Guerrilla warfare is seldom spoken in Civil War circles or written about. Probably one of the more popular characters in this topic from that period is Bill Anderson. Authors Albert Castel and Thomas Goodrich have assembled quite a bit of useful information in regards to Anderson's ambitions, motivations, movements and operations throughout Kansas and Missouri. This dangerous, callous and revengeful individual is brought forth to show how rough and chaotic war can be, especially for a divided state such as Missouri. Anderson leads his small band of raiders throughout these states living like desperate pirates to plunder towns and more importantly hunt down enemies to the extreme.

Anderson's life is never short of violence as he is the ultimate and sadistic leader of a dangerous group of bandits that have borderline allegiances to the Confederate cause. Portraying to be Union Cavalry, Anderson and his band of murderers steal, burn, kill and ravage towns of Union sympathizers. Union Militia throughout the state of Missouri is quickly and badly organized to hunt down Anderson and his company that seems to constantly grow larger in membership. Anderson raids towns such as Fayette and Centralia leaving deadly results by killing many former Union soldiers, burning depots and various other buildings while looting stores. Anderson and his gang are always drinking and whiskey seems to elevate their need for murder and money that never ends.
Is he ever stopped?

Like many, I couldn't resist this book and wished for more though there is quite a bit of useful information for a short book of roughly 144 pages. It was descriptively well-written, concise, maps and pictures were included which gave the book a great rhythmic flow as far as content. 5 STARS!!

This is a very interesting and well written book about the atrocities that Bill Anderson and his bushwhackers committed, within the background of the Civil War. The authors have done a tremendous amount of research and it pays off.

The only problem I has with it is that at 150 pages, it was a bit too short. Then again, the subtitle does say Short and Savage life.

Well recommended for Civil War or military history buffs.

I found this book to be an easy to read history of not only Anderson but the circumstances that helped create him. The authors have done an excellent job turning up new information and sifting old information to write a helpful new view of Anderson. The book is well footnoted and contains several never before printed photos including a photo of Anderson's wife, Bush Smith and one of the cord he used to keep track of his kills. This book is a must for anyone interested in the Civil War on the Kansas-Missouri border.

I have read many books about Indian wars on the plains. None has the same effect, the same riveting quality, that Scalp Dance has. Rather than an author's version of what happened, this author simply guides us through a chronological trail of bloodshed - narrating where need be, but letting the actual written accounts of those who took part tell the real story. Army men, their wives, settlers, and others tell their tales as they experienced them first hand. I have to say that these first-hand accounts paint a picture more violent, brutal and ruthless than any other book I've read. This is not a watered down version of what happened, or someone's interpretation. This is real. Indian wars have been glorified so much after all these years. It's good, though disturbing, to be reminded that the participants were not always the noble beings we've been imagining. It's hard to picture a culture so vicious in these modern days. Scalp Dance tells it like it was, rather; the accounts of those unlucky enough to take part do the telling.

The account of the events is vivid and memorable. The emphasis is on the words of those people who experienced life on the Great Plains at the time, both military and private citizens, men and women. The Indians did not write memoirs ordinarily, but their attitude comes through in their recorded encounters with the whites. Also, these days we know much more about how they were treated. Why contemporary whites felt as they did about the Indians is a strong point of this book.

Another fine point of this book is that the author has avoided skewing the story with political correctness. The history is neither "noble savage" nor "the only Indian is a bad Indian." It is a clash of cultures seen by walking in the shoes of contemporaries.

In addition, there is a very informative view of General George Custer and Mrs. Custer, one enhancing our knowledge of his military ability and their humanity. Custer's relationship to the Indians is especially revealing,

Although I don't like giving a 5 star rating to any book this book deserves 6! This is the real stuff, pre WWII, pre WWI, PRE-TV! It was written at a time before historic brainwashing by movies and television existed. Before people were self conscious about telling the truth. We can see the actual format of the "Civil" War sentiments. He reveals the concepts of dying, of The North, Slavery, and other aspects of the era that we are usually forced to accept from modern day writings, reflecting only current, politically correct viewpoints. The down to earth flow of this book is very enjoyable and is great reading for anyone with interest in this subject matter.

