Life of George Bent: Written from His Letters

by George E. Hyde, Savoie Lottinville (Editor)

George Bent, the son of William Bent, one of the founders of Bent's Fort on the Arkansas near present La Junta, Colorado, and Owl Woman, a Cheyenne, began exchanging letters in 1905 with George E. Hyde of Omaha concerning life at the fort, his experiences with his Cheyenne kinsmen, and the events which finally led to the military suppression of the Indians on the southern Great Plains. This correspondence, which continued to the eve of Bent's death in 1918, is the source of the narrative here published, the narrator being Bent himself. Almost ninety years have elapsed since the day in 1930 when Mr. Hyde found it impossible to market the finished manuscript of the Bent life down to 1866. (The Depression had set in some months before.) He accordingly sold that portion of the manuscript to the Denver Public Library, retaining his working copy, which carries down to 1875. The account therefore embraces the most stirring period, not only of Bent's own life, but of life on the Plains and into the Rockies. It has never before been published. It is not often that an eyewitness of great events in the West tells his own story. But Bent's narrative, aside from the extent of its chronology (1826 to 1875), has very special significance as an inside view of Cheyenne life and action after the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864, which cost so many of the lives of Bent's friends and relatives. It is hardly probable that we shall achieve a more authentic view of what happened, as the Cheyennes, Arapahos, and Sioux saw it.

Genres: History, Native American, Indigenous

432 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 1968

About the author

George E. Hyde (1882–1968)

Reviews

[Lloyd Mullins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great semi-1st hand account of the Cheyenne.

[Bambi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book, extracted from the letters of George Bent. George was the son of William Bent, one of the founder's of Bent's Fort in Colorado. George's mother was Owl Woman, a Cheyenne. This gave George a unique perspective on the suppression of the Indians during the late 19th century, as he had many friends who were white, but lived and fought as a Cheyenne warrior. He describes it like this at one point int he book:

"I have talked with nearly all of the Cheyennes who took part in this battle and survived the war of 1874; also with many Arapahos who were present. I also knew some of who were present on the whites' side. Billy Dixon was there and often talked with me about this fight. I have read a few accounts of the battle ... and, as usual, they contain many details which are utterly without foundation."

This is not a quick read. It's meaty and a bit dry. However, if you love reading about this period of history, there is so much detail that you don't get from typical books about this time period. It's also a great companion book to "Chief Left Hand" by Margaret Coel.

[Iain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This work is really quite amazing and quite unique. I'd give it four stars for style, which is surprisingly readable by a modern audience, but it earns the fifth star for the unique place George Bent held historically. He's something of a "Forest Gump" appearing at important events with shocking regularity. Moreover, as an interpreter, he often knows participants on both sides of the conflict on the American frontier. Finally, he gives a valuable and almost unique insight into the Cheyenne mindset and their view of events.

An absolute must-read for anyone interested in America's Indian Wars or the Frontier West.

[Wesley Redfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read about being in the Cheyenne village during the Sand Creek Massacre.