Abbie Gardner-Sharp (1843–1921)

2402. History of the Spirit Lake Massacre and captivity of Miss Abbie Gardner, by Abigail Gardner-Sharp (read 11 Aug 1991) This tells of the Spirit Lake Massacre on March 8, 1857, and the author's captivity by the Indians. It was published in 1885, with a chapter added in 1895. The book I read was a facsimile published in 1990 by the Dickinson County [Iowa] Historical Society. The author has little good to say for her Indian captors, and the book would never be published originally today since it is not 'politically correct.' But I suppose essentially it is true, though how the author knew so much about her captors when she could not understand their language might lead some to say she wrote from ignorance.… (mais)