On October 8, 1871, a massive fire and fire tornado swept through Peshtigo, Wisconsin and other towns in the vicinity. The death toll was great, and was probably greater than that recorded because so many of the victims were reduced to literal ashes by the conflagration. Yet, it took 100 years for this disaster to become more than a footnote in American history; this is due to the fact the Great Chicago Fire occurred the same night and received widespread news coverage that relegated the Peshtigo and environs cataclysm to secondary, very light, coverage.
Reverend Peter Pernin, who served in two churches in the area, including Peshtigo, recorded his personal experience in his account of the harrowing events. Pernin originally wrote his account (published in Canada in 1874) as a means to generate funds to rebuild his cremated Marinette church. The Wisconsin Magazine of History (vol. 2) later published it in serial form in 1918-1919. In 1971, the Wisconsin Historical Society Press published Pernin’s account in its entirety in book form for the Centennial Anniversary of the Peshtigo firestorm.
I am a history junkie and, having family roots in Wisconsin, the Peshtigo area fire intrigued me. Having already read the excellent "Firestorm at Peshtigo" by Denise Gess and William Lutz, I was curious to read Reverend Pernin's eyewitness account that he originally recorded while the memory and details were fresh in his mind.
Pernin's detailed writing of his ordeal and that of his neighbors is not for the squeamish. In addition to his account of grisly discoveries in the days following the disaster, he heartbreakingly describes the last panicked moments he witnessed of people and animals that died trapped in the midst of hell on earth. In addition, he shares with the reader his curious precognition of something terrible on the horizon as early signs of the fire's build and spread goes largely ignored by most of the populace. Just the buildup of his gut feelings based on the strange stillness in the hours before all hell broke loose is enough to keep the reader turning the pages while wondering if they would follow those gut feelings the same as Reverend Pernin had.
What makes this book even more intriguing is the fact that Pernin was among the first to describe in detail what we now call a "Fire Tornado." The idea of such a thing was non-existent in the 1800s, although the occurrence of these events were described in other accounts by survivors in other countries and even in ancient times; there simply was not the scientific understanding or name for the phenomena back then.
Even if you are not a fan of history or the subject of wildfires, "The Great Peshtigo Fire: An Eyewitness Account" is riveting reading as we travel in Pernin's shoes while hurricane-force winds send embers and fireballs combusting in every corner, building, forest and field; while choosing to freeze in the Peshtigo River is worth the gamble to avoid burning to death; while watching fellow human beings become instant torches.
Five Stars. I highly recommend this book!
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