In this collection Americas most distinguished popular historian has turnedhis attention to the tragic struggle that came close to destroying the Americannation... » 

In this collection Americas most distinguished popular historian has turnedhis attention to the tragic struggle that came close to destroying the Americannation. Drawing on letters and diaries as well as military reports Brownrecreates the human face of the conflict and includes accounts of the mostimportant battles fought west of the Mississippi. With his characteristicgenius for bringing history to life he tells of daring raids brilliantstrategies tragic miscalculations and pigheaded blunders times for bothsides when everything that could go wrong did and times when extraordinarygood luck seemed to suggest divine intervention.Brown describes the Battle of Wilsons Creek termed the Bull run of theWest the Battle of Westport the biggest engagement fought west of theMississippi and other battles some that produced unexpected results. Herecounts the exploits of John Morgan and Benjamin Grierson cavalry commanderson opposite sides who were famous for their expeditions deep into enemyterritory. Brown includes the personal stories of commanders and foot soldierswho describe the unspeakable horrors they witnessed as well as the astonishingheroism and gallantry of soldiers on both sides and moments when compassionfor the enemy replaced the murderous rage of battle. Among the most remarkablestories are Browns accounts of a conspiracy to free Confederate prisoners whowere then to form a Northwestern Confederacy a poignant love story told inletters and the tragic tale of the final collapse of the Confederacy andcapture of Jefferson Davis. Combining military history and some of the mostunusual and dramatic events of the Civil War this collection ofshort pieceswill be welcomed by Dee Browns many admirers and by all readers with aninterest in the great sagas of the Civil War and the American West. «