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This digital document is an article from American History Through Literature 1820-1870, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 2701 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.This set presents literature not as a simple inventory of authors or titles but rather as a historical and cultural field viewed from a wide array of contemporary perspectives. The set, which is new historicist in its approach to literary criticism, endorses the notion that not only does history affect literature, but literature itself informs history. ... Read more

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"From boyhood," wrote Francis Parkman, "I had a taste forthe woods and the Indians." His lifelong fascination with theseAmerican subjects are brilliantly recorded in "The Oregon Trail" and"The Conspiracy of Pontiac," his two earliest works. Parkman began histravels to the northern wilderness during his student years at Harvardin the 1840s, then went west after graduation. His first and mostfamous book, "The Oregon Trail," is a vivid account of his adventureson the open frontier and his encounters with Plains Indians in theirlast era of free, nomadic life. "The Conspiracy of Pontiac and theIndian War after the Conquest of Canada," Parkman's first historicalwork, portrays the fierce conflict that erupted along the Great Lakesin the aftermath of the Seven Years' War and chronicles the defeats inwhich both the eastern Indians and their forest "received their finaldoom." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

"Crown Jewel"
The Library of America has done it again - directing me toward this priceless book by Francis Parkman, whom I had heard of but never read. It is perhaps the best accounting I have read thus far about the era and aura surrounding historical depictions of the Oregon Trail. It began in diary form, fleshed out later into a splendid historical novel. He is a marvelous writer, a factual storyteller; equal to if not surpassing Mark Twain's captivating talent, in my own opinion; but more importantly, he was a remarkable man of solid character and it is readily apparent, thus adding credibility to his every word. His wit and prose are truly out of the ordinary and he uses both to great effect to capture the imagination of the reader which he accomplishes virtually from the first sentence. A remarkable work and one that will last through ages more, unchallenged as not only the last of it's kind, but as the best benchmark for any historical endeavor that may yet be written about the Oregon Trail.

He was a young adventurer, who set out on the Oregon Trail mostly because he could. His was a journey destined to explore the Indian Nations if he could - in all their original state of gore and glory. This became an obsession; something he required of himself while he was on the prairie - and he shrugged off life-threatening illness, hardship and peril to write it down as he saw it roll before his eyes. They accepted him into their lives and their village, not without some trepidation, but with hospitality as they knew it nonetheless. As he moves within their culture through this short time, he notices everything down to the slightest detail, providing excellent insight into the daily rituals of plains Indian life. His descriptive passages of the moving of the villages, complete with dogs, children, warriors and old mothers, fathers and, of course, the Chief are remarkable in that it required not only tactful diplomacy, but astonishing bravery as well. He remarked, but did not dwell on it, nonetheless, the reader senses the acute danger present with every step along a path such as this.

There was also much humor through everyday occurrences that he never failed to note. One passage comes to mind from pages 206/207 and it's regarding, of all things, a dog being admonished for bad behavior by one of the native women: "....scolding an old yellow dog, who lay on the ground with his nose resting between his paws, and his eyes turned sleepily upward to her face, as if he were pretending to give full respectful attention, but resolved to fall asleep as soon as it was all over.."

His eyes beheld Fort Laramie in it's hey day, the mountain men of self-exile and boundless energy when in pursuit of the beaver, the lazy and the disagreeable, the "complexions" that had little to do with who you were in such a primitive yet natural scenario. But it is not primarily the culture differences or the human aspect - wild and therefore superstitious vs. civilized and educated - of his accounting but of his open mindedness, his willing to look beyond surfaces of people unlike himself and search for the soul within; the search for fact and truth what ever it was, where ever it was, and whomever it belonged to. He held a genuine interest in his undertaking and his virtual pen was faithful in that regard. His eye for beauty and appreciation of the boundless and magnificent wilderness excursion fills the reader with longing to have experienced such as this themselves, even though most of us know it takes a separate breed of individual to breach the hardship inherent in such a journey. And, as one who has grown up in the West, it is easy to spot a counterfeit.

Truly a masterpiece of Western Americana, taking it's rightful place alongside Mari Sandoz/s "Old Jules".

