KS-MO Border war / Quantrill books

[Quantrill's Missouri]

I have a BUNCH of KS-MO border and Quantrill books by writers like Thomas Goodrich, Paul Petersen, Donald Hale, Donald Gilmore and many others and I was wondering if any of you have read books on these subjects and which ones you liked and found most informative.

 

[Borderruffian]

I've probably read most of them.

 

[TallTallMan]

I've sadly read none of them. But here's an author I like:

 

[Booner]

This book ranks right up there with "The Devil Knows How to Ride" with me.

It's not so much of a "what happened," but more of a "why it happened" and it really opened my mind to a new understanding as to what was the motivation was behind the guerrillas. As an example, in the 1820' there were two brothers named "Fristoe" who settled in Jackson County. The got married and between the two of them produced a huge number of daughters. These daughters married local men and they produced a number of children, and the vast majority of their sons rode with Quantrill. The number of men who rode with Quantrill who were related to each other was huge, (brothers, cousins, brothers-in-law), and for that reason alone might be the reason that this particular group of guerrillas were as successful as they were; it was a family operation. Add to the interrelationships of the guerrilla men, the family groups that supported them and the whole network becomes huge. I think this fact is either overlooked, or not given the importance it deserves.

 

[Borderruffian]

I've sadly read none of them. But here's an author I like:

View attachment 515323

I've read that one, it's a solid book. I also like alot of Goodman' s books he is heavy on history even though he lets his Kansas heritage creep in sometimes.

 

[TallTallMan]

I've read that one, it's a solid book. I also like alot of Goodman' s books he is heavy on history even though he lets his Kansas heritage creep in sometimes.

At least its not Grady McWhiney and his "Celtic Heritage" thesis!

 

[Borderruffian]

Gray Ghosts of the Confederacy Guerilla War on the Border 1861 to 1865 by Richard Brownlee ,might be worth checking out

 

[Richard Appledorf]

If you include novels I recommend Gone to Kingdom by Frederick Chiaventone. It focuses on two friends who become guerrillas but end up taking different paths at the end. The attack on Lawrence plays a pivotal part in the story. Apparently the author is from western Missouri where much of it takes place.

 

[Patrick H]

Gray Ghosts of the Confederacy Guerilla War on the Border 1861 to 1865 by Richard Brownlee ,might be worth checking out

Yes. It was one of the first books on this topic to be written by a professional historian. It was one of the first on this topic that I bought for my personal library.

 

[Patrick H]

View attachment 515324

This book ranks right up there with "The Devil Knows How to Ride" with me.

It's not so much of a "what happened," but more of a "why it happened" and it really opened my mind to a new understanding as to what was the motivation was behind the guerrillas. As an example, in the 1820' there were two brothers named "Fristoe" who settled in Jackson County. The got married and between the two of them produced a huge number of daughters. These daughters married local men and they produced a number of children, and the vast majority of their sons rode with Quantrill. The number of men who rode with Quantrill who were related to each other was huge, (brothers, cousins, brothers-in-law), and for that reason alone might be the reason that this particular group of guerrillas were as successful as they were; it was a family operation. Add to the interrelationships of the guerrilla men, the family groups that supported them and the whole network becomes huge. I think this fact is either overlooked, or not given the importance it deserves.

I can also endorse this book, and as @Booner says, understanding of the Fristoe family network is really eye opening. It is why the Quantrill men seldom had any trouble being supplied. It is why Order #11 came about in an attempt to destroy the family supply system (and punish the family) and it is why Quantrill's men and their family network were able to simply move to central Missouri for the summer of 1864.

 

[Patrick H]

I found Quantrill and the Border Wars, by William Elsey Connelley to be very interesting. He was a Quantrill demonizer, but his voluminous footnotes are hugely interesting. In fact I liked them more than the main text of the book. He befriended a number of the Q. men after the war, attended some of their reunions, wrote extensively about some of them while protecting their identities. He persuaded Q. man William Gregg to write a manuscript which Connelley was going to help him publish (I believe Connelley swindled Gregg on this deal,) and Gregg's resulting manuscript survives as an eyewitness account of life as a guerrilla.

William Gregg's Civil War is a fairly recent book compiled from his manuscript and his correspondence with Connelley. Fascinating!

Donald Gilmore's Civil War on the Missouri - Kansas Border is an attempt to counter Connelley's demonization of Quantril and it is a well researched read.

Three Years With Quantrill is a memoir by John McCorckle, dictated in advanced old age to O.S. Barton. It is extremely interesting, but there are some inaccuracies in some of the event timelines--probably due to McCorckle's age at the time he dictated it.

