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A review by erine
Deadly Aim: The Civil War Story of Michigan's Anishinaabe Sharpshooters by Sally M. Walker
4.0
This is a difficult read. There are a lot of names - many similar to each other and with variable spellings. A lot of battles and dates. A lot of military designations - companies, regiments, and such.
Beyond these basic difficulties, it’s hard to read about the garbage treatment of the Anishinaabe. As per normal, the white folk who needed help with the war took what they could get from the Native tribes of Michigan, while simultaneously demeaning them and then denying benefits afterward. It never seems to change. People in power who find ways to simultaneously belittle a group while blaming them for their own misfortunes just turns the stomach.
Bonus: general horrors of war in the nineteenth century, including vivid descriptions of rampant disease in prison camps. The end really brings home the loss and struggle faced by the veterans and their families, and I could imagine that this would resonate with anyone who had been through a similar experience.
The photographs included were pretty amazing and included a lot of detail. I tend to forget photography was a thing at this time, and the variety and quality of the pictures was pretty great.
I liked the final bit: “The Anishinaabek are a vital part of American history... Remembering their sacrifices and sharing their stories honors the spirits of these courageous men and enriched everyone.”
Beyond these basic difficulties, it’s hard to read about the garbage treatment of the Anishinaabe. As per normal, the white folk who needed help with the war took what they could get from the Native tribes of Michigan, while simultaneously demeaning them and then denying benefits afterward. It never seems to change. People in power who find ways to simultaneously belittle a group while blaming them for their own misfortunes just turns the stomach.
Bonus: general horrors of war in the nineteenth century, including vivid descriptions of rampant disease in prison camps. The end really brings home the loss and struggle faced by the veterans and their families, and I could imagine that this would resonate with anyone who had been through a similar experience.
The photographs included were pretty amazing and included a lot of detail. I tend to forget photography was a thing at this time, and the variety and quality of the pictures was pretty great.
I liked the final bit: “The Anishinaabek are a vital part of American history... Remembering their sacrifices and sharing their stories honors the spirits of these courageous men and enriched everyone.”