Still, they persevered. Most understood what they were getting into. This is the first edition, 1883-1893, and included are the various keepsakes (other printed material) that came with the edition. This is #14 of 33 sets in the brown leather Collector's Edition. Item 30. $2,750.
Old West Books may be reached at 719-260-6030 or oldwestbooks@earthlink.net. Their website is www.oldwestbooks.com.
