Ben Mcculloch and the Frontier Military Tradition (Civil War America) [Hardcover]

Thomas W. Cutrer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1993 | Series: Civil War America

"[A] well-written, comprehensively researched biography."--Publishers Weekly

"Will both edify the scholar while captivating and entertaining the general reader. . . . Cutrer's research is impeccable, his prose vigorous, and his life of McCulloch likely to remain the standard for many years."--Civil War

"A well-crafted work that makes an important contribution to understanding the frontier military tradition and the early stages of the Civil War in the West."--Civil War History

"A penetrating study of a man who was one of the last citizen soldiers to wear a general's stars."--Blue and Gray

"A brisk narrative filled with colorful quotations by and about the central figure. . . . Will become the standard biography of Ben McCulloch."--Journal of Southern History

"A fast-paced, clearly written narrative that does full justice to its heroically oversized subject."--American Historical Review

--This text refers to the Unknown Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Confederate general Ben McCulloch (1811-1862) is commonly depicted as an amateur out of his depth in a large-scale war. This well-written, comprehensively researched bigraphy, written by an associate professor of American studies at Arizona State University, instead places McCulloch in a distinctively American tradition of citizen commanders. He began as a militia private, but was no mere backwoodsman: self-schooled in the craft of war, McCulloch was as well read as most West Pointers. He was a charismatic combat leader, a first-rate organizer and a Jacksonian Democrat whose common touch inspired raw volunteers. Cutrer ( Parnassus on the Mississippi: "The Southern Review" and the Baton Rouge Literary Community, 1934-1942 ) makes a strong case that McCulloch was underutilized by Jefferson Davis and would have adapted to the conditions of the Civil War as effectively as he did to earlier conflicts in Texas and Mexico.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

[A] well-written, comprehensively researched biography.

Publishers Weekly

Cutrer's research is impeccable, his prose vigorous, and his life of McCulloch likely to remain the standard for many years.

Civil War

Makes an important contribution to understanding the frontier military tradition and the early stages of the Civil War in the West.

Civil War History

A penetrating study of a man who was one of the last citizen soldiers to wear a general's stars.

Blue and Gray

Will become the standard biography of Ben McCulloch.

Journal of Southern History

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press; First edition (June 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807820768
• ISBN-13: 978-0807820766
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,656,821 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary Man, Good Book, August 30, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ben Mcculloch and the Frontier Military Tradition (Civil War America) (Hardcover)

This is an excellent biography of an extraordinary man, Ben McCulloch, the "Where's Waldo" of history. There is seemingly no event McCulloch wasn't at least peripherally connected to in the formative years of Texas and the period up to his death in the Civil War. One drawback to the book, in my opinion: the abysmally inadequate maps. When discussing military operations such as McCulloch's, they are absolutely vital to understanding the narrative. Other than that, it's a riveting read. Truth is better than fiction, at least in this case.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Texas Rangers Military tranditions, March 29, 2000

By 

p.f. rogers - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ben Mcculloch and the Frontier Military Tradition (Civil War America) (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the early years of the Texas Rangers when they were a para military force and the beginning of their transition to the modern law enforcement agency. McCulloch played a critical role in these events>