Civil War in the Ozarks [Paperback]

Phillip Steele (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 31, 1993

Many people may not realize that the Ozarks were a volatile region during the Civil War, but according to The New York Times, the Battle of Carthage was "the first serious conflict between the United States troops and the rebels." In writing Civil War in the Ozarks, the late Phillip W. Steele and Steve Cottrell extensively researched the battles on the western front that took place between 1861 and 1865. They looked at the heroes, outlaws, and peacemakers who influenced the role the Ozarks played in the war between the states. Both are noted researchers on Civil War and Ozarks history from Arkansas and Missouri. In the Ozarks, skirmishes between the abolitionist Kansas Jayhawkers and slaveholders in Arkansas and Missouri had begun years before Fort Sumter was fired upon. The neutral citizens of Missouri, who later joined in the fight for reasons of self-defense or vengeance, were often caught in the crossfire of raids between the two groups. Relocated Indian tribes of present-day Oklahoma-the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, and Creek-were part of the violence. Some joined the Union or Confederate armies, while others acted as frontier renegades against western expansion. The great divisions of the Ozark people were as extensive as those of the whole country. The factions and fighting made the Ozarks one of the bloodiest regions during the Civil War. Ozark residents, Cottrell, and formerly Steele, chronicled the bloody and fearsome events of the westernmost front. Steele is the author of several books on the Ozarks and the Wild West, including Jesse and Frank James: The Family History (pb), Starr Tracks: Belle and Pearl Starr (pb), The Last Cherokee Warriors (pb), Ozark Tales and Superstitions (pb), and Outlaws and Gunfighters of the Old West (pb/audiocassette), all published by Pelican. He passed away on November 8, 2007. Cottrell is a Civil War historian who has participated in battle re-enactments including those used in scenes of the Oscar-winning movie Glory. He is also coauthor of Civil War in Texas and New Mexico Territory (pb), published by Pelican.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Abolitionists and proslavery forces were fighting in the Ozarks before the Civil War, though it came under Union control in 1862. The skirmishes thereafter between Union garrisons and Confederate raiders were more for supplies than territory. In this short history, Steele, an author of Wild West history, and Cottrell, a Civil War historian, mingle battlefield narratives with anecdotal history about Quantrill's Raiders and the lives of Jesse James and other Ozark outlaws spawned by the violence. Scholars will want to go elsewhere for more exhaustive research, but the lay reader interested in the area should enjoy this title. A chapter on buried treasure and weapons in the Ozarks whets the appetite for more. The narrative is laced with potboiler adjectives and occasional bias (Yankees are bad, Confederates are good), but that's part of the fun. Several photographs are credited as reenactments. For regional collections.
- Robert C. Moore, DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical Co. Information Svces., North Billerica, Mass.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Western writer Phillip W. Steele serves as president of the National Outlaw and Lawman History Association and is a member of the Western Writers of America. Steele's other books include The Many Faces of Jesse James (pb), Jesse and Frank James: The Family History (pb), and Outlaws and Gunfighters of the Old West (pb/cass). All are published by Pelican.

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing (July 31, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882899880
• ISBN-13: 978-0882899886
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,679,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars History Belongs to Everyone, June 17, 2000

By 

Steve Cottrell - See all my reviews

This review is from: Civil War in the Ozarks (Paperback)

This book is designed for the average guy or gal off the street (from high school age to adult)to learn the bare basics about Ozarks Civil War heritage. Elite scholars may find it too simple, but hey... history belongs to all our citizens, not just professors and other professionals.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read., October 19, 2009

By 

multi book reader (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Civil War in the Ozarks (Paperback)

I enjoyed reading this book. I thought that the treatment of Wilson's Creek, Pea Ridge, and Prairie Grove with just enough detail with out really boring people. I believe that this area in Missouri was basically destroyed economically and in other ways during the War years. Missouri is the third state in the number of Civil War sites in the country. While the Ozarks runs technically into Oklahoma, Arkansas the book also covers activity in these other states quite well. There is little dates, and people facts mentioned. The book reads as if some one was relating the story to you from the beginning of the War to the end.

One area that was not really shown in the book that could be shown in other books is the effect on the local population of the actual battles. The effects that are mentioned are the Confederate Draft later in the war, the later sniping events that occurred, and the story of Jessie James. I feel that the local history could have been investigated further to show the effects of the battles like Wilson Creek that over loaded the town of Springfield. The basic events of the battles are illustrated in main concept form in clear English.

I believe that this book gives a good basic account of what happened from a military perspective. The subject could be further enlarged to the role of Indian troops on both sides, the economic, and social issues that came out of the War in this area. A more in depth look at the men that actually fought in the Ozarks and where they were from. These details are not really mentioned - if they are mentioned it is from a big picture perspective.

The over all rating is for content. I have been reading on this subject for several years. This book is a very good read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A VERY WELL DONE WORK, September 12, 2004

By 

D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Civil War in the Ozarks (Paperback)

Recommend your read this one and recommend you add it to your collection. This work covers aspects of the Civil War often times overlooked. I is a wonderful starting place for a study of the War in this part of the country. Needless to say, it does need to be supplemented with further reading, but it is certainly a good start. Highly recommend