I highly recommend this two-volume historical book to anyone who is interested in factual narrative adventure, Indian Nations as they were or first-person American History, especially during the Westward movement.

For those whose tastes run to this kind of historical narrative, another Library of America selection, William Bartram's "Travels and other writings" is in a similar vein, a fabulous accounting of the eastern half of the U.S., when it too was young, and includes fascinating narrative regarding the Cherokees, Crees, Creeks, and other Native Nations. Allan Eckert's "The Frontiersmen" is another excellent example of historical narration regarding the pioneers and woodsmen.

AHistory of the American Indian from an Eyewitness
David McCullough and Theodore Roosevelt both say that they consider Francis Parkman to be their favorite historian and the author who had the greatest impact on their own writing.If you read the Oregon Trail you will understand why.

Parkman made his journey in 1846.It was before the Civil War, and 15 or more years before the West portrayed in most westerns. The outposts of the American Fur Company were 700 miles west of the farthest reaches of the U.S. Cavalry,and Parkman was truly on the cutting edge of frontier.This is a very different view of the West than we get from the movies.

What is most interesting here is the portrayal of the American Indian.Traders, merchants, immigrants, trappers,and frontiersmen live side by side with the Sioux Indians.The Sioux are are war with the Crows,and the six nations are gathering to finally wipe the Crows from the face of the earth.

The West resembles a multi-racial society,where the settlers and traders try to get along with everyone, but where the Indians seem to have a little more trouble than the settlers living in peace.The Sioux look upon the trading posts as a source of protection and manufactured goods.They leave the bodies of their dead chiefs on scaffolds nearby Fort Laramie for protection,to keep the Crow from desecrating the bodies of the dead.

There is a great deal of mixture between whites and Indians.Traders and merchants have squaws as mistresses or even wives,and the families,the in-laws, live inside the fort with them.During one pare of the journey,Parkman leaves the Oregon trail to go with a friend and find his dying wife,a Sioux squaw who is with the tribe.

This book is a classic.It is the type that should be read by every educated American.On top of that,it's well written,and as timeless as any modern American history.

The "Original" American West - in Two Volumes
This volume is a reader's delight, for it presents not one but two of Francis Parkman's classic works: The Oregon Trail and The Conspiracy of Pontiac.Rightly hailed as America's greatest historian, in The Oregon Trail Francis Parkman relates a journey to the 1840's American West - undertaken for the express purpose of living among "real"American Indian tribes of the Great Plains before their way of life passedforever.By this experience Parkman hoped to better understand and relate what eastern tribes had so tragically fought for and lost in the precedingcentury's struggle for the continent.The Oregon Trail is a great book inits own right, and has been reviewed by this reader previously (see more in"About Me/Other Reviews"), but the primary focus of this review is Parkman's study of a crucial chapter in the development of North Americaas we know it today: the disastrous consequences France's defeat in Canada would bring to the remaining eastern tribes.For this event would inexorably lead to the explosion of the English colonies across lands heretofore held by them under French "dominion".

While the Iroquois Nations had long maintained an uneasy alliance with the English as they pushed their way into the western reaches of New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, those further west knew what the defeat of the French would bring: utter destruction.The Ottawa, Ojibwa, Pottawattami, Delaware,Shawnee, Illinois, Sauk and Foxes had long fought the intrusion of the arrogant and land-grabbing English from Quebec to the Mississippi.Pontiac himself had fought beside the Marquis de Montcalm as he tried in vain to save New France from ruin during the French & Indian War.But at last, in the mid-1700s France finally capitulated to her English rivals, her hold on the North American continent broken forever.The only task left to the conquerors was to make their way across the Great Lakes, into the valleys of the Ohio, and down the Mississippi into the Illinois country to make their claim upon the former French forts and trading houses.For a brief time a singular leader and a dozen nations blocked their way: Pontiac and his assembled allies.

Parkman sets the stage by briefly relating the history of France and England in America from the early 1600s-1760s, then meticulously details thesource of the tribes' many grievances - grievances which would directly lead to Pontiac's bold attempt to decisively halt the English advance.

