Finished: Gustav Niebuhr's 'Lincoln's Bishop'

I recently delved into the nonfiction and religious realm again and enjoyed my trip there with Gustav Niebuhr's "Lincoln's Bishop."

 More than a century ago, during the formative years of the American nation, Protestant churches carried powerful moral authority, giving voice to values such as mercy and compassion, while boldly standing against injustice and immorality. Gustav Niebuhr travels back to this defining period, to explore Abraham Lincoln's decision to spare the lives of 265 Sioux men sentenced to die by a military tribunal in Minnesota for warfare against white settlers — while allowing the hanging of 38 others, the largest single execution on American soil. Popular opinion favored death or expulsion. Only one state leader championed the cause of the Native Americans, Episcopal bishop, Henry Benjamin Whipple. 

 I liked several things about this book. For one, I always enjoy settings I'm familiar with, whether it's in a fiction or nonfiction book. This Dakota War pretty much took place along the Minnesota River and touches on locations from St. Paul to Mankato and St. Cloud to New Ulm.

 It also didn't seem to be overtly biased toward one side. Seems often, even in history books, either the white people are painted as racist slugs or Native Americans as drunken slobs. Niebuhr does a good job of express Bishop Whipple's thoughts as being understanding of why Native Americans were a hair-trigger away from revolting against the government and white settlers, while also understanding the white settlers blood thirst for avenging the atrocities committed against them. It doesn't excuse any of the wrongs done by either side, but explains how the anger and emotions evolved.

 I also enjoyed the backstories on how Bishop Whipple came to know President Lincoln, how all this was going on as the Civil War raged, and how Gen. Pope was disgraced on the Civil War battlefield and relegated to clean up Minnesota's problem.

 The book boasts a stellar 4.8 of 5 stars from Amazonians. Goodreaders are a bit more bearish with a 3.7. It hit the 7 mark on the Haugenometer 1-10 scale. Here's a review from the MinnPost.

 I'd recommend this for any American history buff, a local history nerd or just your average slug like me who enjoys a good story.