Dee Brown, (1908–2002) was an acclaimed author and historian of the American West. His most famous work, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (1970) details the historical development of the American West from the Native American point of view.
In the novel Cavalry Scout, which takes place in the mid-1800’s, John Singleterry is ordered to guide troops charged with escorting the Cheyenne to a reservation. Although he is engaged to the daughter of his superior officer, Singleterry meets and falls in love with a woman who is half Cheyenne, half white. He becomes involved with the plight of the Indians, their mistreatment and the outrageous injustices they experience.
Brown’s exquisite details and depth of knowledge are impressive. I felt like I rode with him, experienced handling the horses, suffered from the unrelenting cold, and put up with an Army that followed orders dictated by those who didn’t understand the situation. His knowledge of the Indian way of life was fascinating in its authenticity.
Cavalry Scout is a classic and has spurred my interest in reading Brown’s other works. I highly recommend this novel.
Great review, Mary. This book sounds good. I love the classics that keep us grounded. I will add this to my read list. Thank you!
You will absolutely love this book, Carmen, though it will make you sad, too.
Your review here, Mary, has made me want to read this well-known author’s piece! Just put the book on my Amazon wish list (my TBR pile is overflowing so I need another place to put my “wanna reads.”) and discovered I had another book there from Dee Brown I want to read 🙂 So many books, so little time…
I hear you, Alice. I just keep plugging away, sometimes skipping a book before the others.