Nine Years Among the Indians, 1870-1879 by Herman Lehmann

Nine Years Among the Indians, 1870-1879 by Herman Lehmann

Herman Lehmann may be the most famous person taken captive by Indians in Texas. Snatched from his family's home in Loyal Valley in May 1870, at about the age of twelve, he did not return home until he was a grown man, and then only under compulsion-he longed to return to his Comanche family. After his abduction, Lehmann spent his early years among the Apaches, learning their ways from his captor and tutor Carnoviste. He killed a powerful medicine man in an intra-Apache conflict, then fled into the wilderness, wandering alone until he decided to approach the Comanches for shelter. They took him into their band, and he gave them his loyalty, joining the extended family of famous chief Quanah Parker. During his years with the Indians, Lehmann participated in numerous raids and battles with settlers, other Indians, the U. S. army, and the Texas Rangers. Lehmann tells of these days in detail-sometimes in violent, bloody detail, and always without a note of remorse. He lived the life that the Indians had always lived, and as it had been complicated by the arrival of white strangers who drove the Indians from their lands. After the U. S. government returned Lehmann to his mother, it took some time for Lehmann to re-adapt to the ways of civilization, but he eventually regained his roots and became a respectable citizen. His younger brother Willie, who had been abducted with Herman, but escaped in less than ten days, was there to greet him and help him adapt to his new circumstance. Over time, Lehmann became a local celebrity, demonstrating his Indian skills to tourists, and dressing up in colorful native garb. He died in 1932 and is buried in Loyal Valley.

Lehmann's memoir is quite fantastic-sounding at times, but is regarded as one of the best of that rare breed of book, the first-person 'captivity story'. . One of the values of Lehmann's book is its no-holds-barred, unapologetic tone." —Rocky Mountain News

"A fascinating account of [Lehmann's] subsequent life among both the Apache and Comanche people. . . . this is an engaging read." —German Life

"Lehmann's true-life story features suspense and excitement that surpass even the skill of the most imaginative fiction writer." —Books of the Southwest

Herman Lehmann (June 5, 1859 – February 2, 1932) was captured as a child by Native Americans. He lived first among the Apache and then the Comanche but eventually returned to his family later on in his life. The phenomenon of a "white boy" raised by "Indians" made him a notable figure in the United States. He published his autobiography, Nine Years Among the Indians in 1927.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780826314178
ISBN 10	0826314171
Title	Nine Years Among the Indians, 1870-1879
Author	Herman Lehmann
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	University of New Mexico Press
Year published	1993-05-30
Number of pages	235
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.