Battle for Sitka,1802 -1804, Alaskan Tlingits, Russians and Native Allies in Russian America

Battle for Sitka is an English translation of a Russian historian's and chief curator's well considered views on the 1802 Russian loss of their fort and allies in the Sitka area to the Tlingit Indians, with some allies, and the 1804 retaking of Sitka land by the Russians along with their mainly Alutiiq and Aleut allies. This book emphasizes the variety of armaments, battle clothing, Native outlooks, customs and personal stories. It debates the conflicting views on causes, outcomes and dates of the associated incidents. Several sly American and British trading ship, fur-and-armament-trade skippers and their crews also became quite involved in the events, and this book tries to determine which of these and others are the most accurate in their publications, handed-down stories and logs. The book's author also compares the views of other Russian, American and Tlingit historians in order to try to determine what really happened and when, in this long-running struggle for the Sitka area and trade. In addition this book shows that there was more than animosity occurring during this historic period. It was a period of intense intercontinental interaction.