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Rating: 
Summary: Very Informative and Fairly Object
Review: As a native of New Ulm, I found this book to be extremely interesting. I realized that I have been to most of these places including Lake Shetek, Fort Ridgely, and Birch Coulee where we sometimes had scout camps. It is hard to imagine some of the scenes that happened at each one of these beautiful landmarks today. Schultz does an excellent job of tying all of these places together. If you live in Minnesota, you should read this book. The narrative flows along very smoothly from one exciting tale to the next making it near impossible to put the book down.Overall, Schultz seems pretty objective. I do not believe that there is anything in the book that Schult does not believe is factual. It is possible that the stories about the atrocoties committed may have changed some over time. It is impossible to tell exactly what is exactly true. I think that Schultz had an obligation to tell as many stories as he could find, no matter how bad it made the Sioux or Dakota look. Schultz puts a lot of effort into explaining Little Crow's side of the story. I got a new perspective about how this war started. The ending is really sad when he explains how the Indian's freedom was striped away from all of them whether they were innocent or guilty. Many were needlessly punished. The next time that I visit the Minnesota River Valley I intend to visit some of the Memorials or Monuments. I found a good lisiting of them at http://www.rrcnet.org/~historic.
Rating:
Summary: Very Informative and Fairly Object
Review: As a native of New Ulm, I found this book to be extremely interesting. I realized that I have been to most of these places including Lake Shetek, Fort Ridgely, and Birch Coulee where we sometimes had scout camps. It is hard to imagine some of the scenes that happened at each one of these beautiful landmarks today. Schultz does an excellent job of tying all of these places together. If you live in Minnesota, you should read this book. The narrative flows along very smoothly from one exciting tale to the next making it near impossible to put the book down. Overall, Schultz seems pretty objective. I do not believe that there is anything in the book that Schult does not believe is factual. It is possible that the stories about the atrocoties committed may have changed some over time. It is impossible to tell exactly what is exactly true. I think that Schultz had an obligation to tell as many stories as he could find, no matter how bad it made the Sioux or Dakota look. Schultz puts a lot of effort into explaining Little Crow's side of the story. I got a new perspective about how this war started. The ending is really sad when he explains how the Indian's freedom was striped away from all of them whether they were innocent or guilty. Many were needlessly punished. The next time that I visit the Minnesota River Valley I intend to visit some of the Memorials or Monuments. I found a good lisiting of them at http://www.rrcnet.org/~historic.
Rating:
Summary: I grew up in the shadows of the conflict
Review: Being a native of New Ulm, the names of Little Crow and Chaska, as well as Myrick, Flandrau, and Sibley, were familiar. I also knew much of the history. This book, however, tied all the bits and pieces I've acquired throughout my lifetime into a very readable source. At first it's difficult to continue reading about the atrocities committed, but the author does an excellent job of getting you inside Little Crow's head, and showing why the uprising occurred. The gripping events made it nearly impossible to put the book down, and tears flowed for both Sioux (Dakota) and settler alike.
Rating:
Summary: Greek Tragedy in Minnesota, circa 1862
Review: In "Over the Earth I Come," military historian Duane Schultz writes a popular history of the infamous Dakota uprising of 1862. The title of the book comes from a Dakota chant of defiance, a fitting title for a book that describes the efforts of a people to cast off the heavy chains of hopelessness, starvation, and general depravation forged through contact with the American government and its Indian agents. Schultz writes a gripping account of all aspects of the uprising and the aftereffects of the rebellion. The author weaves narratives of survivors with political and military events of the uprising into a seamless and compelling account of this unfortunate incident in American history. According to Schultz, some 500 to 2000 whites died in the uprising, many of them German settlers unaware of the danger they faced from the angry Dakotas. Hundreds of Dakotas died as well in the futile military campaigns launched against Fort Ridgley, New Ulm, and at the battle of Birch Coulee. The uprising was a tragedy for everyone involved, from the white women and children who died in astonishingly brutal ways, to the Indians who lost their freedom and lands as a result of the uprising, to President Abraham Lincoln who signed a death warrant for 38 Dakotas (Lincoln lessened the tragedy somewhat by commuting some 264 death sentences). Schultz conveys the tragedy with a heartfelt eloquence that brings tears to your eyes. Early in the book, Schultz examines the causes of the uprising. Was the uprising inevitable? Schultz's answer is a resounding NO! The Dakotas rebelled against the government agents and white settlers due to starvation, a tardy annuity payment, and poor treatment by Indian agents and German settlers. Cultural factors also played a role, as the government played Indians off against each other by rewarding Indians who played by the rules (those who adopted white culture and farming methods), and withholding supplies from "blanket" Indians (those who refused to adopt an alien culture in order to preserve their ancient way of life). The