Tears of Sorrow

Literature & Fiction

synopsis

Synopsis

Anton McAllister leads his Dakota family west to escape the white backlash after the US-Dakota War of 1862. Settling into the Black Hills, they merge with the Miniconjou Lakota band of Lone Horn. Anton’s adopted son, Four Wings, befriends the militant warrior Crazy Horse, and their world is turned upside down as they deal with disingenuous treaties, an illegal war brought on by the Grant Administration, and a deranged bounty hunter no larger than a child. Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, Crazy Horse, and powerful men from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations make their stand when the army begins to build forts along the Bozeman Trail. Red Cloud wins his war, the great herds of buffalo are methodically destroyed, Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull are murdered, and Wounded Knee Creek becomes the death wail of a free Sioux Nation. And throughout it all, Four Wings struggles to reconcile the good white men he has known, including the mixed blood who raised him, with those who seek to subdue or destroy the Sioux Nation.

bio

Author Biography

SIGNED COPIES OF SWANSON'S BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE ONLY AT, http://www.dale-swanson.com Swanson grew up in Mound, Minnesota. He is a published author, screenwriter, playwright, and poet. His poems have been performed in stage productions and appear in multiple anthologies. Two of his radio plays were recorded live and aired statewide in Minnesota. His historical novel, THE THIRTY-NINTH MAN, published by North Star Press, was released in June of 2013 and was listed in the Minneapolis Star Tribune reader survey for the best book read in 2013. In 2015 his middle-grade fantasy novella, The Wild Ways–Mystery of the Hanging Tower, was released. His screenplay developed for Native Strong-ARC debuted in July 2017, and his newly published, TEARS OF SORROW – A FREE NATION LOST, was released June 2018, Dale’s favorite pastimes include hunting, camping, and canoeing. He has three patents related to archery. He's bow hunted the big timber from California to New Hampshire and the croplands between; he's paddled the Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe Area–BWCA, Michigan's Manistee River, and New Hampshire's Merrimac; snorkeled in the Sea of Marmara, tracked satellites in Madagascar, and he can start a campfire after five days of steady rain.

website

Author Insight

The complexity of Red Cloud

Having seen what happened to the Dakota in 1862 after they brought the fight to settlers and army alike, Red Cloud decided it unwise to unleash Lakota anger at the civilians using the newly opened Bozeman Trail without fair warning. He limited his attacks to harassing the army and stopping the construction of forts being built along the trail in violation of the 1851 Fort Laramie Treaty. In so doing, he was placing notice on anyone wishing to gamble on using the Bozeman. His chieftain status was not recognized through heredity, rather through his actions and battlefield performance. His leadership drew support from Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho, both tribes participating in what has become known as "Red Clouds War."

Book Excerpt

Tears of Sorrow

“We have come to learn of your plans to deal with the white incursion into our hunting grounds. With me is my good friend, Four Wings.”

Four Wings spoke. “I know of Red Cloud. Your strength is well known among the Miniconjou band of Lone Horn.”

“I have heard of both of you. One, for your abilities to fight,” He nodded in the direction of Crazy Horse. “The other, for your eagle gift to the Miniconjou Eagle Feather Man.” His eyes looked Four Wings up and down before settling on his face. “All my people know of this gift.”

The statement both embarrassed and filled Four Wings with pride. He had no idea that his gift was known by the great chief Red Cloud.

The men settled in to smoke a pipe and engage in what could only be described as small talk, during which they began to feel comfortable with one another.

After considerable time was spent in this manner, Red Cloud changed the direction of the conversation. He said to Crazy Horse, “I have heard of what happened to our Dakota brothers and sisters when the white men moved into their land.” He turned his attention to Four Wings. “I would like to know how the battle began along the Minnesota River. The white men are now coming into our land, land guaranteed to us in the Treaty of 1851. I think we must fight to keep them out.”

Four Wings, having been exposed to Crazy Horse’s views on the evil brought by the whites, answered, in what he thought was a well-balanced statement.

“There is a difference between what happened there and what is happening here. We lived in peace with white traders before the army came. We had many white friends. But it seemed the army wanted our land for their own. They have broken many treaties and cannot be trusted.”

Red Cloud listened.

Buy

	Amazon
	Barnes&Noble
	Kobo

Share
Follow Unfollow
Comment
x
Comment on this Bubble

Your comment and a link to this bubble will also appear in your Facebook feed.

Dale A Swanson

Tears of Sorrow

Synopsis

Author Biography

Author Insight

The complexity of Red Cloud

Book Excerpt

Tears of Sorrow

Comment on this Bubble