If you are looking for truth about what happened in Missouri during the War betwen the states this book is for you. The best way to learn what really happened is to read firsthand accounts and that's what this book offers. No one sided historical author can screwup or argue with accurate eyewitness reports. This book records the pure hard facts.

One of the few accurate accounts of the Battle of Atlanta. Covers the battle on the XVII Corps front which gets little treatment in most other books on the subject.

Albert Castel was able to make the Civil War in Kansas apeal to the senses. The truth about the war and how it tore society apart while bringing it back together. The book is one of the best about Kansas during the Civil War.

This book delivers more details on the battles than what was available in Jack Hurst's book. It has little about Forrest's personal life (none after the war as it was written in 1866). At close to 700 pages it gets a little too detailed in places but is overall a very good book.

A meticulous and detailed account of the military operations that Gen. Forrest was involved in, showing the skill he had in combat, and the man that he was. Also provides short insights into many of the men that served under him. At times, I wished there were more (and more detailed) maps, so that I could follow the movements of Forrest's Cavalry and their enemy more precisely. Provides fair treatment of analysis of both sides of the war, as well as some feelings and evidence that dispute some of the myth and legend surrounding Gen. Forrest. I would suggest re-reading the introduction after you finish reading the book, as it works as a good post-commentary. This book is excactly what I was looking for to learn about cavalry operations during the Civil War.

I have read many different books written by people that lived in the era of the War Between the States, and this one has to be one of the best that I have read on one of the most audacious leaders that came out of the war on either side. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed reading this book. There were plenty of maps, and since the book was written under the watchful care of Nathan himself from his notes during the war, I believe it is one of the most complete works of this nature. I highly recommend the book to anyone. It is not just another boring read!

Castel's history of the Atlanta Campaign is well written and a fine study of the events. What is most interesting about the book is the study of the personalties involved. He makes no bones about the fact that he believes that Sherman has been overrated as a general, and at times it seemed that his criticism of Sherman was based on the advantage of hindsight. While Sherman may not have been the military genius that some have portrayed him as, Castel seems to lose sight of the fact that he did lead the force that captured Atlanta with casualties that were low enough to allow the division of his army into forces that would march to the sea and also crush what was left of the Confederate Army of Tennessee at the battles of Franklin and Nashville.

But that aside, Castel's treatment of the politics of the campaign, both on the Confederate and Union side, was the books strength. He does a fine job of putting the campaign into the political context of the 1864 Presidential election. Although he may have exaggerated its importance, Castel correctly points out that the capture of Atlanta removed any doubt that Lincoln would be reelected.

The treatment of Confederate politics is also well handed. Concentrating on the pressure put on General Johnson to defend Atalanta and his conflict with Jefferson Davis, Castel explains one of the general failings of the Confederacy. Other than Lee, Davis trust in the wrong generals. This led to Castel's harshest criticism and the command of General Hood.

Decision in the West does a fine job is explaining the whats, hows and whys of the Atlanta Campaign. It was a worthwhile read.

History of the Civil War has devoted much to the campaigns of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and those of General Ulysses S. Grant. Indeed, their epic showdown in 1864 seems as close to an American version of The Illiad as anything in history. But the campaigns of the west- Sherman's March to the Sea, Thomas's victory in the battle of Nashville, and the campaign to capture Atlanta are three of the most under-discussed elements of the Civil War.

