The Prairie Traveler [Paperback]

Randolph B. Marcy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1994

Reference. In 1859, at the request of the U.S. War Department, Army captain Randolph b. Marcy published a guide for settlers traveling across the American frontier. Because of Marcy's encyclopedic knowledge of the territory and his gift for writing, The Prairie Traveler quickly became the essential handbook for westward-bound pioneers, outlining exactly how to prepare for the trip and what to expect in the open country.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399518657
• ISBN-13: 978-0399518652
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,107,826 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a very entertaining book, February 6, 1999

By 

Wayne Collier - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Prairie Traveler (Paperback)

Marcy was a soldier, trailblazer, and mapmaker. He never gained fame although he conducted five major expeditions through the West and traced the Red River to its source. His task on the various expeditions was to describe the country and its resources for future travelers and settlers. Marcy's advice led to the establishment of five important forts stretching from eastern Oklahoma to western Texas. Marcy later headed a perilous march in 1857-1858, of 680 miles, through snow covered mountains to New Mexico to get supplies for Fort Bridger.

Marcy was very familiar with the West and this knowledge was evident when he wrote three interesting and valuable books on his travels and experiences including "The Prairie Traveler," in 1859. This book is one of the better emigrant guides unlike a similarly entitled book by Joseph Ware. Marcy favored the Southern route to the west coast and his expertise is evident when listing distances, camping spots, trails, water, and grass.

Marcy is less able in describing the route from Utah to the west coast having to rely, in certain instances, on phonetic spelling: Cahoon for Cajon Pass; Coco Mongo for Cucamonga Ranch; San Yenness for San Ynez River. Marcy probably used another explorer's descriptions. It is known he used information provided by Black Beaver on many occasions when they scouted together. Black Beaver was a Delaware, renowned as a scout, a trusted friend, and may have helped Marcy supplement his knowledge of the West and the Plains Indians.

The book is interesting, informative, and unexpectedly funny. Marcy cites medical authorities when warning against: The dangers of noxious airs rising from the ground; The use of Cedron, a Panamanian nut, as an infallible antidote for any snake bite including the bite of the deadly coral snake. Marcy mentions the doctoring used by a frontier mother when her child was bitten repeatedly by a rattler. She poured a huge glass of liquor down the child's throat, making the child very drunk but also curing her. Marcy suggests the use of Arsenic as a tonic for tired blood, that it should be mixed with Ammonia in a full dose and swallowed frequently.

Marcy had good knowledge, for his day and time, of the Plains Indians yet personally disparages them as inveterate beggars while praising them as perfect horsemen. He didn't think they fought fairly and thought it proper they were chastised through force of arms. Marcy quotes a friend (speaking about Indians) - "Tain't no use to talk honor with them, they hain't got no such thing in um. They won't show (a) fair fight. Ef you treat um decently, they think you ar afeard. Trash them well at first, then the balance will sorter take to you and behave themselves." Marcy's anti-Indian attitudes, imparted in his emigrants' books, contributed to their fear and mistrust of Native Americans.

Marcy's book was helpful to neophyte travelers on the Southern Overland Trail and to a lesser extent on the Northern route. There is good advice ranging from simple, but easily overlooked tasks, to unexpected situations such as Northers - ice storms sweeping south over the plains. This book is formatted according to 19th century procedure, each chapter listing is supplemented with descriptive information. Marcy eases a reader's search for information by headlining individuals pages throughout the book with headings such as "stampedes," "sanitary considerations," and so forth. The illustrations are excellent and prove helpful when wondering about portable camp furniture.

Marcy became a Major in August 1859, a Colonel Inspector General in August 1861, served in the Civil War. and ended the conflict a brevet Major General of Volunteers. He retired as a Brigadier General in January 1881. He is best remembered for his books such as The Prairie Traveler, which imparts a flavor of frontier days and is quite entertaining as it deals with the day to day concerns of emigrant travel.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Deals with what to do and take to cross the west of 1859, September 27, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Idaho USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Prairie Traveler (Paperback)

This book covers the logistics of traversing the wild west. Issues from first aid to how hard to ride your animals are discussed. The value of this book is that it gives an insite into what it must have been like to pack a family up and move them to California or any point west of the Mississippi. I would say it is a must read for anyone interested in the pioneer experiance as it provides a background to further studies.