Narrative of My Captivity Among the Sioux Indians

by Fanny Kelly

Hardcover, 1994

Status

Available

Genres

Publication

Hunter Publishing inc (1994)

Description

Fanny Kelly's memoir, first published in 1872, is an intelligent and thoughtful narrative. Kelly spent five months as a prisoner of Ogalalla Sioux in 1864 when she was nineteen years old. A woman of her time, there was no reason she should feel sympathy toward her captors, but the introduction points out examples of expressed favor toward the Sioux, however unconscious. This narrative is a valuable part of literature not only for its historical importance but its depiction of the conflicting images of Native Americans in the nineteenth century: savage aggressors or victims of prejudice and oppression.

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Rating

(26 ratings; 3.4)

User reviews

LibraryThing member varielle

This is the Lakeside Press special edition of the story of Fanny Kelly, a 19th century pioneer woman. While travelling west in a wagon train with her husband and step-daughter, their party was attacked and she and the daughter were captured. Although circumspect in the intimate details, Mrs. Kelly

did manage to convey how she managed to survive among her captors. It's likely her story was the basis for many a western movie due to the quest her husband launched to find her. The unbelievable cruelty on both sides is on display as she relates the murder and mutilation of the step-daughter after she helped her run away and the tale of a wagon train that deliberately abandoned a box of poisoned crackers, knowing they would be found and eaten by the starving Indians. The thirst in the east for narratives of the west led a former friend of Mrs. Kelly's to try and usurp her story for financial gain. Their post-trauma legal wranglings and Mrs. Kelly's eventual compensation by the federal government for her losses are aspects of the move west that seldom get heard.

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LibraryThing member robwilson

This is the 87th in the Lakeside Press series;

LibraryThing member PhilSyphe

In 1864, Fanny Kelly used her wits to survive five months as a captive of the Sioux Indians. The Indians killed most of her travelling companions before taking Fanny with them.

In addition to Fanny’s story, she relates a few short horror tales endured by other captives. The most disturbing

recollections are the Indians brutality towards children.

This is a sad and savage story but it’s not without hope.

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LibraryThing member DonnaEverhart

This book was originally published in 1873, and what I think I loved most about it was knowing the history and depictions of the time were accurate because it was written by the person who had actually lived through the ordeal.

There are a lot of other captivity stories out there, but usually

they're written by another person, who gathers historical notes, uses letters and diaries to tell that person's story. An example would be The Woman With the Blue Tattoo, by Margot Mifflin. That was another book I really enjoyed, but this one, IMO, because it is written by Fanny Kelly herself, is a standout.

Of course, Fanny Kelly was also a person of her time. This means that the writing, which was exceptional throughout, was also florid and maudlin at times. Even so, she does not spare the reader when she speaks of the atrocities that took place.

All in all, quite the intriguing story. It made me look Fanny Kelly up so I could read a bit more about her.

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