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Covered with Night: A Story of Murder and Indigenous Justice in Early America Hardcover – April 27, 2021

by Nicole Eustace (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 244 ratings
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WINNER • 2022 PULITZER PRIZE IN HISTORY
Winner • Francis Parkman Prize (Society of American Historians)
Finalist • National Book Award for Nonfiction
Best Books of the Year • TIME, Smithsonian, Boston Globe, Kirkus Reviews

The Pulitzer Prize-winning history that transforms a single event in 1722 into an unparalleled portrait of early America.

In the winter of 1722, on the eve of a major conference between the Five Nations of the Haudenosaunee (also known as the Iroquois) and Anglo-American colonists, a pair of colonial fur traders brutally assaulted a Seneca hunter near Conestoga, Pennsylvania. Though virtually forgotten today, the crime ignited a contest between Native American forms of justice―rooted in community, forgiveness, and reparations―and the colonial ideology of harsh reprisal that called for the accused killers to be executed if found guilty. In Covered with Night, historian Nicole Eustace reconstructs the attack and its aftermath, introducing a group of unforgettable individuals―from the slain man’s resilient widow to an Indigenous diplomat known as “Captain Civility” to the scheming governor of Pennsylvania―as she narrates a remarkable series of criminal investigations and cross-cultural negotiations. Taking its title from a Haudenosaunee metaphor for mourning, Covered with Night ultimately urges us to consider Indigenous approaches to grief and condolence, rupture and repair, as we seek new avenues of justice in our own era.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    464 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Liveright
  4. Publication date
    April 27, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.5 x 9.6 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1631495879
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1631495878
  8. See all details
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  1. Indigenous leaders in eastern North America supported neither execution nor incarceration as fair punishment for the killing. Rather, they sought emotional reconciliation and economic restitution for the resolution of crimes.
    Highlighted by 163 Kindle readers
  2. Throughout it all, the unwavering Indigenous emphasis on restorative healing for communities contrasted greatly with English stress on punitive measures for individual perpetrators.
    Highlighted by 119 Kindle readers
  3. Rare are those who have even heard of this agreement between members of the Five Nations of the Haudenosaunee and representatives from the colonies of New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Yet this is the oldest continuously recognized treaty in the history of the United States.
    Highlighted by 112 Kindle readers
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From the Publisher

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history, native americans

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"[Eustace] reveals forgotten treasures in America’s attic... She draws from dozens of primary sources and hundreds of secondary ones, yet seamlessly weaves them into a cohesive, compelling narrative full of intrigue and pathos.... Drawing repeated distinctions between rigid, albeit unfairly applied, British law (perpetrator-focused, reprisal-oriented, punishment driven) and the justice of the Haudenosaunee (victim-focused, restitution-oriented, harmony-driven)... Eustace manages to maintain the narrative tension.... formally documenting a more humane, healing vision of what justice could be – and once was – in this country."
― Dana Dunham, Chicago Review of Books

"The story has countless moving parts and one central mystery that demand subtle exposition, and Eustace navigates it all with skill and economy. A fine contribution to the literature of Colonial America, where peace was far harder to achieve than war."
― Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Throughout, she makes excellent use of primary sources to convey the sophisticated rhetorical strategies of Native negotiators. Early American history buffs will be fascinated."
― Publishers Weekly

"Relying on primary sources, including colonial writings, Eustace’s account offers not only the history of the trial, but also an inclusive examination of ongoing clashes over the possession of land rights. Black-and-white illustrations of colonial letters throughout add context."
― Library Journal

"Listening keenly and insightfully to Native voices in colonial records, Nicole Eustace deftly recovers a revealing tale of murder and justice across a cultural frontier at a critical moment for the future of our continent. A great read and an important book."
― Alan Taylor, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Thomas Jefferson’s Education

"Nicole Eustace crafts a thoroughly original and compelling account of eighteenth-century America, its volatile societies and cultural boundaries, and especially the conflicts between Native people and colonial newcomers over how justice itself might be defined in America. Her answers are surprising, enlightening, and worthy of rediscovery."
― Matthew Dennis, professor emeritus of history at the University of Oregon and author of Seneca Possessed: Indians, Witchcraft, and Power in the Early American Republic

About the Author

Nicole Eustace is professor of history at New York University. She is the author 1812: War and the Passions of Patriotism and Passion Is the Gale: Emotion, Power, and the Coming of the American Revolution. She lives in Mamaroneck, New York.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Liveright; First Edition (April 27, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1631495879
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1631495878
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.71 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.5 x 9.6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 244 ratings

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Nicole Eustace

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
244 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

