This book is the sequel to One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd, a fictional story set in the 1870s in which the U.S. government agrees to send a total of 1000 white women to intermarry with the Cheyenne in exchange for 1000 horses. Supposedly, this will advance peaceful relations between white settlers and the Cheyenne people.
Most of the women in the program are volunteers from prisons and insane asylums, though the dozen or so females in the story are 'nice girls' who got locked up due to unfortunate circumstances. The novel is composed of journal entries from one of the women, May Dodd, who was committed to an asylum by her wealthy father for choosing a man below her station. The novel illustrates the women's lives in Chief Little Wolf's Cheyenne tribe in the Montana Territory, and ends with an army raid on the tribe's encampment.
*****
The second book, The Vengeance of Mothers, takes up right after the army's vicious attack - which kills almost everyone in the tribe.....both white and Cheyenne. Two of the white women who survive are Margaret (Meggie) and Susie Kelly, spirited Irish twins with flaming red hair who vow to get revenge by killing U.S. soldiers and taking their scalps and bollocks (testicles).
By now the government has abandoned the 'brides for horses' program, and is trying to sweep the whole business under the rug for fear of public backlash. Just before the program was cancelled, however, the authorities sent out a second contingent of women, and - due to a confluence of circumstances - seven of these females end up with the remains of Chief Little Wolf's tribe, along with Meggie and Susie.
One of the new arrivals is Molly McGill, a former schoolteacher who was sent to Sing Sing prison for murder.
The story is told in alternating sets of journal entries: one set from Meggie and Susie - who write in colloquial Irish lingo that's very picturesque; the other set by Molly McGill - who writes in the refined diction of an educated woman.
From Molly's diary pages we learn how the 'new' white women settle in among the Cherokee, including: the women's use of sign language to communicate with the Indian people; the tipi accommodations, which contain fires for cooking and buffalo blankets for sleeping; the deerskin dresses and shoes given to the women by Cherokee squaws; the women's 'jobs' in the tribe - collecting firewood and carrying water; Cherokee beliefs, etiquette and manners; and so on.
Molly also talks about her infatuation with a handsome Indian brave called Hawk, who's reputed to be a shape-shifter.
One interesting custom that Molly describes is the matrimonial dance ceremony, during which Indian lads are paired up with single girls by a Cherokee matchmaker. After the traditional Indian dance the white women do a toned down version of the raunchy French can-can, which turns out to be a fun addition to the festivities. After the revelry, each paired off couple embarks on a courtship, which - if all goes well - leads to marriage (the woman moves into her husband's tipi).
The author doesn't say much about the Cherokee/white couples, which was a disappointment. I would have liked to know what the 'betrothed' pairs really thought about each other, a man and woman from vastly different cultures - essentially strangers - who presumably have different ideas about physical attractiveness and romance.
Meggie and Susie's diaries address some of the same topics mentioned by Molly. However, they're mostly about the formation of a band of 'women warriors' - both white and Indian - who plan to get revenge on white soldiers.
The women fighters learn to ride a horse while shooting guns, rifles, and bows and arrows.....and even master the art of hanging off the side of a galloping mount while shooting under the horse's neck. Moreover, the women become handy with tomahawks, which are useful for chopping off scalps and bollocks.
Before long, Chief Little Wolf learns that American soldiers are amassing in huge numbers, to wipe out the Indians in the Montana Territory. Thus the Cheyenne embark on a trek to join up with other tribes in the region, so they can fight together. This will turn out to be the Battle of Little Bighorn.
I rooted for the Indians while reading the book, and cheered for their successes. At the same time I was unutterably sad, because the ultimate fate of the Indians is well known.
The story has a variety of interesting secondary characters, including: Gertie - a tough, wily, donkey-riding loner who's comfortable in both the white world and the Indian world; she's a good friend to the white women; Jules Seminole - a filthy, odorous French scout who works with the American army; he's a sadist who likes to degrade and abuse women; Pastor Christian Goodman - a deserter from the U.S. Army who ran off after observing their atrocities; Captain John Bourke - an American Cavalry officer who's sympathetic to the white women (and maybe even the Indians), but has to follow orders; Lady Ann Hall - an English noblewoman who volunteered for the brides program for personal reasons; she's a whiz with horses and guns; and more.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the beginning, which takes place in the present. A Cheyenne woman, dressed in traditional deerskin garb - complete with scalp belt and knife - visits a Chicago publisher to give him the 1870s journals. Asked if her attire attracted attention in the city streets, she says "I blend in. I become whatever, whomever I need to be in the eyes of the beholder." And she does! (LOL)
I enjoyed the book, which gave me a glimpse into the lives of the plains Indians.....and the shameful mistreatment they suffered.
