In his study of the civilian population that fell victim to the brutality of the 1860s Kansas Indian wars, Jeff Broome recounts the captivity of Susanna Alderdice, who was killed along with three of her children by her Cheyenne captors (known as Dog Soldiers) at the Battle of Summit Springs in July 1869, and of her four-year-old son, who was wounded then left for dead.

Jeff Broome teaches philosophy at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colorado, and is the author of Custer into the West. John Monnett is a professor of history at Metropolitan State College of Denver and the author of Where a Hundred Soldiers Were Killed: The Struggle for the Powder River Country in 1866 and the Making of the Fetterman Myth.

“The author provides graphic details concerning other atrocities perpetrated upon Kansas settlers by roving bands of Indians during the period. The purpose behind these revelations is not to sensationalize the anguish of the victims, but to demonstrate that recent scholarship has diminished or discounted the degree of suffering endured by the settlers in favor of emphasizing the horror and despair experienced by the Indians.

In examining the atrocities that occurred on the plains of Kansas during the Indian Wars, Broome culled the seldom used depredation claims filed by settlers victimized by Indian raids. It seems ironic that these pioneers could request compensation from the federal government for the loss of a pig, but could not expect indemnity as a result of sexual assault, the death of a family member, or wounds received during the Indian attacks.”—David Dixon, Western Historical Quarterly

“Jeff Broome has done a meticulous job of research. Instead of putting words into the mouths of historical figures, he quotes contemporary accounts. He makes no attempt to embellish the story because the facts are compelling enough.”—Sandra Dallas, Denver Post

“Dog Soldier Justice contributes to an understanding and appreciation of the dangers and hardships endured by settlers.”—William McKale, Kansas History