Though doomed to ultimate defeat against the onslaught of English guns and armies, traders and pioneers, for a short time Pontiac's initiative was remarkably successful.He brought war to nearly all of western America at the same time - from the siege atDetroit to the forests outside the gates of Niagara, from upper Michigan and Wisconsin to the Ohio valley, into western Pennsylvania, Virginia andNew York, down the many rivers and tributaries leading into the Mississipi.A dozen forts fell before him and hundreds of miles of frontiersettlements emptied in terror.

Parkman's work is perhaps the best chronicle of many of these tribes' last desperate fight for their lives and land.Those interested in the history of the struggles destined to come shortly to the tribes west of the Mississippi will derive muchinsight from Parkman's treatment of Pontiac's war.For his "conspiracy" was the original "last great battle" forthe "American West" - 100 years before the battle for the further western Plains would come to an ignominious close.To understand Pontiac's war, the motives of both his people and the English and French, as well as the burgeoning force who would soon thereafter cast off their identity as "colonists" is to understand much of what would follow as American history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Absolute of early western travels
Thanks to Joel Palmer's artistic writing abilities and keen observations, we have a sweeping visual perception of what it was like to travel along the Oregon Trail in 1845-46.Palmer is very descriptive of landforms, climate, people he met, and all the other happenstances not only along the Oregon Trail itself, but also of Oregon.He was one of few to blaze a new wagon road from the Dalles, around Mt. Hood to the Williamette Valley, which was later referred to as the Barlow Cutoff.Also included are excellent descriptions of the disastrous Stephen Meek wagon party; Oregon City in its infancy; advice to future emigrants; economic and agricultural possibilities in Oregon; etc.There is also a somewhat lengthy but insightful and prophetic letter from Reverend Spalding to Palmer with his thoughts and descriptions of Oregon.
I did find it somewhat peculiar though that Palmer's advice to emigrants mirrors the same advice of Overton Johnson's "Route Across the Rocky Mountains" published a year earlier.A map would be handy for those unfamiliar with the geography as the oneincluded is quite vague.Still, a great book.

An account written by an actual pioneer
This book in the form of a diary was foremostly a handbook by and for an emigrant on the Oregon Trail. Palmer took the Trail in 1845, within 5 yearsof the first practical wagon crossing of it and had published his bookwithin 2 years. It contained practical advice on the composition of thetrain,the ill-defined route, chosing nightly camp sites and the dailyproblems facing the pioneers. With wonderful practical advice on the choiceof wagons, animals, supplies and proposed progress. His observations of theland crossed, native people encountered and perilous problems facing thepioneers, particularly of the desperate forcing of a road around Mount Hoodin appalling conditions, are made with the eye of a seasoned traveler.Although the prose retains the flavour of having been writtencontemporaneously, it is easily assimilated by the modern reader. However,armchair pioneers will benefit greatly from access to a topographical mapof the route which will supplement the somewhat limited sketches from theoriginal documents. ... Read more

Product Description
U.S. Highway 97 is also known as the Sherman Highway and The Dalles-California Highway. The northern section begins in a section of wheat country. As the highway moves southward, the grain fields yield to the grazing lands of sheep ranches. South of Bend, U.S. 97 enters a region of great pine forests, recent lava fields and cinder buttes, eventually crossing a range of mountains before descending into the valley of the Klamath River.
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Recounts the adventures of the Ward family who traveled by covered wagon from Missouri to California along the Oregon Trail in 1853. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

One of the best books on the West ever published

This book represents a major achievement in the annals of western exploration, and deserves a prominent spot on anyone's American history shelf. In 1810, Robert Stuart, a partner with John Jacob Astor, shipped to the mouth of the Columbia River, where he helped establish Astoria. But troubles at the post with the British during the War of 1812 impelled Stuart with six other men to make an overland winter journey over the Rockies to St. Louis. Throughout the journey Stuart kept a journal, in which he recorded everything encountered along the way: the precise route taken, various Indian tribes, flora and fauna, perspective trapping grounds - and their own personal hardships, which included, near starvation, freezing weather, and hostile Indians. He gave the journal to Astor, who sent it to President James Madison. Stuart then wrote a more formal version of the journey, which was published in France. The original journal made its way back to the Stuart family, where it remained forgotten until it was discovered in a cupboard and finally published in 1935.