Though this book is a sequel to One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd it can be read as a standalone.
Most of the women in the program are volunteers from prisons and insane asylums, though the dozen or so females in the story are 'nice girls' who got locked up due to unfortunate circumstances. The novel is composed of journal entries from one of the women, May Dodd, who was committed to an asylum by her wealthy father for choosing a man below her station. The novel illustrates the women's lives in Chief Little Wolf's Cheyenne tribe in the Montana Territory, and ends with an army raid on the tribe's encampment.
*****
The second book, The Vengeance of Mothers, takes up right after the army's vicious attack - which kills almost everyone in the tribe.....both white and Cheyenne. Two of the white women who survive are Margaret (Meggie) and Susie Kelly, spirited Irish twins with flaming red hair who vow to get revenge by killing U.S. soldiers and taking their scalps and bollocks (testicles).
By now the government has abandoned the 'brides for horses' program, and is trying to sweep the whole business under the rug for fear of public backlash. Just before the program was cancelled, however, the authorities sent out a second contingent of women, and - due to a confluence of circumstances - seven of these females end up with the remains of Chief Little Wolf's tribe, along with Meggie and Susie.
One of the new arrivals is Molly McGill, a former schoolteacher who was sent to Sing Sing prison for murder.
The story is told in alternating sets of journal entries: one set from Meggie and Susie - who write in colloquial Irish lingo that's very picturesque; the other set by Molly McGill - who writes in the refined diction of an educated woman.
From Molly's diary pages we learn how the 'new' white women settle in among the Cherokee, including: the women's use of sign language to communicate with the Indian people; the tipi accommodations, which contain fires for cooking and buffalo blankets for sleeping; the deerskin dresses and shoes given to the women by Cherokee squaws; the women's 'jobs' in the tribe - collecting firewood and carrying water; Cherokee beliefs, etiquette and manners; and so on.
Molly also talks about her infatuation with a handsome Indian brave called Hawk, who's reputed to be a shape-shifter.
One interesting custom that Molly describes is the matrimonial dance ceremony, during which Indian lads are paired up with single girls by a Cherokee matchmaker. After the traditional Indian dance the white women do a toned down version of the raunchy French can-can, which turns out to be a fun addition to the festivities. After the revelry, each paired off couple embarks on a courtship, which - if all goes well - leads to marriage (the woman moves into her husband's tipi).
The author doesn't say much about the Cherokee/white couples, which was a disappointment. I would have liked to know what the 'betrothed' pairs really thought about each other, a man and woman from vastly different cultures - essentially strangers - who presumably have different ideas about physical attractiveness and romance.
Meggie and Susie's diaries address some of the same topics mentioned by Molly. However, they're mostly about the formation of a band of 'women warriors' - both white and Indian - who plan to get revenge on white soldiers.
The women fighters learn to ride a horse while shooting guns, rifles, and bows and arrows.....and even master the art of hanging off the side of a galloping mount while shooting under the horse's neck. Moreover, the women become handy with tomahawks, which are useful for chopping off scalps and bollocks.
Before long, Chief Little Wolf learns that American soldiers are amassing in huge numbers, to wipe out the Indians in the Montana Territory. Thus the Cheyenne embark on a trek to join up with other tribes in the region, so they can fight together. This will turn out to be the Battle of Little Bighorn.
I rooted for the Indians while reading the book, and cheered for their successes. At the same time I was unutterably sad, because the ultimate fate of the Indians is well known.
The story has a variety of interesting secondary characters, including: Gertie - a tough, wily, donkey-riding loner who's comfortable in both the white world and the Indian world; she's a good friend to the white women; Jules Seminole - a filthy, odorous French scout who works with the American army; he's a sadist who likes to degrade and abuse women; Pastor Christian Goodman - a deserter from the U.S. Army who ran off after observing their atrocities; Captain John Bourke - an American Cavalry officer who's sympathetic to the white women (and maybe even the Indians), but has to follow orders; Lady Ann Hall - an English noblewoman who volunteered for the brides program for personal reasons; she's a whiz with horses and guns; and more.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the beginning, which takes place in the present. A Cheyenne woman, dressed in traditional deerskin garb - complete with scalp belt and knife - visits a Chicago publisher to give him the 1870s journals. Asked if her attire attracted attention in the city streets, she says "I blend in. I become whatever, whomever I need to be in the eyes of the beholder." And she does! (LOL)
I enjoyed the book, which gave me a glimpse into the lives of the plains Indians.....and the shameful mistreatment they suffered.
Though this book is a sequel to One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd it can be read as a standalone.
Sounds like a wonderful pair of books. I'll have to add these to my TBR. Thanks for sharing Barb
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Carla. Hope you enjoy the books. :)
ReplyDelete