Babe of the Company is a very good memoir by Howard Countian Hamp Watts, who rode with Bill Anderson's band after Quantrill.

There are so many more.

 

[rebel brit]

I can also endorse this book, and as @Booner says, understanding of the Fristoe family network is really eye opening. It is why the Quantrill men seldom had any trouble being supplied. It is why Order #11 came about in an attempt to destroy the family supply system (and punish the family) and it is why Quantrill's men and their family network were able to simply move to central Missouri for the summer of 1864.

I too highly recommend this book. Along with 'Civil War on the Western Border' by Jay Monaghan, a gift from @Booner, this was my introduction to the war in Missouri.

 

[Borderruffian]

Yes. It was one of the first books on this topic to be written by a professional historian. It was one of the first on this topic that I bought for my personal library.

I still use it as a reference tool to check some dubious " facts" proferred by author authors attempting to " grind an axe"or elevate some one to Saint Hood. You're correct it was written by a man intent on actual history not whatever " company line" happened to be in vouge at the time.

 

[Borderruffian]

Bloody Bill by Casteel and Goodrich is also a good study in both the Border War and Anderson's Partisan Career.

 

[archieclement]

I have all the above books among others, and agree most are good, the only one I was perhaps disappointed in was Goodrich's Bloody Bill,. It may be a good introduction, but it didnt seem to offer much anything new

War on Western Border offers rather balanced view pre and wartime. Bleeding Kansas by Nicole Etchison does well prewar.

Of course 4 volume Guerrilla Warfare in Civil War Missouri excellent indepth view of guerrilla and militia actions.

Some honorable mentions in my library.
Other Noted Guerrillas by Larry Wood
Cavaliers of the Brush edited by Banasik
We rode with Quantrell by Donald Hale
Killer legions of Quantrill by Breihan
Quantrills Theives by joseph houts jr
Inside War by Fellman
Quantrill of Missouri by Peterson

 

[Quantrill's Missouri]

I have all the above books among others, and agree most are good, the only one I was perhaps disappointed in was Goodrich's Bloody Bill,. It may be a good introduction, but it didnt seem to offer much anything new

War on Western Border offers rather balanced view pre and wartime. Bleeding Kansas by Nicole Etchison does well prewar.

Of course 4 volume Guerrilla Warfare in Civil War Missouri excellent indepth view of guerrilla and militia actions.

Some honorable mentions in my library.
Other Noted Guerrillas by Larry Wood
Cavaliers of the Brush edited by Banasik
We rode with Quantrell by Donald Hale
Killer legions of Quantrill by Breihan
Quantrills Theives by joseph houts jr
Inside War by Fellman
Quantrill of Missouri by Peterson

I have every one of those and then some.

 

[Borderruffian]

I have all the above books among others, and agree most are good, the only one I was perhaps disappointed in was Goodrich's Bloody Bill,. It may be a good introduction, but it didnt seem to offer much anything new

War on Western Border offers rather balanced view pre and wartime. Bleeding Kansas by Nicole Etchison does well prewar.

Of course 4 volume Guerrilla Warfare in Civil War Missouri excellent indepth view of guerrilla and militia actions.

Some honorable mentions in my library.
Other Noted Guerrillas by Larry Wood
Cavaliers of the Brush edited by Banasik
We rode with Quantrell by Donald Hale
Killer legions of Quantrill by Breihan
Quantrills Theives by joseph houts jr
Inside War by Fellman
Quantrill of Missouri by Peterson

Well if you look at the Bloody Bill book asore of a biography of Anderson and not a History of the Partisan War in Missouri maybe. No it's not an in-depth study of the Partisan War and various Partisan bands but for what it is, it's a good place to start on Anderson

 

[USS ALASKA]

I have a BUNCH of KS-MO border and Quantrill books by writers like Thomas Goodrich, Paul Petersen, Donald Hale, Donald Gilmore and many others and I was wondering if any of you have read books on these subjects and which ones you liked and found most informative.

Sir, for some free reading, there are quite a few papers buried in this thread - https://civilwartalk.com/threads/union-vs-csa-guerrilla.107572/ - that might be of interest to you.

HTHs,
USS ALASKA

 

[Quantrill's Missouri]

Sir, for some free reading, there are quite a few papers buried in this thread - https://civilwartalk.com/threads/union-vs-csa-guerrilla.107572/ - that might be of interest to you.

HTHs,
USS ALASKA

Thanks, Alaska

I appreciate the notice!

 

[Bill Mountjoy]

Thanks, Alaska

I appreciate the notice!

John Newman Edwards was pro-Quantrill, but interesting read! "Noted Guerrillas, Or, the Warfare of the Border"