This book publishes both the original journal and the French rewrite, known as the "Traveling Memoranda." Both are meticulously edited by Philip Ashton Rollins, which is the key that makes this edition not only definitive but a masterwork. With Rollin's notes it's possible to follow Stuart's route precisely. He is especially detailed where the men crossed South Pass, the first known whites to do so, though their "discovery" would go unrecognized (Jedediah Smith is credited with making the first "recorded" crossing of the Pass in 1824.) In addition to these works, there is a 70-page Forward that summarizes events and puts the Narratives into perspective and a detailed Biographical Note on Stuart's family history.

The book indeed is a major accomplishment. Anyone interested in the early exploration of the West must read this book. Highly recommended.

An epic adventure of extraordinary proportions
This is an excellent first hand account of the original discovery of what was to be the Oregon Trail (in reverse).Robert Stuart originally left New York on the ship the Tonquin, funded by John Jacob Astor, and sailed around the tip of South America and then eventually up to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon to establish a trading post.Stuart then proceeded to head back eastto report to Astor about the state of affairs of the trading fort.With only a handful of men, they went by canoe, horseback and mostly by foot, from the mouth of the Columbia to St. Louis, then eventually to New York.This historical narrative is beyond words.They faced the hardships of hunger, fatigue, Indians, weather, and about everything else one can think of.It is truly a fascinating portrayal of day to day survival in the 1812 wilderness written from the hand of the man who was there.What I also enjoyed about the book was the Appendix on Wilson Price Hunt who, also working for Astor, took an expedition by land from St. Louis to Oregon at about the same time. His written account is also mind-blowing and puts the whole book into perspective. There is also an excellent forward by Rollins which gives you a background on what you are about to read.

Courage and Determination
Robert Stuart, a partner of John Jacob Astor, was sent by ship to Oregon on company business, and returned cross country by horseback, canoe and foot.Along the way he kept a journal, written in berry juice, which isreprinted here.Washington Irving also wrote "Astoria" based onthis journal.

Our whole country should be grateful to Robert Stuart forhis discovery of the Oregon Trail and his courage against unbelievable oddsin making such a tortuous journey. This book was first printed in 1935 andthe original copies are scarce and valuable.So I was thrilled to discoverthat Amazon not only sold it but that it was now in paperback!When theword gets around to the rest of his descendants, we will have this book onthe best seller list, where it belongs. So take that, Lewis & Clark! ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Dictionary of American History, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 669 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Focuses on cultures and countries around the world, specifically what is and is not shared culturally by the people who live in a particular country. Entries contain descriptive summaries of the country in question, including demographic, historical, cultural, economic, religious, and political information. ... Read more

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50 pages ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Dictionary of American History, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1747 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Focuses on cultures and countries around the world, specifically what is and is not shared culturally by the people who live in a particular country. Entries contain descriptive summaries of the country in question, including demographic, historical, cultural, economic, religious, and political information. ... Read more

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Author Barbara J. Linsley has created a wonderful, exciting and compelling fact-based fiction work which parallels the journeys of two young girls along the Oregon Trail. Becky, who travels in a wagon train on the Trail in the 1840's and her modern-day counterpart Jenna who travels the Trail in modern times with her mother in their truck and camper. This story is based on facts taken from actual diaries of travelers on the Oregon Trail and the extensive study of history books. This makes perfect sense since Barbara J. Linsley is a trained school teacher who has worked in the New York school system for more than 20 years, helping students learn to love the study of history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A great read before you travel the modern day trail!
What I enjoyed most about this novel was the parallelbetween the modern day girl and the historical girl traveling the Oregon trail. I took out my road map and followed them all through the story. The story is excellent for any young reader with a great imagination!

