History Of The Spirit Lake Massacre! And Of Miss Abigail Gardiner's Three Month Captivity Among The Indians According To Her Own Account

L. P. LEE

Publication: L P Lee, Publisher, 1857, New Britain

First edition. 8vo. Original light green pictorial wrappers, 47 [1] pp., a few woodcut illustrations, appendix. This rare narrative is "According to her own account, as given to L.P. Lee". Spirit Lake is located in northwestern Iowa, near the Minnesota border. On March 8, 1857 the Sioux massacred more than 40 settlers around the shores of Spirit Lake. Miss Gardiner and three other women, all survivors of murdered families, were taken captive. Two of the women were killed by the Indians and another was traded away. Miss Gardiner alone was eventually ransomed back to civilization. At the time she was ransomed, her captors presented her with a war bonnet with 36 eagle feathers as a token of respect for her bravery. This rare and fragile work was published shortly after Miss Gardiner's ordeal. Almost 30 years later, in 1885, Abigail wrote her own expanded version under her married name of Abigail Gardiner Sharp. A remarkably fine, bright copy.

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