History Of The Spirit Lake Massacre And Captivity Of Miss Abigail Gardner.

MRS ABBIE GARDNER-SHARP

Publication: Iowa Printing Company, 1885, Des Moines

First Edition. Second Issue. Brown pebbled-cloth with gilt imprint on front panel and spine. 314pp.+1 page advertisement. Over a 5 day period in March, 1857, fifteen Santee Sioux Indians of the Wahpekute band, led by the renegade chief Inkpaduta, attacked the homes of several settlers in northwestern Iowa, on the shores of Spirit and Okoboji lakes. They brutally killed 35-40 settlers and carried away 4 young women into captivity. Only 13 years old, Abigail Gardner was the youngest of the captives. She witnessed the killing of her family and endured 3 months of captivity before being ransomed. Her firsthand account of this tragedy is a classic. This Second Issue differs from the first in that it includes a 2 page endorsement by Charles E. Flandrau that arrived too late for the initial printing. It also includes a 1-page advertisement for The Orleans, a resort on the south shore of Spirit Lake, inserted between pages 302 & 303. A few light-color smudges on front panel and somewhat more on the back panel. Some very light wear to spine ends and a couple of very small holes on the edges of the spine. Both inner hinges are cracked, but holding very tightly. In all, a very good copy of a scarce account.