While the Civil War raged in the east, the Platte River Raids would begin an entirely new battle for the American West. In July of 1864, Northern Plains Indians in Idaho Territory (Wyoming) appeared to be on a warpath to cease all emigrant travel on the Bozeman, Oregon, and Overland Trails by any means. On a signal, hundreds of warriors launched a series of attacks and robberies on unsuspecting emigrants through the winding “Black Hills.” This is not just another “tale of the Trail” but rather a study of several specific wagon trains, their routes, and importantly, rosters listing the surnames of the travelers.
Read the eyewitness testimonies of nearly 70 survivors, vetted by living descendants, mapped out, annotated, and presented in one accord for the first time.
Featured Family Surnames: Boone, Brown, Button, Curtis, Dickson, Earp, Forbis, Howard, Jongewaard, Kelly, Larimer, Merrill, Oliver, Ringo, Roe, Roorda, Rousseau, Rysdam, Scroggin, Shoemaker, van Rossum… and SO many more!
