John A. Haymond is a conflict historian; his research focuses on the history of the U.S. Army, the laws of war and the impact of war on society. He retired from the army in 2009 and resides in Yelm, Washington.

• Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPrefaceIntroduction: Beginning at an EndPart One: The1. A War and Its Language2. Spark, Fuel and Fire3. The Acton Murders4. “Over the earth I come”5. “My heart is hardened”Part Two: The Trials6. “Ferreting out and punishing the guilty”7. The Trials Begin8. Questions of Legality9. “A species of domestic rebellion”10. Due Process and the Lack Thereof11. The Rush to Judgment12. Violation of the Law: Sibley’s ErrorPart Three: The Reckoning13. March to the Gallows14. Mass Punishment15. The Executions16. Concentration Camps and Ethnic Cleansing17. The Later Military Commission TrialsPart Four: The Controversies18. Crimes or Culture?19. “The most horrible and nameless outrages”20. “A fair fight”: Crimes That Were Not Crimes21. Exaggeration, Errors and Evidence: The Atrocity Debate22. The Power of the ­Self-Perpetuating MythPart Five: The Aftermath23. Misspelled Names, Misplaced Records and Mistaken Identities24. Confusion and Contradictions25. Oral Histories26. Victims of Every Kind27. After the StormConclusionNotes on SourcesAppendix: The Creation of Military CommissionsChapter NotesBibliographyIndex

“this excellent, well-researched book is an illuminating study, ripe for discussion in both historical and legal settings. Highly recommended”—Choice; “deftly examines the Dakota War trials from the perspective of 19th century military law. Impressively researched and notably well written, organized, and presented...an exceptional work of historical scholarship and very strongly recommended”—Midwest Book Review; “the author examines the trials in detail regarding how the war has been portrayed over the years”—Civil War News; “brings a new perspective to the historical discussion on the Dakota War trials”—The Journal of Military History; “the quality of Haymond’s research is unquestionable, in that it appears that every trial transcript, regardless of the length or amount of detail, was acquired and examined carefully”—American Nineteenth Century History.