Lynn's review
This book was an excellent and entertaining story. I was drawn into it from the first few pages, and was curious to know what happened right up to the last. I was actually disappointed when I was finished. It was that enjoyable. It was very historically informative and well written. A must-read for anyone wanting more information about what our pioneer ancestors went through as they settled this country. I would like to see it required reading in middle school, and have recommended it to teachers that I know. I give this book my highest recommendation. Barbara has written an absolute treasure of a book. I thank her for it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Historical basis for computer game
If you are a fan of Oregon Trail II, this guidebook is worth it for the maps alone.Nowhere in the game does it provide you with maps of which trails go where, just a description in words.Having graphic maps to demonstrate how all of the various shortcuts relate to each other is invaluable.

However, game strategy is not the primary reason I bought this book.I agree with the above commenter -- this book contains a wealth of information about the Oregon Trail itself, which is interesting even without the game.Pages and pages explain what items were used as medicines, what could be expected at which landmarks, and what tribes of Indians might be likely to be friendly or hostile to passing travelers.The book also provides interesting information as to why the game developers chose the music they did for the soundtrack.For me it was well worth the money just for the historical information.

Amazing
Wow! This game is really fun! its addicting! I wouldn't recomend it for kids under 5, and kids under 7 might have to mute it, cause i remember the music and the sound effects when someone died or something kinda scared me. Okay, i mean really scared me. But it doesn't now. Want some tips?
1. Never never EVER use a connestoga wagon. Buy a farm wagon. it tips over way less.
2. Always bring camphor. You never know when a person will get a concussion
3. If you're going to oregon, don't take the toll road. it takes way longer than the columbia route and theres a really hard hill you're going down. 23 of my people have died on that road. oh, and pay someone to raft you down the columbia. If you can't afford this, then cross your fingers and hope for the best
4. If you're going to california, don't take hastings cutoff. how'd u like a million mile cross in a desert or tundra?
5. Start in April or May. I made the mistake of going in June and i got to nevada when the winter snows hit and my party was stuck in the sierra nevadas just like the donners (we didn't eat eachother, though)
6. While hunting, don't shoot at bears. if you miss, the bear could and will bite you
7. During a buffalo stampede, go hunting baby. Allelujah!
8. My recommended occupation is pharmacist. You have enough money, have medical AND botany skills, and that leaves enough room for other skills
i hope you can use these 2 your advantage <3

This is a great guide for mastering the game!
I love the Oregon Trail II game and this book provided tons of useful information in helping understand what the pioneers faced on their journey west.It helped me achieve a really high score too (34,085)!!It is packed with information on which trail to take, how to load your wagon, which wagon to choose, which draft animals are best, how to care for your people, and so much more.I'm hooked on the game and the Strategy Guide helped me appreciate this bygone era for all it was worth.I think it is a great compliment to owning the game!

Not only helps with the game...it's also good reading!
The Official Strategy Guide is a wonderful guide. It not only helps you through your journey, but it is very informative.I would find myself sitting down to read the guide more than using it while I was playing thegame.It has a lot of historical facts about the trail, the people, towns,and diseases.I would recommend buying it, because it is two-fold,informational for the game and for yourself!

Very helpful
If you are playing the 2 version of the game this book is the best.I hope to see one for the newest game version.It is still helpful in your travels.Give it a try. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Venerable of the early west
This is actually two writings in one.
The first, "A Day with the Cow Column", is an abbreviated but classical description of a typical day along the emigrant trail with cattle in 1843, by Jesse Applegate.A must read for insight into trail life.
The second writing is a reminesce by Jesse's nephew Jesse A. Applegate some sixty plus years later.Young Jesse was only six and a half years old when undertaking this 1843 pilgrimage and his recollections are persuasive and touching.He recalls such occurrences as to geographical places they visited; descriptions and experiences with Indians; "buffalo chip" collecting; dogs chasing antelope; river fordings; crossing the prairies and sage plains; buffalo; games and mischief of young boys; etc.
Also included are his recollections of the perilous floating of the Columbia River where he lost a brother and cousin to drownings; the first year in Oregon with frugal provisions; the blazing of the Applegate Cutoff to allow emigrants a more efficient means of entering Oregon; etc.
An absorbing read.

