As a distant relative of Oliver, I was surprised that I had never heard his story. What amazes me more is the fact that countless people like Ras never recieved recognition. All in all, however, the story is one of the best I've ever read in my life.

When I was a little boy, I grew up hearing about my Uncle Oliver's story and some of the wondrous adventures he had and shared with us. Finally I am able to read a accurate accounting and in-depth look at my family's history and its impact on my life.

When Oz's brother, Danwood, (my father), died, Oz became my father and mentor. Over the years, I would talk to him and feel his story come alive.

Before I took my turn as a warrior protecting my people, as a young Marine, I went to see Oz in California to talk about my turn in combat. His words to me gave me strength during my time in hell. Bakite ishin, "hit me if you dare," was his gift to me that protected me along with my heritage and my father's spirit.

Oz's spirit live on within these pages. His gift of life for his children, wife, and his relatives is one of struggle, within his own roots, happiness, and glory. To many in the Native American community, his life is one of the Ogitchidaa, (warrior): one who defends, protects, serves his family, community and their way of life. Now in this time of mourning over the World Trade Center disaster, his story can provide a special insight into a way of strength and overcoming the hardships of life.

My uncle's gift to me lies within those simple words,Bakite Ishin. They continue to give me the strength and insight to survive in today's world. I sit here now putting a Native American publishing house together with my wife. We suffer and endure for the people of our lives and heritage. Our first book, "Freddie Came Home & Other Coyote Tales," reflects the courage of my uncle's spirit and life. Our struggle with life, whether it be in business, traditions, family or community is supported by my Uncle Oliver's legacy. He truly gives hope to the world and to the people.

Bakite Ishin. Hit me if you dare. Words of the old ones in our proud heritage. Words for people to stand up to, to be proud of, and to stay strong. Che-Miigwech, Uncle, Che-Miigwech

This is a gripping tale of a real American hero surviving behind enemy lines in WWII. It is a definite must-read. Kudos to the author for bringing this story to print!

Mr.Graves does an excellent job descirbing an obscure, yet compelling battle of the War of 1812. Winfield Scott professionally trained and lead his famed brigade at Chippewa where he managed to get the better of the British in a brief, but hard fought firer-fight. The book correctly dispels many of the myths associated with this battle. Contrary to popular opinion, the British did not attack in column, as many histories of the war have asserted. The British were a linear army, they generally deployed and fought in a two rank line. This is how they fought and defeated Napeolean in Spain. It would have been illogical of them to have fought any other way at this battle. Although the British were known to employ the column on occasion, Chippewa was not one of them. Another myth dispelled is that Scott's brigade routed Gen. Riall's command. The British were bested in a fair-firefight, and retired in good order. They did not rout or run off the field as claimed in many works. Also, there is no documented evidence that Gen. Riall exclaimed "By God those are regulars!" when he saw Scott's brigade advancing in a professional manner against him. Graves asserts that this famous quote, found in every history on the War of 1812 was first used by Scott himself in his memoirs written many years later. Scott had a tendency to inflate his own importance and liked to refer to himself in the third person in order to do so! Still another myth associated with this battle is that the grey jackets worn by many of Scott's brigade were adopted by West Point to commemorate the battle. Evidence suggests that the US Military Academy had already adopted the grey jacket at least a year before the event. Scott had no particular preference whether his men wore grey or regualtion blue uniforms. All he was concerned with was a professional appearence. The grey jackets were sent because that was all that was available. Normally militia wore such uniforms in the US army.

Chippewa created quite a sensation in the States because it was one of the first battles the US regular army actually won against British regulars during the whole war. Up until this point the US regular army had not conducted itself much better than militia! The varied and un-even performance of the American army during the whole War of 1812 was no doubt quite vexing to the British. In a strange way it might have worked to the advantage of the Americans in some cases, although the often poor showing the army made in most engagements did not reflect well upon the young nations honor.

The real winners of this controversial battle was Winfield Scott and co. who would become the doyens of American military culture throughout the 19th century. In many respects the US army was founded on the Niagara Frontier in 1814, and not at Valley Forge in 1778. Chippewa and Lundy's Lane a few weeks later were important landmarks in this development. They deserve to be remembered. Thanks to Graves perhaps now they will be.

So stated the British commander on the field of Chippawa in July 1814 as the American Brigade commanded by Winfield Scott crossed the open field, closing ranks as men fell, and descended on the British battalions like 'gray doom.'

