Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 748

# Catalog Note

"Silverblade, the Friendly" by Jos. E. Badger, Jr., is a Western action serial depicting the Wounded Knee massacre of 1890. The narrative opens with Sioux warriors camped under Chief Big Foot, including the Shoshone half-blood protagonist Silverblade and the aging Brule Sioux warrior Thunder Strike. As soldiers demand weapon surrender, a young warrior's outburst triggers hidden rifles; the Sioux fire devastating volleys killing cavalry officer Captain Wallace and many soldiers. The Indians are overwhelmed only when cavalry charges and machine guns turn the engagement into brutal hand-to-hand combat. Silverblade, attempting to broker peace, is struck unconscious. The story depicts the violent confrontation through military and indigenous perspectives, emphasizing combat action and individual heroism amid historical conflict.