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Frontier Regulars: The United States Army and the Indian, 1866-1891

  Frontier Regulars: The United States Army and the Indian, 1866-1891 by  Robert M. Utley  Frontier Regulars: The United States Army and the Indian, 1866–1891 by Robert M. Utley is a detailed study of the post–Civil War U.S. Army and its role in the Indian Wars of the late nineteenth century. Utley focuses on the small, professional regular army that remained after the Civil War and was tasked with enforcing federal policy across the vast trans-Mississippi West. Scattered in isolated forts and operating with limited manpower and resources, these soldiers became the principal instrument of American expansion. The book examines the major campaigns between 1866 and 1891, including conflicts such as Red Cloud's War, the Great Sioux War, the Nez Perce War, and the long-running Apache Wars. Utley analyzes not only battlefield engagements but also the logistical and environmental challenges of frontier campaigning—long supply lines, harsh terrain, unreliable intelligence, and th...

The Military and United States Indian Policy, 1865-1903

  The Military and United States Indian Policy, 1865-1903  by Robert Wooster This scholarly work offers a critical and comprehensive analysis of how the United States military shaped and executed Indian policy in the decades following the Civil War. Rather than simply recount battles or troop movements, Wooster examines the institutional role of the U.S. Army, how military leaders influenced policy decisions, and the complex interaction between civilian government directives and military action on the western frontier. Wooster argues that the U.S. Army’s approach to Native American relations was driven by a combination of political pressures, strategic assumptions forged in the Civil War, and conflicting objectives — all of which contributed to inconsistent and often brutal policies toward Indigenous peoples. Through clear narrative and analysis, the book places military operations and policy formation in a broader national context, showing how strategic thinking, institutiona...

A Brief History of Springville, Utah: From Its First Settlement September 18, 1850 to the 18th Day of September, 1900

  A Brief History of Springville, Utah:  From Its First Settlement September 18, 1850, to the 18th Day of September, 1900: Fifty Years This work is a detailed, firsthand historical account of the early development of Springville, Utah, chronicling the first fifty years of the city’s existence — from its founding on September 18, 1850 by Mormon pioneer settlers to the closing days of the 19th century. Written and compiled by Don Carlos Johnson near the turn of the century, the book draws on local records, pioneer recollections, and community memories to paint a picture of life in a frontier settlement. Spanning roughly 124 pages, the narrative highlights the struggles and achievements of Springville’s earliest residents as they transformed rugged land in Utah Valley into a thriving agricultural and civic community. Topics covered include the arrival and organization of pioneer families, the development of local institutions and governance, the hardships of frontier life, the gr...

War Cry on a Prayer Feather by Nancy C. Wood

  War Cry on a Prayer Feather by Nancy C. Wood  War Cry on a Prayer Feather by Nancy C. Wood (published 1979) is a unique collection of poems and prose that reflects the beliefs, ethics, spiritual insights, and cultural experiences of the Ute Indians of Colorado and New Mexico. Rather than a conventional history book, it brings together expressive writings that capture the voices, worldview, and cultural traditions of a people whose way of life has been deeply affected by historical change. The selections in the book include lyrical poems and narrative passages that speak to themes such as connection with the land, reverence for nature and the Great Spirit, endurance through hardship, and the search for meaning and identity in a changing world. These texts—some traditional, some modern—offer readers both cultural insight and poetic reflection, serving as a window into the spiritual heart of Ute life. Alongside the words are evocative photographs that further illuminate the bea...

Ute Indians II — Confederated Ute Indian Lands

Confederated Ute Indian Lands Confederated Ute Indian Lands by Gerald T. Hart is a detailed ethnohistorical study examining the land claims and territorial history of the Confederated Bands of Ute Indians in the American Southwest. Published in 1974 as part of the American Indian Ethnohistory series, the volume brings together historical research, ethnography, and legal documentation to analyze the origins, use, and eventual loss of Ute lands under United States expansion. The book focuses particularly on Ute territories in present-day Colorado and surrounding regions, exploring how mining booms, settlement, and federal policies led to land cessions and disputes. It includes historical analyses of treaties and agreements, documentation presented before the Indian Claims Commission, and cultural studies of different Ute bands, including those of the Uintah and White River areas. By combining legal records with anthropological insight, the work provides a comprehensive account of how Ute...