A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity

This edition of A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivityrescues from obscurity a crucially important work about the bitterly contested U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Written by Mary Butler Renville, an Anglo woman, with the assistance of her Dakota husband, John Baptiste Renville, A Thrilling Narrativewas printed only once as a book in 1863 and has not been republished since. The work details the Renvilles' experiences as "captives" among their Dakota kin in the Peace Party camp. Their sympathetic portrayal of those Dakotas who opposed the war combats the stereotypical and inaccurate view that most Dakotas supported the war in 1862. What emerges from the Renvilles' story is a complex and unique picture of race, gender, and class relations on the Minnesota frontier. As the state of Minnesota commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Dakota War, this narrative provides fresh insights into the most controversial event in the region's history. This new, annotated edition includes groundbreaking historical and literary contexts for both the war and the text.