Allen, Frederick

A Decent, Orderly Lynching: The Montana Vigilantes

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ISBN 13:: 9780806140384
author:: Allen, Frederick
format:: Paperback
publisher:: University of Oklahoma Press
language:: English
Publication Year:: 2009
Pages:: 421
Dimensions:: 23.4 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm
Genre:: Archaeology Textbook
Condition:: New
Availability:: Item usually sent within 5 working days

£18.73

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Description

Description

The deadliest campaign of vigilante justice in American history unfolded in the Rocky Mountains during the Civil War. A private army hanged twenty-one troublemakers, actions that were hailed as heroic at the time. However, a closer examination of the events reveals a more complex picture. Frederick Allen's meticulously researched account sheds new light on the Montana vigilantes, exploring the circumstances that led to their actions and the consequences that followed. Through a detailed analysis of original sources, including eyewitness accounts, Allen has uncovered evidence that the vigilantes were initially justified in their efforts to combat violent crime in a remote area beyond government reach. Nevertheless, their actions continued for six years, resulting in the lynching of over fifty men without trials. This disturbing chapter in American history challenges our understanding of justice and the limits of mob rule. Allen's narrative is enriched by dozens of photographs, bringing the story to life and providing a unique perspective on this pivotal moment in Montana's early days.

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