Al Sieber: Chief of Scouts

Great detail into the life of Al Sieber and his work. Excellent history of US Army campaigns against the Apaches. However, with the fine-grain detail provided a good number of maps of the locales are necessary and would have been very helpful

This book is titled, "Al Sieber Chief of Scouts". So a reader would expect in the 420 pages to learn a great deal about this man. The title is a great deception as the reader will learn very little about Al Sieber as Chief of Scouts. Dan L. Thrapp's book on Al Sieber is sorely lacking in giving an account of the actual experiences of this famous scout. Instead this author details Sieber's life as a scout with such generalities as, "He was there or he was here or maybe he was there". Add to that Thrapp's personal description of actual events with, "It's possible that or it might have happened etc. etc." He wasn't there and does not know what might have possibly happened. This book was a very hard read for several reasons. First, in over 400 pages everything related to Al Sieber as a "scout" probably would not have taken more than a dozen pages. The remainder of 300 plus pages deals with nearly every person, place or thing at the time Sieber was a "scout". I'm not interested for example, of reading about some army Captain's life. Where this and that person grew up or who they were married to or when they graduated from West Point and their career during the Civil War.If you want to learn about Al Sieber as a scout and what the man was actually like, there are other more informative books. A very good book that details Sieber's life as a scout is, "Life of Tom Horn, Government Scout and Interpreter" written by Tom Horn. He was there with Al Sieber and in great detail describes who and what Al Sieber was like as a scout and as a person. There is far more information on Sieber in Horn's book than you will ever find in the 420 pages of Thrapp's deceptively titled book. It is also worth noting when Thrapp mentions Horn's name in this book, there is almost always a footnote by this author with some disparaging comment on Horn. Horn was there with Sieber. And it should also be noted Horn  became Chief of Scouts after Sieber.If this book was titled something like, "The Apache Wars And The People Who Fought It" I might give it Four Stars. But considering the actual deceptive title of this book and it's failure to deliver on the title it doesn't deserve One Star.

Living in the Tonto Valley, and a native of Arizona, this book has been a treasure trove of history. I know most of these locations, minus Mexico, and can attest to the accuracy of these areas. Del Shay is but 10 or 12 air miles from my home. I have viewed the Valley of Sieber's Del Shay valley, been to the Battle of Big Wash, Camp Verde, Ft. McDowell, Ft. Thomas, Ft. Lowell and lived in Cochise County and have ridden horse back through a lot of that country.The Apache of the times were certainly men of men, as was Sieber, and others. The history is a tragic one in many ways, but it was history.I have been wanting to read this book for many years, but it had been out of publication and the books that were available were very expensive. I was over joyed to see it on Kindle. My friends have now read this important and well documented history book and enjoyed it as I have.The book is difficult to put down, I recommend it for those that want to read the history of the South West.

This book is not only an exhaustive biography of Army Scout Al Sieber, but a snapshot of life in Globe Arizona when the Apaches outnumbered the white men by a long shot. Sieber is memorialized on Crook's monument in Arlington and also inspired the Charlton Heston character in the movie ARROWHEAD. Basically Sieber's job was to help the Army put Apaches back on the Reservation when they strayed off it. He did this by using Apache scouts, whom he dominated by out-thinking, out-fighting, out-riding and out-shooting them, all the while treating them with respect and scrupulous honesty. The book covers his life from his immigration to the US from Germany on through his retirement working at the Indian Agency, insuring that the Apaches weren't cheated by the white men sent out by the Indian Bureau. The only flaw in the book is that Siber never strayed far from Globe, and the story doesn't either. You're left wanting to find biographies of Crook, Geronimo and the other characters that pass through Sieber's life.

Al Sieber was the most prominant scout for the military during the Apache wars in Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico. He led troops of Apache scouts against other Apaches and that alone is an interesting study in leadership. Because Sieber was only semi-literate and did not keep journals the first part of Thrapp's book is mainly an account of Arizona history with speculation as to Sieber's involvment and thus is of limited value. After the time when Sieber went work as chief of scouts for the army and records were kept, the book really takes off and is a fascinating account of Sieber, his Apache friends and enemies and most of the military leaders of the time. It is very interesting to read along with the memoirs of Lt. Gatewood.

The story of Al Seiber is a set of events for a man looking for work that turns into a specialization with expiration date. He was guy who learned great skills at certain small jobs but in the end he was like Blockbuster Video trying to rent VHS in a world DVD mailers and on line downloads. What a great man for making Arizona and this book is well worth your time and efforts to read.

In my opinion, this is the best non-fiction book ever written about the Apache wars. In addition to being a biography on the famous scout, Al Seiber, it is also a real eye-opener about how the Apaches were really conquered - not by army generals and their troops, but by special forces consisting of Apache scouts, one or two junior officers, and men like Seiber. Seiber himself, was undoubtedly one of the toughest men who ever trod the frontier West, a famous hunter of both men and beasts, and a rifle shot with no equal. Granted, he had his failing like all men do, but too little attention has been given him. This book does its best to let you meet him.

Well written and quite educational but ultimately a little disappointing as the book doesn't tell us all that much about Al Sieber himself. Instead it prefers to go rambling on about the Indian Wars in general and certain Indian Chiefs in particular (Most especially Geronimo) Still it is better than nothing and there is precious little been written about this great man. Just be prepared to sift through page after page of nothing much to do about Sieber at all!

I have to begin with my ranking by mentioning the supplier. I ordered the book and was not happy about the condition of the book that I received and mentioned this in my feedback. The supplier contacted me (without my asking) and resloved the matter quickly. To that end the customer service was excellent and I would definatley use this supplier again. Now to the book. It is a little long winded in places but a very enjoyable read. It has helped me gain an insight to the men who worked in the west and how they came about. This has been a first for me reading this type of book and it has wetted my interest to read more. Recommeded.

great book - more people need to read about the apache wars as the tactics and campaign details are smilar to wars being waged today and could benefit officers knowledge.

BRILLIANT RESEARCH ON THIS FAMOUS SOUTHWESTERN CHARACTER.