This outstanding volume by War of 1812 authority Donald Graves expertly tells the tale of the first stand up fight during the war where American regulars defeated and routed a British army. Expertly trained by Scott, the American Left Division of Jacob Brown was the best force the Americans fielded during the war. Using the excellent French 1791 Reglement, Scott untiringly trained his regulars in the Buffalo encampment and led them against the British until a wound at Lundy's Lane, after Chippawa, knocked him out of the war.

This rousing tale 'of much fight' is one of the best battle narratives written, and paints in broad strokes the desperate fighting on the Niagara frontier in 1814, where American, Briton, and Canadian fought against each other in some of the most desperate battles of the period.

This excellent volume is indispensable for a realistic view of the period, and the research that went into the book is intense, accurate, and tells a tale of valor, ingenuity, and the terror of the early 19th century battlefield. It is a must to understand the period and belongs on the bookshelf of every historian and enthusiast of the period.

Donald Graves has become the foremost modern military historian of the War of 1812 with the publication of this book and his previous "The Battle of Lundy's Lane" (Baltimore, 1993). The Battle of Chippawa was an American victory on July 5, 1814 during the early stages of the United States' last attemp to invade Canada. The battle was marked by the emergence of a professional Regular Army that could fight the British Redcoats on their own terms and defeat them in an even fight. The British commander, Major General Phineas Riall, contemptuous of troops he took to be grey-clad American militia, uttered the famous phrase "Why, these are Regulars!" as the Americans successfully maneuvered and defeated his forces. (A modern painting of the battle complete with Riall's quote hangs in most American Army bases and Reserve Centers today.) Graves is a master of the sources and is a talented writer. His book is fully illustrated and contains adequate maps to follow the action along the Niagara River. He applies his knowledge and critical analysis equally to the British, Canadians, and Americans and creates a model of a battle analysis within the context of the larger campaign. His earlier work on the bloodier but inconclusive Battle of Lundy's Lane contains the story of the campaign's outcome: that the Americans lost so many soldiers at Chippawa and Lundy's Lane that they were forced on the defensive, but were able to defeat the British attempt to force them back across the Niagara River at the siege of Fort Erie. With the coming of winter the Americans retreated back into New York state, only to learn that the war had come to an end. Graves is a military historian with the Canadian Department of National Defense and is perhaps the best military historian now working in the field of the War of 1812

well:i happen to be going thruogh the internet looking some things up.ran across this.if i had a chance to buy it right now i would,i think it sounds,like a wonderful book to own and read at your own pace.i am writting a story on the settlers known as pioneers,or pilgrims.and i hope to publish it someday.i have been a writter for 39 years this year sept 22sd.my birthday.i love to read all the montana history on all this kind of stuff,to me its so interesting i can close my eyes picture everything.i say buy this book everyone.i am a cowboy poet,and a roundup rodeo Queen from gardiner,were always through there going to my uncle bills,out at roy.the bill davis ranch.saddle-up.

I had reviewed this book for another medium, and articles in July 12, 1998 Minneapolis Star Tribune demanded that I use this medium to point out the importance of seeing the realities of Native Americans on White Earth reservation at this period of time.

One article touted Minneapolis mayor, Hubert Humphrey, making reference to his earlier days as a graduate student in the state of Louisiana, and his horror at seeing how badly people treated minorities.

Another article related the commotion caused at THIS time concerning the clash of White Earth organized native police forces, created with government funds, and police of the state of Minnesota over potential problems of jurisdiction.

One wonders what conditions existed at White Earth reservation about the same time that Humphrey pointed out his disgust with treatment of minorities in the state of Louisiana? Well, the book on hand would give a graphic picture of those realities. Highly recommend! ed for any person of any state who has the urge to cast stones at other places where people hate this and that.

And highly recommended during a campaign year when the race for Minnesota governor includes one Mondale, Humphrey and Freeman, vying for the democratic slot.

I am a 10 year old girl. I am homeschooled and I think it is a great educational book. It has a lot of great Indian legends. It explains how the Chippewa Indians gathered rice, cooked it, made canoes and made things out of skins. Rice was their main food. My mom chose this book for me to read for school. I thought it was going to be boring because the cover looks boring, but now I know that the saying "you can't judge a book by it's cover" is true!