This is an informative look at life on the Oregon Trail.
This book is a personal reminiscence of the first organized wagon train to follow the Oregon Trail.The author recalls his experiences as a young boy in 1843, traveling west with his family.I found this to be extremelyinformative and filled with personal anecdotes.Jesse Applegate's story istold from a boy's perspective and is wonderfully expressive.You will readabout adventures and activities that usually don't make it into standardhistories.Most memorable was the evocation of the hardship and sufferingof these early pioneers.When these people reached the Oregon Territorythere were no stores - they lived hand-to-mouth for a long time.But Ialso found Jesse's happy memories of his interaction with Native Peoples tobe very enlightening, again from a boy's perspective as he explored thenearby woods and hills. All in all, a wonderful account, full of surprisingand unique memories and events. ... Read more

Product Description
A Ford van is about the same length as a covered wagon and about a foot wider. On a journey taken by Judy Busk and her husband, Neal, to retrace the Oregon and Mormon trails, horsepower comes in the form of a combustion engine, a plastic cooler takes the place of wooden trunks, and the bedding consists of futons rather than feather ticks. With these conveniences in place, they seek a connection to the past in museums, archives, and at historical sites.

What most surprises Judy is what she finds about pioneer women. In her lively and informative, sometimes poignant, humorous, but always reflective narrative, she moves beyond polar stereotypes of Victorian women who were always proper and Calamity Janes who drank whiskey, cursed, and carried guns. She finds a spectrum of attitude, education, occupation, and family, black women and Native Americans, healers, women motivated by their religious beliefs, and forerunners of the modern women's movement. She parallels the past with experiences in the present. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

True stories of the lives of courageous women
The Sum Of Our Past: Revisiting Pioneer Women strives to answer the question: who were American pioneer women, really? True stories of the lives of courageous women, whether determinedly standing their ground or secretly confiding their weaknesses, assemble a composite picture of both the hardship and the joy of daily frontier life. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this memorable tribute that does not overly idealize pioneer women, nor stereotype them as Hollywood media tends to (in the "submissive but sturdy" civilizing woman category, or the "drinking, smoking, cursing" Calamity Jane category), but rather offers an extensively researched yet thoroughly readable portrait that will connect women readers across America with their roots. Highly recommended and rewarding reading, The Sum Of Our Past: Revisiting Pioneer Women is ideal for collegiate level Women's Studies supplement reading lists as well.
... Read more

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Resurrecting a pivotal moment in American history, Across the Great Divide tells the triumphant never-before-told story of the young Scottish fur trader and explorer who discovered the way West, changing the face of the country forever.

In the heroic tradition of Stephen Ambrose's Undaunted Courage comes the story of Robert Stuart and his trailblazing discovery of the Oregon Trail. Lewis and Clark had struggled across the high Rockies in present-day Montana and Idaho, but their route had been too perilous for wagon trains to follow. Then, six years after the Corps of Discovery returned from the Pacific, Stuart found the route that would make westward migration possible.

Setting out in 1812 on the return trip from establishing John Jacob Astor's fur trading post at Astoria on the Oregon Coast, Stuart and six companions traveled from west to east for more than 3,000 grueling miles by canoe, horseback, and ultimately by foot, following the mountains south until they came upon the one gap in the 3,000-mile-long Rocky Mountain chain that was passable by wagon.

Situated in southwest Wyoming between the southern extremes of the Wind River Range and the Antelope Hills, South Pass was a direct route with access to water leading from the Missouri River to the Rockies. Stuart and his traveling party were the first white men to traverse what would become the gateway to the Far West and the Oregon Trail. In the decades to come, an estimated 300,000 emigrants followed the corridor Stuart blazed on their way to the fertile farmlands of the Willamette Valley and the goldfields of California.

Across the Great Divide brings to life Stuart's ten-month journey and the remarkable courage, perseverance, and resourcefulness these seven men displayed in overcoming unimaginable hardships. Stuart had come to the Pacific Northwest to make his fortune in the fur trade, but during his stay in the wilderness he emerged as a pioneering western naturalist of the first rank, a perceptive student of Native American cultures, and one of America's most important, if least-known, explorers. Today Stuart's expedition has largely been forgotten, but it ranks as one of the great adventure odysseys of the nineteenth century.

