CHEYENNE SUMMER
THE BATTLE OF BEECHER ISLAND
Running through Terry Mort’s latest work is the vast project to build a railway between both coasts of the United States. This served as both a symbol of the growing strength of America and a focal point for the resentment of the tribes who were forced to contemplate an end to their way of life. It was a band of civilian scouts, sent out to protect the railroad, who encountered a large force of Cheyenne and Sioux warriors on 17 September 1868, on a sandbar of the Republican River.
Much of Mort’s book serves as an introduction to the subject of hostilities between settlers and the peoples they displaced. As such, the title of the book is fitting, but the subtitle is slightly misleading. Those most interested in the Battle of
Beecher Island may be surprised at having to wait until page 219 for it to start.
This is more than compensated for by the fact that the opening sections of the book are both fascinating and well-written. It is also far more rewarding to read about the events of the actual battle with some grounding on the tactics, abilities and customs of both sets of combatants.
Mort has an accessible writing style (although a tendency to repeat certain phrases and quotes crops up from time to time), and very often he displays a wry wit. The result is a narrative that skips along engagingly, never seeming like a lecture even though a huge amount of information is being conveyed.