Five Years a Dragoon ('49 to '54 : and Other Adventures on the Great Plains) (Paperback)

by Percival G. Lowe (Author) "I HAD BEEN RAISED ON A FARM until fifteen; had been newsboy and sold papers about the streets of Lowell, Mass.; had been three years..." (more)
Key Phrases: assistant wagonmaster, meritorious service during the war, brevetted lieutenant colonel, Fort Leavenworth, Fort Riley, Colonel Sumner (more...)

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Product Description
Five Years a Dragoon 49 TO 54. AND OTHER ADVENTURES ON THE GREAT PLAINS. BY PKUOtVAT-. G. LOWE, KANHAH 01TY, MO. PtUNKMN HUDHON PUBiaHUINU CO-1W6. 1 PKKOIVAL I. UOWB, TO TUN MEMORY OF MAJOH DAVID M. HASTINGS, U. S. A., WHO DIKD IN UWTIUWMBNT AT II LS UOMW IN BATH, NKW YQKK, TO WHOM 1 OWK MORE THAN TO ANY OTHKtt FOU HIS KINDLY OUXDANCB IN MY YOUTH AND INMXmUENOK WHILTG SERVING UNDEH HIM quot, AND WIIOSM FRIENDLY OAUK LK. D MM THKOXTGH THK CJRBATEST DJL6 1 - H 1 IOXir l IES, THIS VOLITMK IS Y DKDIOATM1 BY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. At the close of a busy life, interspersed with exciting adventures, I find myself living in the past enjoying the recollections of old comrades and business associates, the scenes in which we mingled in early manhood, the bivouac under the blue sky, the faithful vigil of the weary sentinel for the safety of all. The living who know of the truthfulness of statements herein made are few,, but the records live. Always blessed with a good memory, it seemed to be renewed to come to my assistance, as, step by step, I travel the old roads and recount the incidents of long ago. Fortunately I kej amp gt t an accurate daily journal of some of the campaigns of which I write, and have only to copy extracts, brief, but comprehensive enough without being too voluminous. My recollection of Fort Eiley were first embodied in an address delivered before the Kansas State Historical Society. Referring to this address I received many letters of congratulation and approval. The Journal of the United States Cavalry Association did me the honor to publish it and a number of Army friends signified their approval and urged me to write more, which I did with considerable reluctance, mistrusting my ability the Jour nal continued to encourage me and publish my articles and the result, with all otf its imperfections, is here given quot to the world. Whatever may be its fate in the hands of civil ians, I earnestly hope that it may be read by soldiers, who may find some consolation in comparing 1 their present com fortable homes pay and emoluments with what soldiers enh joyed fifty years ago. The stories here told,, the scenes and incidents referred to, will never be repeated. The gr at plains have been transformed into cultivated fields producing food for millions and sending to the mar kets of the world the finest animals known to fee meat consuming nations of the earth. The wild herds and sav age men have all passed away, never to return. Instead of the wigwam we have the modern home, farm, factory, school and ehurch instead of savage isolation and war, the railroad, telegraph, telephone, rural mail delivery, and the highest intelligence and refinement known to civilization. P. 0. Lowe, Leavenworth, Kansas. December 28, 1906, the fifty-sixth anniversary of my arrival at Fort Leavenworth, PART I. I HAD quot been raised on a farm until fifteen had been new-boy and sold papers about the streets of Low ell, Mass. had been t h r e e years a sailor, including a whaling voyage, and quot learned the daguerreotype busi ness in the gallery of Mr. Plumb on quot Washington Street, Boston, and became a first-class operator. I was a per sistent reader of voyages, travels, campaigns, explora tions and history, and novels - such as Maxryat s, Coop er s, Scott s, etc., and the spirit of adventure was so strong that I determined to enlist in the mounted service, which was sure to place me on the great plains of the West, among Indians, buffaloes, and other big game, and the mountaineers and trappers of whom I had read so much. Fremont s Narrative of 1843-4, and Captain Bon neville s Adventures gave the finishing touches to my inclination. It seemed to me that five years in thds kind of field would round out my education, so to speak, and if I lived would then be readv to settle down to some thing permanently. ftVi YtlA S A Having determined upon this course, I presented my self at the recruiting office in Boston, giving my occupation as a farmer... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (February 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806110899
• ISBN-13: 978-0806110899
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,505,243 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Military life in the "real" old west., May 8, 2000

By	"s-d-s" (New Mexico, USA) - See all my reviews

Percival G. Lowe's account of militart life in the pre-CivilWar west is a must read for the military historian, anyone interestedin American frontier history, or anyone who just likes a good read. Lowe's account is most enlightening because it is written from the enlisted troops point of view. Most histories of the day were written by the officers who were better educated and often said little about the enlisted life on the frontier. Lowe's memoir starts with his induction and training in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and his 3 month trip west to his first post. Just the story regarding his travels to his first duty station include canal boats, river boats, mule trains and just plain old foot slogging marches across a raw expanse only recently opened to settlers from the east and Europe. His writting about his troops escort duty on the early Santa Fe trail is also quite informative. The book is written in the style of the 19th century and is a colorful as well as interesting reading. Well worth the price and time involved.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Story of the Old West, the way it really was, June 6, 2003

By	Lance K. Mertz "Fantasy and Sci-Fi Reader" (Ward Cove, AK USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Percival Lowe was a gentleman, even if he was not an officer, and he was also a good soldier and a great frontiersman. If you want to know what it was like to be a Dragoon on the frontier this is the book. If you are interested in the history of the US Cavalry you need to read this book.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great descriptions of military life in the 1850s and more, November 27, 2007

By	naiche (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Five Years A Dragoon (49 To 54) (Paperback)

Percival Lowe started his western career in the dragoons but after his original enlistment was up he spent quite a few years in the freighting/pack train business, which eventually took a toll on his health. Lowe drops quite a few famous names throughout the book which starts off strong then slows down a bit during the "pack train" years. However, it is an excellent account of just what life was like back then. His army years are a great read and his account of the building of Fort Riley in the middle of a cholera outbreak is quite interesting and something that was new to me. Overall, recommended.