A direct descendant of Stuart, award-winning journalist Laton McCartney has obtained unique access to Stuart's letters and diaries from the expedition, lending depth and unparalleled insight to a story that is at once an important account of a pivotal time in American history and a gripping, page-turning adventure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Spectacular.
John Jacob Astor led the life most people do not even dare to dream about. He was a serial entrepreneur at a time when most of the world was composed of farmers. He was so successful at his businesses that when he died he controlled one-fifteenth of all personal wealth in the United States!

Across the Great Divide is a remarkably detailed account of one of his (failed) investments. Directly competing with the Hudson Bay Company for control of the North American fur trade, he is so successful that he is able to finance the establishment of the first American fort in Oregon and supports this effort with his own ships and men via Cape Horn. Returning east overland, one of his employees, Robert Stuart, discovers South Pass, the route that subsequently becomes the gateway to the Far West and the Oregon Trail!

This is a most singular accomplishment. In February 1808 Thomas Jefferson, sixty-five years old and in the waning months of his second term as President, is approached by Astor seeking Jefferson's support for a far flung trading venture beyond the Mississippi River. The proposal captured Jefferson's attention. After embarking from New York City and rounding Cape Horn, Stuart arrives in Oregon in 1810, only 5 years after the Lewis and Clark expedition! It is stunning to realize that Fort Astoria's erection and provisioning, completed after a long, arduous sea voyage that included stops at the Falkland Islands and Hawaii, and which cemented America's claim to the Pacific Northwest, is finished just a few weeks before the arrival of Astor's primary competition, the Hudson Bay Company, could lay further claim to Oregon for Britain.

In June 1812 Stuart, a junior partner in this venture, is chosen to lead an overland expedition back to St. Louis and New York to report to Astor. Only two American led expeditions had crossed the continent before him, Lewis and Clark's and Wilson Price Hunt's which was part of this Astor venture. However, instead of following the northern route of his predecessors, Stuart heads south along the Rockies and strikes South Pass, the only pass in the 3,000 mile Rocky Mountains passable by wagons. Stuart follows the Sweetwater and Platte Rivers across present day Wyoming and Nebraska. In the process, this obscure messenger-explorer discovers the trail that would become the central route of America's expansion, the emigrant road that opened up the Far West to settlement. Astor's Fort Astoria is captured by the British during the War of 1812 and Stuart never again sees Oregon. Subsequently, he becomes one of Astor's primary field agents, working out of Mackinaw Island in Michigan.

Laton McCartney's Robert Stuart is a most stalwart individual. When we stop to think that he was an entrepreneur, not an explorer, his accomplishment becomes all that much more impressive. He blithely embarks from New York on a three year endeavor that circumnavigates the known extent of the Western Hemisphere. His 10 month overland journey is so successful that all 7 people who start from Oregon reach civilization alive. This is a remarkably good book about American exploration and risk taking in an age and in a business when failure meant death. Well written and concise, it is the story of a long neglected explorer who discovered the Oregon Trail that 300,000 emigrants would cross on their way to the Pacific Coast.

"The Men Who Don't Fit In"
"There's a race of men that don't fit in,
A race that can't stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will...."
~Robert Service~

Beautiful words paying tribute to the intrepid souls of the adventurers; the individuals among us who found it impossible to live entirely within the confines of civilization. Some had the means to travel, some traveled without means, but both kinds richly deserve the words written for them; about them - no matter how harsh the reality of their story; for theirs is of achievement extraordinaire.

This is a book like that. I found it interesting, obviously well-researched and containing much information I didn't know about the early explorers of my own state of residence.Mr. McCartney did an important work in presenting history and in paying tribute to his gutsy ancestor within the same accounting.

This expedition followed the Lewis and Clark Corp. of Discovery by only a few years, long before Fremont made his journey into Wyoming.They were conducting the exploring of passageways for trade of all kinds, but for the moment, the fur trade - for John Jacob Astor, one of the most astute businessmen of that century.While Lewis and Clark made mighty discoveries, but didn't hit the jackpot with the intended waterways due to the imposing mountains, it was Stuart who discovered an equally important "northwest passage" in the South Pass route, far to the south which is really where the mountains meet the plains - the gentle ending of the Wind River mountain range - allowing the vast traffic West to begin to pass through.And pass they did, the natives watching astounded as they were pushed aside in the tidal waves of emigrants that followed.I couldn't help it - the naughty thought occurred to me that Fremont, while indeed serving his country in his travels, was primarily the son-in-law of a politician wishing to make a name for himself after the real work was done.