G. Khanna
5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable work of history
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2023
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Simply put, this is a remarkable book. On the surface, it tells the story about a negotiation between colonialists and a Native American that went awry and resulted in a brutal murder. But the amazing thing about Eustace's work is how this episode reveals so much about colonial society. Conflicts between Native people and Colonial newcomers were nothing new -- but how these two societies perceived the episode reveals much about their ideas of how to co-exist, justice, and healing. It's hard to fathom the range resources that the author must have studied to paint this vivid portrait. Her blow-by-blow account of the murder alone is worth the price of the book. A central theme of the book is the tension between the punishment-oriented British-based law prevalent in the Pennsylvania Colony and the deep-rooted desire for community healing and restoration that was intricately woven into the fabric of the Haudenosaunee People. The book dispels numerous myths, including the notion of "uncivilized" Native Americans versus the more "refined" people of European descent. In fact, as she tells the story, I often wondered how much we could still learn from the Native people's sense of restorative justice. Plus, I have a new American hero: Captain Civility. This is an important work for anyone who seeks to understand early American history. All the honors that the book and the author have garnered are well-deserved!
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Anthony Conty
4.0 out of 5 stars History for Amateurs
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2023
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“Covered with Night” is an expression among the Native American community in the 18th century to describe someone overcome with guilt. In a time when we called people “savages” to rationalize horrific treatment of them, the words meant more than you would imagine. I fixated on the part in which an accused murderer served as a translator for the plaintiff at his trial. That tells you all you need to know.

I was disappointed by the slow start since the murder happened immediately, and you get the point. Since the abuse of Native Americans is something that the average American knows, and not specifically, the book has more ways to illustrate that as it goes on. Seeing things from the perspective of a wife with her husband in jail and Native Americans encountering alcohol for the first time are just two ways that Eustace sets herself apart.

With so many tribes and languages involved in the Native American community, greater unity existed at the level of the colonists. Although this story has a singular focus, it explains other aspects of history. As a native Pennsylvanian, I could not believe how I knew places like Conestoga without knowing anything about the happenings there in 1722.

Like “Killers of the Flower Moon,” an outstanding book, you will meet a cast of characters unlike what you usually encounter in non-fiction true crime. The similarities end there, however, since Eustace takes one incident and stretches it out over an entire novel, for which she should receive praise.

People will give up this novel quickly but give it time to make its point. Not all of you will compulsively leaf through the notes and bibliography like I do, but trust that Eustace completed significantly exhaustive research considering that the topic only dealt with one event.
4 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars My husband loved it
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2023
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I gave this book to my husband for his birthday. He thoroughly enjoyed it. He says it is so well-written and researched. It illuminates an aspect of U.S. history that is largely unknown outside pretty esoteric groups of academics. Specifically it details the gross misunderstanding between the Haudenosee tribes and the white majority after a white American murdered one of their members, a misunderstanding largely driven by white refusal to pay attention the native views.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars OK for some Native American history buffs
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2023
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The strory has one dramatic event early in the book, then hundreds of pages of hand-wringing about the attempts at resolution of that event. I kept on thinking- Get to the point! If you are interested in Native Amercian culture and its relation to European culture, and hsitorical record of that, then this might be up your alley. For me?-not enough action to make me recommend it to others.
4 people found this helpful
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suzmck
5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed and Well-Documented
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2021
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Through researching rare historical documents, Eustace compiles excellent information based on primary sources of first hand experiences. In doing so she gives us a greater understanding of the beginnings of our nation that allows the reader to correlate our history to modern times.
12 people found this helpful
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Jason Adams
4.0 out of 5 stars Incite to a lost world
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2023
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On the face of it, this is a tragic tale told often in the annals of colonizers and indigenous populations. Two diametric worldviews, fundamentally incompatible that found a temporary trust only to lay the seeds for further tragedy. However, Eustace does a good job of unearthing the transcripts and detailed notes of native philosophy that captures and provides a window into their trade and diplomacy practices. While the narrative occasionally wanders and at times digresses, all in all a great insight to a little examined world.
3 people found this helpful
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P. B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Accurate
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2021
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Well written
3 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars a fascinating account beautifully written!
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
This is a thorough and wide ranging analysis of an American colonial legal conflict between Pennsylvania and the Haudenosaunee. It is fascinating, and as engaging written as the best fiction. I'm rather well read in history, and this book is a stand out.
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Top reviews from other countries

Takin T.
5.0 out of 5 stars Very detailed and strongly written
Reviewed in Canada on April 22, 2023
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Really enjoyed reading this book. The author wrote every details of the events (as much as they are available).
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Amazon Customer
2.0 out of 5 stars Very boring. Even though itsn authentic
Reviewed in Canada on September 13, 2022
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Had trouble following it because it was boring have read many books on the subject like the Founding of the Hudson Bay company, Champlain's Dream. All were fascinating but this one was someone's PHD paper
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