Over the Earth I Come: The Great Sioux Uprising of 1862 [Paperback]

Duane Schultz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1993

December 26, 1862. On the day after Christmas, in Mankato, Minnesota, thirty-eight Indians were hanged on the order of President Lincoln. This event stands today as the greatest mass execution in the history of the United States. In Over The Earth I Come, Duane Schultz brilliantly retells one of America's most violent and bloody events--the Great Sioux Uprising of 1862.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-- Readers are placed in the center of the action in this account that tells of the Sioux in southern Minnesota, who after years of unconscionable treatment by the federal government, rose up and killed hundreds of white settlers and soldiers over the course of a few weeks. While a remote body in Washington cheated and starved the Sioux with impunity, the local citizens paid the consequences. The lucky ones were killed immediately--the rest suffered horribly. Schultz's evenhanded, highly readable account shows vividly the culture clash of Manifest Destiny as played out in individual lives. It's both a page-turner and a source for frontier/Indian research.
- Judy McAloon, Prince William Public Library System, Woodbridge, VA
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Another sad chapter in the history of the American West sharply and colorfully rendered by Schultz in a fitting successor to his vivid Month of the Freezing Moon (1990). The Sand Creek massacre in Colorado in 1864, the subject of Schultz's previous book, is closely linked to the events described here in that the violent, weeklong uprising in Minnesota in August 1862 placed the whole western frontier on edge. Tricked and betrayed by broken treaties, cheated incessantly by traders, and brought to the brink of starvation by delays in dispensing the government's annuity payments, the Santee Sioux had finally had enough. The flash point was reached over hens' eggs, so legend has it, when warriors mocked as cowards after refusing to steal the eggs shot the hens' owner, his wife, and friends in cold blood. Faced with certain reprisals from whites, the most respected Sioux leader, Little Crow, sided with his war chiefs and the rampage began in earnest. Hundreds of isolated settlers in the area died, with only occasional prisoners taken, while massive attacks took place against the nearby Army garrison and the prosperous town of New Ulm. Even with superior numbers, these assaults failed, however, leaving many warriors dead and the rest disheartened. The Army quickly rounded up all the Sioux to be found (Little Crow's dwindling band escaped to Canada, but he later returned and was killed), sentencing hundreds to death in military court without allowing them a defense. President Lincoln reduced the number of condemned to 38, who were duly hung, but the conflict continued for decades as other tribes took up the fight. Skillfully interwoven from personal and local histories and contemporary accounts--an intimate view of desperation and bloodshed on the Great Plains that's as poignant as it is tragic. (Eight pages of illustrations.) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 307 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (June 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312093608
• ISBN-13: 978-0312093600
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #162,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Greek Tragedy in Minnesota, circa 1862, November 12, 2002

By 

Jeffrey Leach (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Over the Earth I Come: The Great Sioux Uprising of 1862 (Hardcover)

In "Over the Earth I Come," military historian Duane Schultz writes a popular history of the infamous Dakota uprising of 1862. The title of the book comes from a Dakota chant of defiance, a fitting title for a book that describes the efforts of a people to cast off the heavy chains of hopelessness, starvation, and general depravation forged through contact with the American government and its Indian agents.

Schultz writes a gripping account of all aspects of the uprising and the aftereffects of the rebellion. The author weaves narratives of survivors with political and military events of the uprising into a seamless and compelling account of this unfortunate incident in American history. According to Schultz, some 500 to 2000 whites died in the uprising, many of them German settlers unaware of the danger they faced from the angry Dakotas. Hundreds of Dakotas died as well in the futile military campaigns launched against Fort Ridgley, New Ulm, and at the battle of Birch Coulee. The uprising was a tragedy for everyone involved, from the white women and children who died in astonishingly brutal ways, to the Indians who lost their freedom and lands as a result of the uprising, to President Abraham Lincoln who signed a death warrant for 38 Dakotas (Lincoln lessened the tragedy somewhat by commuting some 264 death sentences). Schultz conveys the tragedy with a heartfelt eloquence that brings tears to your eyes.

Early in the book, Schultz examines the causes of the uprising. Was the uprising inevitable? Schultz's answer is a resounding NO! The Dakotas rebelled against the government agents and white settlers due to starvation, a tardy annuity payment, and poor treatment by Indian agents and German settlers. Cultural factors also played a role, as the government played Indians off against each other by rewarding Indians who played by the rules (those who adopted white culture and farming methods), and withholding supplies from "blanket" Indians (those who refused to adopt an alien culture in order to preserve their ancient way of life). The Indians who refused to adopt white culture watched their converted kin collect supplies and food from government warehouses anytime they needed it, while the blanket Indians collected their food on a set schedule. The blanket Indians eventually formed a soldier's lodge and planned military action against the whites. A harmless incident over some eggs on a white farm escalated into the murder of a family of whites, and the war was on.

