A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity - by Mary Butler Renville (Paperback)

About the Book

This annotated edition of A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity rescues from obscurity a crucially important work about a mixed-race couple's experiences while held captive during the bitterly contested U.S.-Dakota War in Minnesota of 1862.

Book Synopsis

This edition of A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity rescues from obscurity a crucially important work about the bitterly contested 1862 U.S.-Dakota War in Minnesota. Written by Mary Butler Renville, an Anglo woman, with the assistance of her Dakota husband, John Baptiste Renville, A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity was printed as a book only once, in 1863, and has not been republished since. The work details the Renvilles' experiences as "captives" among their Dakota kin in the Upper Camp and chronicles the story of the Dakota Peace Party. Their sympathetic portrayal of those who opposed the war in 1862 combats the stereotypical view that most Dakotas supported it and illuminates the injustice of their exile from Dakota homelands. From the authors' unique perspective as an interracial couple, they paint a complex picture of race, gender, and class relations on successive midwestern frontiers.

This narrative provides fresh insights into the most controversial event in the region's history, and includes groundbreaking historical and literary contexts for the text and a first-time collection of extant Dakota correspondence with authorities during the war.

Mary Butler Renville (1830-1895) and John Baptiste Renville (1831-1903) dedicated their lives to education and mission work among the Dakotas. Carrie Reber Zeman is an independent historian specializing in the context and historiography of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Kathryn Zabelle Derounian-Stodola is a professor of English emerita at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the author of The War in Words: Reading the Dakota Conflict through the Captivity Literature (Nebraska, 2009). Dakota scholar Gwen N. Westerman is a professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and coauthor of Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota, winner of the Hognander Minnesota History Award.

Review Quotes

"[A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity] is an essential primary and secondary source for historians interested in the years leading up to, and through, the Dakota War of 1862. Literary critics specializing in captivity narratives will also find much of value in the reprint of this obscure text."--Linda Clemmons, South Dakota History

"A fantastically detailed annotation of the narrative, explaining the political, economic, and kinship connections between Dakota and non-Dakota figures alike and explaining the identities and histories of even the most glancingly mentioned individuals in the text. Taken together, the introductions, annotations, and foreword by Gwen Westerman transform Mary Renville's captivity narrative from an apparently 'simple' statement of experience into a deeply contextualized historical documents."--Catherine J. Denial, Minnesota History

"An ambitious, multifaceted volume that plunges us deep into the complexities of the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War, and more specifically, into the intratribal conflicts that erupted in the wake of colonization and dispossession."--Colette Hyman, H-Net

"It is wonderfully written, an exemplary contribution to the literature of the Dakota War, a model of academic inquiry and deep understanding grounded in primary sources. . . . [It] is also a document of a remarkable partnership"--Scott W. Berg, Minnesota's Heritage

"[The editors] have provided splendid introductions and meticulous and helpful annotations that allow readers to appreciate the importance of this account. Zeman's historical introduction is a scholarly tour de force that reflects an impressive knowledge of the relevant sources and also a good sense of what is significant. . . . It is a complex story that is here well told and convincing. . . . It is an outstanding work."--Raymond DeMallie, editor of The Sixth Grandfather: Black Elk's Teachings Given to John G. Neihardt-- (11/23/2011 12:00:00 AM)

"Anyone looking to further their understanding of the culture and trials of this turbulent time in America's history can't do better than this excellent book."--Monsters and Critics-- (9/18/2012 12:00:00 AM)

"This fascinating edition should help scholars to better understand the complexities of race, gender, and compassion through the voices of those who struggled with them in their own lives."--Michael Knock, Annals of Iowa

"This is an impressive and extremely important contribution to our understanding of the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War. . . . Mary Renville's account, enriched by her husband John's presence at a number of council meetings, offers a perspective that qualitatively differs from other captivity narratives."--Mary Wingerd, author of North Country: The Making of Minnesota-- (11/23/2011 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Mary Butler Renville (1830-1895) and John Baptiste Renville (1831-1903) dedicated their lives to education and mission work among the Dakotas. Carrie Reber Zeman is an independent historian specializing in the context and historiography of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Kathryn Zabelle Derounian-Stodola is a professor of English emerita at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the author of The War in Words: Reading the Dakota Conflict through the Captivity Literature (Nebraska, 2009). Dakota scholar Gwen N. Westerman is a professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and coauthor of Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota, winner of the Hognander Minnesota History Award.