Indians who refused to adopt white culture watched their converted kin collect supplies and food from government warehouses anytime they needed it, while the blanket Indians collected their food on a set schedule. The blanket Indians eventually formed a soldier's lodge and planned military action against the whites. A harmless incident over some eggs on a white farm escalated into the murder of a family of whites, and the war was on. Schultz spends much time discussing Little Crow, the leader of the uprising. Little Crow, who initially opposed the uprising, eventually changed his mind and supported the revolt, a decision that doomed Little Crow and his people. After discussing Schultz's presentation of Little Crow with a friend, he asked if Schultz relied on the "noble savage" stereotype while discussing Little Crow. I don't think that is the case here, as Little Crow appears as a politically astute politician, saddened over the deaths of white children and white women while generally making the best of a situation rapidly spiraling beyond his control. In a move sure to bring about howls of protest from the politically correct crowd who believe Indians can do no wrong, Schultz provides graphic details of the slaughter and torture of white settlers caught in the uprising. Through the use of narrative accounts, we see Indian braves on a murder spree of shocking proportions. Indians dashed the heads of children against trees, dropped rocks on people's heads, and tore limbs from still living children. Indians shook hands in a gesture of "friendship" with whites, and then shot them when they turned their backs. The list of atrocities goes on and on. As bad as these descriptions are, there are many worse ones found in this book. It is understandable that whites howled for blood when the uprising came to an end. At the same time, Schultz shows us the many Indians disgusted at the behavior of their fellow Indians. Just as people sheltered Jews during World War II, some Indians risked life and limb to protect innocent whites. These Indian men and women were truly saviors to many. But in keeping with the theme of tragedy, Schultz explains how a few innocent Indians died on the gallows; one of them was Chaska, an Indian who protected Sarah Wakefield, a white woman taken captive early in the uprising. Despite Sarah's protestations (or perhaps because of them; whites were not interested in letting any Indian off the hook), Chaska ended up on the gallows. As a popular history, "Over the Earth I Come" does have its limitations. For example, in his discussion on the causes of the uprising, Schultz completely fails to mention the Spirit Lake massacre in 1857 and the withholding of annuity funds by the government in order to force the Indians to do what the government told them to do. Both of these events contributed to the uprising, and discussing them is essential in understanding the events that followed. "Over the Earth I Come" is an excellent, well written introduction to this troubling event in American history. The book has all the trappings of a novel: dramatic battles, perilous escapes, mind blowing ironies and "what-ifs," and touching stories of human kindness. Schultz conveys the multiple tragedies of this sad event with great sympathy and understanding.
Rating: 
Summary: Fairly even handed approach
Review: In 1862 some of the Sioux in Minnesota reacting to starvation rations and delayed annuities rose up against the white settlers. The result was a great loss of life and suffering on both sides. The author gives a fairly even handed account of this uprising, however, I think he dwelt just a little too much on graphic accounts of the atrocities committed by the Indians. Not that I think it would be fair to white-wash their participation. Under the influence of alcohol and the breakdown of their society, I'm sure that some of these atrocities did occur. However, we must keep in mind that it was long assumed that the Plains Indians tortured live victims because bodies were often found mutilated. In most cases, though, these mutilations took place after death. Also the eye-witness accounts of those suffering from fear, starvation, and delirium, may not be the best to rely upon, especially as they were probably told after the fact. Still the author does a very good job of handling the politics on the Indian side, and showing how innocents on both sides suffered, while many of the guilty did not. This episode also brings up many questions about assimilation, mob psychology, and human behavior. This is definitely a must-read for anyone interested in Native American history or the history of the American West.
Rating:
Summary: The Rest of the Story
Review: Over The Earth I Come describes in detail the events and atrocities that eventually lead to the uprising of 1862. You come away ashamed that people could have treated others this way, and a new opinion of the great Henry Sibley and his questionable friends. It is one of those books that is hard to put down once you start reading it. I have so many people asking for my copy that it's almost impossible to keep track of it. It was highly recommended to me by Dr. Gerald Grinde, History professor at Ridgewater College.
Rating:
Summary: The Rest of the Story
Review: Over The Earth I Come describes in detail the events and atrocities that eventually lead to the uprising of 1862. You come away ashamed that people could have treated others this way, and a new opinion of the great Henry Sibley and his questionable friends. It is one of those books that is hard to put down once you start reading it. I have so many people asking for my copy that it's almost impossible to keep track of it. It was highly recommended to me by Dr. Gerald Grinde, History professor at Ridgewater College.
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