Schultz spends much time discussing Little Crow, the leader of the uprising. Little Crow, who initially opposed the uprising, eventually changed his mind and supported the revolt, a decision that doomed Little Crow and his people. After discussing Schultz's presentation of Little Crow with a friend, he asked if Schultz relied on the "noble savage" stereotype while discussing Little Crow. I don't think that is the case here, as Little Crow appears as a politically astute politician, saddened over the deaths of white children and white women while generally making the best of a situation rapidly spiraling beyond his control.

In a move sure to bring about howls of protest from the politically correct crowd who believe Indians can do no wrong, Schultz provides graphic details of the slaughter and torture of white settlers caught in the uprising. Through the use of narrative accounts, we see Indian braves on a murder spree of shocking proportions. Indians dashed the heads of children against trees, dropped rocks on people's heads, and tore limbs from still living children. Indians shook hands in a gesture of "friendship" with whites, and then shot them when they turned their backs. The list of atrocities goes on and on. As bad as these descriptions are, there are many worse ones found in this book. It is understandable that whites howled for blood when the uprising came to an end.

At the same time, Schultz shows us the many Indians disgusted at the behavior of their fellow Indians. Just as people sheltered Jews during World War II, some Indians risked life and limb to protect innocent whites. These Indian men and women were truly saviors to many. But in keeping with the theme of tragedy, Schultz explains how a few innocent Indians died on the gallows; one of them was Chaska, an Indian who protected Sarah Wakefield, a white woman taken captive early in the uprising. Despite Sarah's protestations (or perhaps because of them; whites were not interested in letting any Indian off the hook), Chaska ended up on the gallows.

As a popular history, "Over the Earth I Come" does have its limitations. For example, in his discussion on the causes of the uprising, Schultz completely fails to mention the Spirit Lake massacre in 1857 and the withholding of annuity funds by the government in order to force the Indians to do what the government told them to do. Both of these events contributed to the uprising, and discussing them is essential in understanding the events that followed.

"Over the Earth I Come" is an excellent, well written introduction to this troubling event in American history. The book has all the trappings of a novel: dramatic battles, perilous escapes, mind blowing ironies and "what-ifs," and touching stories of human kindness. Schultz conveys the multiple tragedies of this sad event with great sympathy and understanding.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I grew up in the shadows of the conflict, May 5, 2000

By 

Connie Scharf (New Ulm, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Over the Earth I Come: The Great Sioux Uprising of 1862 (Paperback)

Being a native of New Ulm, the names of Little Crow and Chaska, as well as Myrick, Flandrau, and Sibley, were familiar. I also knew much of the history. This book, however, tied all the bits and pieces I've acquired throughout my lifetime into a very readable source. At first it's difficult to continue reading about the atrocities committed, but the author does an excellent job of getting you inside Little Crow's head, and showing why the uprising occurred. The gripping events made it nearly impossible to put the book down, and tears flowed for both Sioux (Dakota) and settler alike.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Informative and Fairly Object, December 17, 2003

By 

Daniel J. Harwood (Fargo, ND 58105) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Over the Earth I Come: The Great Sioux Uprising of 1862 (Hardcover)

As a native of New Ulm, I found this book to be extremely interesting. I realized that I have been to most of these places including Lake Shetek, Fort Ridgely, and Birch Coulee where we sometimes had scout camps. It is hard to imagine some of the scenes that happened at each one of these beautiful landmarks today. Schultz does an excellent job of tying all of these places together. If you live in Minnesota, you should read this book. The narrative flows along very smoothly from one exciting tale to the next making it near impossible to put the book down.

Overall, Schultz seems pretty objective. I do not believe that there is anything in the book that Schult does not believe is factual. It is possible that the stories about the atrocoties committed may have changed some over time. It is impossible to tell exactly what is exactly true. I think that Schultz had an obligation to tell as many stories as he could find, no matter how bad it made the Sioux or Dakota look. Schultz puts a lot of effort into explaining Little Crow's side of the story. I got a new perspective about how this war started. The ending is really sad when he explains how the Indian's freedom was striped away from all of them whether they were innocent or guilty. Many were needlessly punished.

The next time that I visit the Minnesota River Valley I intend to visit some of the Memorials or Monuments. I found a good lisiting of them at http://www.rrcnet.org/~historic.