Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #953699 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Review
"Riveting--a provocative study of human conflict and development that is both relevant and exceedingly well written." -- Civil War Book Review

"...a valuable study of the California volunteers' service in Arizona during the Civil War." -- Blue & Gray Magazine

"...an excellent history of a neglected topic and will be of especial interest to students of the Civil War in the West and Western history in general." -- The Civil War News

"Would that all histories could blend source materials with historical reviews so smoothly! The letters clearly depict conditions, experiences and observations, while the survey provides needed background for those without extensive Civil War history behind them." -- The Midwest Book Review

About the Author
Andrew E. Masich is President and CEO of the Smithsonian-affiliated Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center, Pennsylvania, and is coauthor of two books, Cheyenne Dog Soldiers: A Ledgerbook History of Coups and Combat and Halfbreed: The Remarkable True Story of George Bent.

Customer Reviews

Civil War in Arizona - who knew?
Who knew that Abraham Lincoln carved Arizona out of New Mexico Territory as a war-time expedient following a Confederate invasion bent on securing gold fields, Pacific ports, and a Mexican alliance? The Civil War in Arizona offers fascinating insights into one on the least understood theaters of the Civil War--including desert campaigning against Confederates, Apaches, and even Maximilian's French-backed forces south of the Mexican border.

The author follows the California Column into Arizona and recounts the westernmost skirmishes of the war--all the way to the bloody banks of the Colorado River, just north of Ft Yuma. But the real impact of the war turns out to be the tragic decimation of the tribes deemed "hostile" by the US government and the settling of the territory by the volunteer soldiers.

Reenactors and collectors will love the photos (more than 50), including some rare and never-before-seen views of California Volunteers in Arizona! Another bonus is the "Dispatches from Arizona" section: letters from soldiers in the field to newspapers in California. The reader re-lives the war in the far West as experienced by the men themselves.

This book really plugged a big gap in my understanding of the Civil War in the western territories.

Remarkable!
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.

Southwest Book of the Year
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.