It is of the latter event that author Albert Castel has elected to write about. The Atlanta campaign was filled with some of the most brilliant and interesting minds of the Civil War- General William Tecumseh Sherman (commander of the Union's armies in the west) was one of the most complex generals of the Civil War. General George Thomas (commander of the Army of the Cumberland) was a stoic Virginian whose skill helped his troops escape from traps time and again. General John Logan brilliantly stepped into the breach to rally the Union Army of the Tennessee after its commander was killed. The battle for the city, a tough campaign that took all summer long, featured skillful maneuvering on both sides and a tragic series of mistakes which cost the Southern army control of the city. In the end, the capture of Atlanta was the deathknell of the Confederacy.

Castel does a good job writing about the battle and the participants. Civil War buffs won't be disapointed.

As a person who has read just about every book concerning the Atlanta Campaign that I can get my hands on, I can say without hesitation that this is the best of the lot. Indeed, of all the books on the history of the Civil War, this is my favorite. The research is exhaustive and the detail incredible. Castel sees the war through the eyes of the highest ranking generals and the lowest privates. Quite balanced, with none of the regional basis so often encountered in Civil War history. Brilliant.

This book concerns itself with the siege of Chattanooga in the fall of 1863 by the Confederates and the unexpected breakout by Union forces just when it seemed that they on the verge of suffering a major defeat. Historian Willey Sword weaves a brilliant narrative that reveals the behind-the-scenes infighting of the Confederate generals and the ineptness of many of the northern generals as well as the rise of Ulysses S. Grant (this battle helped to cement his reputation). But what I found most compelling about this book was the detailed descriptions of the incredible suffering that was sustained by the common soldiers.

Many people have a romantic image of the Civil War. But the reality is that the average soldier suffered hardships that cannot even be imagined today. For example, so starved were the troops on both sides during the siege that many were driven to such desperate acts as eating bark off trees or picking undigested corn from animal feces. For in those days, supplies to the battlefield often had to travel hundreds of miles on rail which were often sabotaged by the enemy. Even if the supplies made it to the nearest depot safely, they still had to travel dozens of miles by horse-driven wagons over muddy and often impassable roads. The sad truth is that most supplies ended up rotting or otherwise were destroyed before they even got to the troops, ensuring a constant lack of vital supplies and rampant starvation and illnesses.

By this stage of the Civil War, it was apparent that many of the rank-and-file soldiers were sick of the war and just wanted it to end. In fact, soldiers on opposing sides of the picket lines would often banter playfully with each other and trade such items as pocket knives and tobacco back and forth across enemy lines. But they would soon enough be engaged in bloody battle once again. The climactic battle makes for gripping reading and many unexpected (and unheralded) heros turn disaster into victory (for the Union).

The battle described in this book is typical of many Civil War battles. Lots of people were slaughtered and maimed. Many of them senselessly on account of ill-advised orders from their own officers. It is amazing how the United States was able to reunite at all after such a bloody conflict (over 520,000 Americans were killed), but that is a story for other books to tell. This book only concerns itself with the action at Chattanooga in late 1863 and the narrow focus of the book is an advantage as it does not bore the reader with a confusing tangle of battles and generals - the pitfall of many of the other Civil War books.

The only disappointment with this book (and keeping it from getting five stars) is that there are only a few maps and they are horrid and almost useless. This extremely well-written text deserves better situation maps and more of them so that the reader can better picture the action in his/her mind.

Mountains Touched with Fire is a fine history of the the battle of Chickamauga and the resulting siege and relief of Chattanooga. It is the perfect companion to Sword's other book dealing with the western front - Embrace an Angry Wind : The Confederacy's Last Hurrah Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville.

Mountains Touched traces the battle in detail from the Union loss of Chickamauga to the raising of the subsequent siege of Chattanooga. Sword excels in describing the effect of the battle on the common soldier and the interplay of the Union and Confederate Generals and the effect that it had on the outcome. His description of the charge up Missionary Ridge is at times griping. He takes particular care in describing the fact that the charge was in direct violation of General Grant's orders and was the result of the spontaneous action of the Union rank and file.

