Indian Captive, Indian King

In Indian Captive, Indian King, Timothy J. Shannon uses the character of Peter Williamson to tell a larger story about the Anglo-American world in the mid- to late eighteenth century. From this man’s multifaceted life, Shannon derives much information about a myriad of topics relating to this time period and provides a detailed portrayal of both man and empire, but some readers may not appreciate the depth and volume of the peripheral and occasionally tangential material included here.Shannon divides his book into two logical sections, the first covering Williamson’s years in America and the second concerning his time back in Scotland. Williamson claimed that he came to the colonies as an involuntary indentured servant, gained his freedom and some wealth, was taken captive by Native Americans, escaped, enlisted in the British army, became a prisoner of war of the French, and finally was transported to England for exchange. Shannon addresses each piece of Williamson’s life in turn, both to interrogate its validity and to show how each experience pertained to ordinary colonists of Williamson’s time and place, to offer an in-depth look at mid-eighteenth-century America.On his return to Scotland, Williamson published his version of his adventures under the title French and Indian Cruelty, which played perfectly into the literary trends of the time, and he dressed like an Indian to promote his book. This (mis)representation called undue attention to him and led to a series of lawsuits against and by him to prove the truth of his life story and his claims therein. After successful resolution of his legal difficulties, he operated a coffeehouse and became a printer while still exploiting his reputation as an Indian captive. By his death at age sixty-nine, he had lived through and accomplished much. Similar to his treatment of Williamson’s time in the colonies, Shannon closely examines each of his subject’s multiple careers to show how Williamson exploited and embodied many of the popular themes of that era. In the end, Shannon delivers not only an intriguing portrait of a unique man but also a thoughtful look at colonial America and Scotland at this time.As for methodology, Shannon uses Williamson’s French and Indian Cruelty as the jumping-off point for his own narrative and for broader analysis of the forces that Williamson was able to take advantage of and tap into. The author does an excellent job of fact-finding to prove and disprove parts of the exciting tale while giving it enough legitimacy as a historical source to avoid destroying his subject’s integrity completely. He makes Williamson into a likeable character that readers will enjoy following on his many escapades, real and imagined. They may even come to admire his ingenuity. Nevertheless, Shannon’s lengthy and detailed departures from the immediate issue become somewhat tedious at times. Using one person or document as a window into the past is nothing new, and while Shannon does so here brilliantly by linking Williamson to many larger contemporary initiatives, he may lose some readers who become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of diverse information he shares with his audience. This strength—namely, overabundant material—is therefore his weakness, which will attract or discourage readers depending on their interest level. However, the vast amount of research Shannon has done as well as the numerous connections that he brings to light and conclusions that he draws from his chosen subject make this text an inspired overview of colonial society and culture, one that will delight those with a scholarly focus on this era

Ancient history · Australian History and Society · Colonialism, slavery, and trade · History