Overview

The U.S.-Dakota War, the bloodiest Indian war of the 19th century, erupted in southwestern Minnesota during the summer of 1862. In the war's aftermath, a hastily convened commission of five army officers conducted trials of 391 Indians charged with murder and massacre. In 36 days, 303 Dakota men were sentenced to death. In the largest simultaneous execution in American history, 38 were hanged on a single gallows on December 26, 1862--an incident now widely considered an act of revenge rather than judicial punishment. Providing fresh insight into this controversial event, this book examines the Dakota War trials from the perspective of 19th century military law. The author discusses the causes and far-reaching consequences of the war, the claims of widespread atrocities, the modern debate over the role of culture in lawful warfare and how the war has been depicted by historians.

Full Product Details

Author:   John A. Haymond
Publisher:   McFarland & Co Inc
Imprint:   McFarland & Co Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 17.80cm , Height: 1.40cm , Length: 25.40cm
Weight:   0.481kg
ISBN:  

9781476665108

ISBN 10:   1476665109
Pages:   276
Publication Date:   06 June 2016
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents Acknowledgments Preface Introduction: Beginning at an End Part One: The 1. A War and Its Language 2. Spark, Fuel and Fire 3. The Acton Murders 4. “Over the earth I come” 5. “My heart is hardened” Part Two: The Trials 6. “Ferreting out and punishing the guilty” 7. The Trials Begin 8. Questions of Legality 9. “A species of domestic rebellion” 10. Due Process and the Lack Thereof 11. The Rush to Judgment 12. Violation of the Law: Sibley’s Error Part Three: The Reckoning 13. March to the Gallows 14. Mass Punishment 15. The Executions 16. Concentration Camps and Ethnic Cleansing 17. The Later Military Commission Trials Part Four: The Controversies 18. Crimes or Culture? 19. “The most horrible and nameless outrages” 20. “A fair fight”: Crimes That Were Not Crimes 21. Exaggeration, Errors and Evidence: The Atrocity Debate 22. The Power of the ­Self-Perpetuating Myth Part Five: The Aftermath 23. Misspelled Names, Misplaced Records and Mistaken Identities 24. Confusion and Contradictions 25. Oral Histories 26. Victims of Every Kind 27. After the Storm Conclusion Notes on Sources Appendix: The Creation of Military Commissions Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

Reviews

this excellent, well-researched book is an illuminating study, ripe for discussion in both historical and legal settings. Highly recommended --<i>Choice</i>; deftly examines the Dakota War trials from the perspective of 19th century military law. Impressively researched and notably well written, organized, and presented...an exceptional work of historical scholarship and very strongly recommended --<i>Midwest Book Review</i>.

this excellent, well-researched book is an illuminating study, ripe for discussion in both historical and legal settings. Highly recommended --Choice; deftly examines the Dakota War trials from the perspective of 19th century military law. Impressively researched and notably well written, organized, and presented...an exceptional work of historical scholarship and very strongly recommended --Midwest Book Review; the author examines the trials in detail regarding how the war has been portrayed over the years --Civil War News; brings a new perspective to the historical discussion on the Dakota War trials --The Journal of Military History.

Author Information

John A. Haymond is a conflict historian; his research focuses on the history of the U.S. Army, the laws of war and the impact of war on society. He retired from the army in 2009 and resides in Yelm, Washington.

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