Bent Tree Bride
Set during the War of 1812, this is the story of Cherokee soldier Sam Hicks and Susanna Moore, the daughter of his American commander. It opens in Tennessee, along the border with the Cherokee Nation, and ends with Andrew Jackson’s victory at Horseshoe Bend in what is now Alabama.
The history is complicated, with the Cherokees supporting America and the Red Stick Creeks supporting the British. Susanna and Sam build their relationship amid war, violence, and uncertainty for the future.
Well-educated, Christian Sam has all the traditional skills needed for war or woodland life. Susanna is American, but her widowed father has married a Cherokee woman, making Susanna comfortable with both cultures. Colonel Moore forbids a marriage because he feels the future of the Cherokee people is too insecure. After much heartache and danger, Sam proves his worth. Colonel Moore makes plans to protect Susanna in the future and drops his opposition to their love.
This is a fascinating look into another place and time before so much changed for the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears. Recommended.