It does have controversy, of course - any great discovery is subject to it in the course of hashing out history.John Colter may have crossed it after he split from the L&C expedition - it has been suggested - I'm not enough of a scholar to question some of it but for certain, this man was of the first white men to see it, and documented his journey.

The list of names, rivers and landmarks bring it vividly to life for me, as they are dear, familiar places that I visit on a regular basis, thinking all the while of these men who came before.The Platte, Bessemer Bend, Independence Rock, the Snake river, Henry's Fork of the Snake, Fort Hall;the people of Stuart, Hoback, McClellan, Hunt, all of these people live on vibrantly in our country here - with the landmarks memorializing them.For them, life was to be lived - or lost - in the trying.I doubt that many of them aspired to the greatness they achieved - it was simply answering the call of the wild and unknown, reminding me of yet another free spirit - Robert Service - who said it all in his poem "The Men Who Don't Fit In."

One scenario I found difficult to believe was the part where the explorers were close to death from starvation.Men with firearms, ammunition, should have had no trouble feeding themselves.The country abounds with game even to this day, and it was abundance of twenty fold then.Even if the big game had become scarce in certain areas due to migrations, there were certainly rabbits, even in the winter.It made mention that they "were reluctant to fire their weapons" for fear of attracting the hostile Crow back to their whereabouts, which had to be the most of it, even though it didn't actually come out with the reason.Our Native people are, at long last, taking their rightful place in history too - this book demonstrates it too - for it was their homes that were being invaded and one can scarcely blame them for being insulted.

A mass paperback tale it is not. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, found it scholarly enough without being dry, well-conceived, well-written, and am glad I found it.I'm also thankful for the reviews given it, which helped me decide to read it. It has a well-deserved place in my personal library.

excellent read
I thought this book was excellent.I thought it was very similar to undaunted courage, but I felt it moved a bit faster, and spent less time on all the minute details of the Astorians' adventure.Maybe my review is higher than the book deserves due to my interest in the subject matter, but I haven't read a historical book cover to cover for along time, and the author did a good enough job that I breazed throught he 270 pages.

A decent story, a frustrating outcome
An interesting story of Robert Stuart, the white explorer who learned from natives the existence of the South Pass through the Rocky Mountains and used the Pass in 1812 on a West-to-East trip.(South Pass is the only wagon-friendly route through the Rockies.)The purpose of Stuart's trip was basically a management report on a private company's progress.The trip was through largely uncharted territory, and dangers were encountered, but this is not a compelling read.Here's the most frustrating part: John Jacob Astor, Stuart's boss, elected to keep secret the existence of South Pass.So this critical piece of geographical info was not used until the Pass was re-discovered in 1823 by William Ashley, who publicized it, leading eventually to the Oregon Trail.Astor never used his "trade secret."That makes Stuart's trip an interesting historical footnote, not the landmark discovery it could have been if Stuart and Astor had publicized the existence of South Pass.

Only O.K.
This book had a lot going for it, I thought. The writer lives part of the time in the wonderful wild country he's writing about, he graduated for Yale and is an award-winning journalist with work published in many prestigious magazines. He had access to private letters and diaries from the expedition. The expedition itself was dangerous and exciting. The topic was one of my favourites. This, I thought would be a really good read.

Well, it was O.K. The book seems to be accurate, factual and comprehensive. But it's the dullest book about an exciting adventure I've ever read. It lacks a sense of adventure, any depth of understanding of the country, the circumstances and any empathy with the feelings and interactions of the men. It seemed like just a journalistic exercise in getting all the relevant information and setting it down in a coherent sequence.

Robert Stuart appears to have been a remarkable young man and his expedition was hugely important in the development of the region. Both deserved better than this. ... Read more