An excellent, scholarly book, with plenty of footnotes and an impressive bibliography. I've been wanting to get a copy for quite a while, and found a copy at the Hermitage.
The reason for my interest is the author's treatment of the Tsali story, the first I have ever read that relies on fact and not legend. The facts don't supprt the martyrdom of Tsali, of course. The incident is a lot more complicated then the legend suggests.
Here's the relevant quote from the book:
It is now necessary to view the Tsali incident in a somewhat different light from that of the heroic legend. First, there is no documentary evidence to support the charge that soldiers mistreated Tsali and his band. This does not mean such cruelty did not occur - merely that a reasonable doubt exists as to the army's culpability in the drama. Furthermore, if one is to believe Colonel Foster and his informants, the younger male Indians rather than Tsali were the principal actors in the murders. As for Thomas, it is obvious he was an important participant in the events, but there is no evidence to support Mooney's tale of visiting Tsali's lare after the murders and personally convincing the Indian to surrender. The documentary accounts, moreover, make it clear that Tsali did not surrender at all but was tracked down by other Cherokees, apprehended, and executed by them. Thus, there was no noble sacrifice. And last, the capture and execution of Tsali little affected the right of the Qualla Cherokees to remain in North Carolina. They already had at least tacit permission to stay. Only Euchella's small band directly benefitted from the episode.
Of course, that makes my idea of making a novel out of the story questionable! But that's why we do research.
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