Ronald Satz provides readers with a colorful tapestry of information regarding the Chippewa Indians beginning with the first few encounters had with the whites. Chippewa Treaty Rights deals with the actual treaties signed by headmen from several tribes from northern Wisconsin and explains their meaning at the time to both the Native Americans and the white men. The actual treaties are found in the appendix of the book for further reference and add to the historical information already present in the text. The book does an excellent job of presenting historical facts in such a way even a person not familiar with the treaties could refer to the extensive appendices for further explanation. It is truly the type of book that draws out emotion and forces the reader to think critically about events that happened in the early 19th century on up to the 1980's. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and for anybody interested in Native American treaty rights especially those concerning the Ojibwa Indians this book is perfect. This book is a must have for any Wisconsin history enthusiast for it is about the birth of state.

I found this book to be a very informative guide to the history and ethnology of the Chippewa of Wisconsin and Michigan's Western Upper Penninsula over a period of 300 years. The extensive interviews shows Dr. Danzinger did his homework. I was pleased at his consistent noting of the survival mechanisms and postive attitudes of this select group who are a still growing part the largest tribe (Anishinabe or Ojibwe) of Indians in North America. The footnotes and bibliography offer the reader excellent resources for further study. I look forward to another volume. Megwetch.

Jane Hieb has done an excellent job researching this fair Midwestern town. I'll recommend this to anyone interested in this particular town's history, or anyone who might enjoy learning more about the hard work and sacrifices that everyday Americans face when trying to build a functioning community. Also, if you can get a hold of it, a must read is Jane Hieb's "Country Roads and Other Trecherous Paths." You may have to directly write the author to get a hold of it, but this hillarious collection of real life stories is well worth it. Some of the most enjoyable and heart warming non-fiction comes not from celebrities or politicians or New York Times bestselling authors but from hard working Americans who happen to have a great gift for writing. Get both of these books and you well surely treasure them.

Mac-ke-te-be-nessy or Andrew J. Blackbird gives us a personal insight into his life as a lens to view the life of American Indians in Michigan. He explains the legends of his people and the influence of the Christian missionaries on his beliefs. He also writes of the difficulties or what we today call racism that he encountered through his dealings with the US Government and the higher learning institutions of his day (University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University). The history is rich and presented with sincerity. Anyone looking to know more about history from the perspective of a man who lived through it, especially American Indian history in the mid 19th century will benefit greatly by this book.

A beautifully told story with illustrations to match. I would like to find out more about the illustrations and the borders - the sybolism, especailly.

What? No teepees or war paint? Bravo! Cynthia Leitich Smith's JINGLE DANCER is a refreshing story about a Muscogee-Ojibway girl wanting to participate in a powwow by performing a traditional dance. This contemporary picture book story is free of the stereotypes sometimes associated with Native American tales, and instead shows Jenna watching her grandma dance on a video tape, visiting a friend in a new duplex in the community, and talking with her lawyer aunt. The reader is also introduced to information about a traditional story, game, foods, and dance. Smith's lyrical narrative and captivating story makes this a perfect read-a-loud -- as my five-year-old daughter will attest to. As an Asian-American, I'm always thrilled to see contemporary stories with multicultural characters shown in real and positive ways.

Beautiful illustrations by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu!

Until very recently, there were no large press picture books about contemporary Native children written by Indian authors. For this reason, Jingle Dancer is particularly notable. The story of Jenna, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation living with her family in Oklahoma, is written by a Native author. Rather than focusing exclusively on Jenna's Indian identity, however, the book presents Jenna as an average American kid, living in suburbia, who calls on her Native sensibilities and her broad community of supportive females to overcome a problem as she tries to put together her regalia for the Jingle Dance. Readers who are not familiar with the customs presented here will learn much, but above all, they will learn that Indian children are alive, well, and living rich lives amongst them, a lesson infrequently taught, and rarely so pleasantly. Rich, bright, cheerful watercolor illustrations by husband-and-wife team Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu enhance the presentation and bring Jenna to life. A significantly informative Author's Note and Glossary make the book even more effective.

Cynthia Leitich Smith's, JINGLE DANCER, is a delightful book. Ms. Smith weaves a lovely story of the strong female ties in Native Ameicans matriarchal societies. Smith celebrates the loving, sharing spirit of friends and families. The passages of Jenna dancing through her day from dawn to moonlight are pure poetry. Cornelius Van Wright's and Ying-Hwa Hu's bright lively illustration are a perfect match. Cynthia Leitich Smith's writing is to be applauded as a great addition to the world of children's books.