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The Civil War in Arizona: The Story of the California Volunteers, 1861-1865
written by Andrew E. Masich
Studio : University of Oklahoma Press
by University of Oklahoma Press
Publisher : University of Oklahoma Press
Released : 2008-03-30
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780806139005
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 7 reviews)
List Price : $26.95
Our Price : $22.95
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Product Description |
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In this first book-length account of the Civil War in Arizona, Andrew E. Masich offers both a lively narrative history of the all-but-forgotten California Column in wartime Arizona and a rare compilation of letters written by the volunteer soldiers who served in the U.S. Army from 1861 to 1866. Enriched by Masich's meticulous annotation, these letters provide firsthand testimony of the grueling desert conditions the soldiers endured as they fought on many fronts. |
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Wow! The Civil war shaped the west in ways that I did not know. |
A well written book on a subject not covered anywhere else!
The western most battles of the civil war are in Arizona.
I felt like I was in the minds of the California volunteers as they marched into Arizona in the 1860s to support the Union, chased the Rebels back to Texas, fought the Indians, set up territorial government, established roads, mines.
As an Arizona resident, I can only imagine how rugged this country was in those days with few towns, no law and Indians everywhere.
The diaries and letters of the Union Troops stationed in Arizona are like a window to the bast.
The battle of Picacho Pass captivates the readers as the advance Union Troops come upon the Confederates (Arizona Rangers) at the old Butterfield Stage station on the way to Tucson.
The Mexican government had surrendered the territory to the United States just a decade earlier, yet the US had not really controlled this vast territory. The Confederates came for gold and control of the Colorado River. The arrival of the Union army changed the shape of Arizona as we know it today.
Recommended. |
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The Civil War leaves its mark on Arizona |
It is probably not common knowledge, even among many students of Arizona history, that the Civil War played an important role in the early development of the Arizona Territory. Author Andrew Masich guides his reader through the evolution of the California Volunteers' war-time military occupation of Arizona with great attention devoted to the soldiers' personal experiences, as well as their military accomplishments. He goes on to highlight the generally unheralded contributions made by the Californians which fostered progress toward stability, settlement and commerce in the fledgling Territory.
The author gives us a glimpse of the research process by devoting fully one-half of his volume to one of his primary resources, namely the personal accounts of some of the Volunteers submitted as dispatches to one of the pre-eminent California newspapers of the day. What better way to glean a true feel for their unique experiences than by following the personal accounts of these "soldier-correspondents" in their own words?
As a descendant of an Arizona pioneer family and a student of her fascinating history, I'm always searching for writings that will expand my understanding of the paths that brought us to where we are. Masich's book certainly fits that bill. This is a thoroughly-researched and fascinating tribute to the soldiers of the California Volunteers. I highly recommend it.
Neil Donkersley
Tucson, Az |
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Good Book, Seldom covered subject |
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Unlike other civil war books, this one covers the soldiers from California that occupied Arizona and New Mexico. Not a lot of civil war action but more dealing with the desert and the Indians. It's not a page turner, but what civil war book is. But when your done with the book you know more then you did before. A civil war book with a different slant. |
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Southwest Book of the Year |
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I just learned that the Border Regional Library Association (includes Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, and Sonora) has awarded Civil War in Arizona Southwest Book of the Year honors--and deservedly so! This book makes a real contribution to the study of the Civil War in the Western Territories. |
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Remarkable! |
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For Civil War buffs and scholars, for all those who love Western History, this book will make for compelling reading. Andrew E. Masich, president and CEO of Pittsburgh's Senator John Heinz History Center and former director of museums in Colorado and Arizona, serves up a riveting story of how the California Column marched across Arizona and New Mexico to not only defeat Confederates and Apaches but also to carve out an American community in the deserts of the great Southwest. In Masich's definitive account, readers will feel the sting of sand and the hot breath of desert winds as the California Column fights its way to victory. The depth of Masich's research is truly extraordinary, and his use of soldiers letters home published in the San Franciso Daily Alta California adds remarkable dimension to the story. Masich carefully annotates the soldiers letters and allows the reader to relive the events as they happened. This is one of those truly unique books that belong on the shelf of every student of the Civil War and the American West. |
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