He, like others, is especially critical of Braxton Bragg and almost all of the other Confederate commanders. Of the Union Generals, he is not as critical. However, his description of the successful frontal charge up Missionary Ridge and the simotaineous stalemate with Sherman's troops on the northern side of the Ridge reveals that Sword believed that luck, as much as anything else was the reason for the Union victory. If there is a General that Sword is positive about it is General Thomas. The same is true of his other book. Combined they reveal that Sword believes that Thomas is an unsung hero of the Civil War.

The book is well written, although at times the detail seems excessive. The weakness of the book is the maps or lack thereof. At times it is difficult to follow the battle sequences and place them in a geographical context.

Wiley Sword has a richly deserved reputation as a Civil War historian and a writer. Although the title indicates the book is about the battle of Chattanooga, the book is half gone before you start the fighting that occurred in Nov. 1864.

Sword starts with the Tullahoma Campaign, touches on the events preceding Chickamauga, and with the fires still glowing 12 miles south of Chattanooga, Sword begins to weave the tale of America's Scenic City late in 1863. The Union Army is stranded with little food and little hope of increasing its supply, Rosecrans is arrogently refusing to admit to his problem and General Grant is put in charge of a potentially disasterous situation.

Grant's first concern are the men trapped in this valley between two mountains. He is willing to overlook his distaste for George Thomas, who is, well, a Virginian in the Union Army. Once a supply route is secure and the rations begin to pour into the besieged city, Grant turns his attention to the problem at hand -- lifting the seige and driving the Rebels back. This he does in a series of four battles, Orchard Knob, the "Battle Above the Clouds," Missionary Ridge and Ringgold Gap.

The Confederates are being torn apart by the hatred of most of the generals for their commanding officer, Braxton Bragg. And as much a the book is a big hurrah for General Grant and Thomas, its an indictment of the beleaguered commander of the Army of Tennessee.

Sword's strength is his ability to tell a story without sacrificing historical accuracy. I suppose he could have gone into more detail, but I like it just the way it is. We don't need another Cozzens epic.

My interest in the Civil War is a bit unusual - the impact of the war on the non-combatants in the western border states, specifically Arkansas and Missouri and to a lesser extent, Kansas and the Indian Territory that would eventually become Oklahoma. This book will definitely be a valued part of my research library.

"William Quantrill - His Life and Times" is a balanced look at a young man, unsatisfied with what he had accomplished in life and caught up in the complexities of the pre-war strife in Kansas and Missouri. A gifted teacher originally from Ohio "raised as an abolitionist," Quantrill becomes a thief and scoundrel, Border Ruffian (pro-slavery) and jayhawker (anti-slavery), exploiting the conflict on the border to benefit himself. After the war begins, he goes on to fame..., and his destiny, a heroic legend to many and a barbaric devil to others.

This book in the American Presidency Series focuses not only on Andrew Johnson's presidency, but also expatiates the economic hardship that both the Union and the Confederacy faced during the Civil War, along with its political and economic repercussions. The author recognized that Johnson's battle with Congress over Reconstruction evolved into the most pivotal issue during his presidency. In fact, Albert Castel argues that Johnson lost his battle with Republicans over Reconstruction due to intransigence and impracticality with regards to African Americans. Also, this book mentions that Johnson's lack of a political base contributed to the Southerners' refusal to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment. Nonetheless, Johnson retained much of his institutional power of the presidency. Johnson's violation of the Tenure of Office Act did, however, lead to his impeachment and eventual acquittal. Nevertheless, Johnson achieved appropriations for the purchase of Alaska.

The last chapter reads: Johnson Before The Bar of History. This chapter gives a historiographical overview about Johnson's critics since his presidency until 1979. Unfortunately, Castel contradicts his own thesis when he maintains that Johnson used the presidency in a strong manner with integrity, but ultimately failed as president. Did he fail or did he represent a scapegoat for his political enemies? Nonetheless, this book elaborates on the relevant issues and explains why Johnson has been much maligned. Nevertheless, this book stimulated my interest in Johnson and provided me with a useful bibliographical essay.