The War on Powder River [Paperback]

Helena Huntington Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1967

On a blizzardy morning in 1892, fifty armed men surrounded the cabin on Powder River where two cattle rustlers had spent the night. The first rustler was shot as he came down the path for a bucket of water. The second man held out until afternoon, when the vigilantes set the cabin afire. Driven out by the flames, he was shot a dozen times. It was another skirmish in the War on Powder River. The War began to smolder in 1875 and at stake was nothing less than dominion over the new state of Wyoming. Cattlemen demanded control of the range. Farmers denounced the "invasion from Texas" as more and more hired gunmen moved into the state. Threats, counter-threats, and legal maneuvers were soon accompanied by shooting and the noose.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"As interesting as, and probably better than, any [book] written on the subject ... Her discussion of maverick law in Wyoming is a distinct contribution."--Journal of American History

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (December 1, 1967)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803251882
• ISBN-13: 978-0803251885
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #935,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The way it was back then., May 30, 2009

By 

Nathelle Stollens (Sunnyside, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The War on Powder River (Hardcover)

This is a great book, well written, accurate,and easy to read. I was raised and cut my teeth on "The Johnson County War" as my Great Grandmother, FAIRY FLAGG (Maria Imogene Spang Taylor Flagg)was Jack Flagg's wife and I could be just a tiny bit prejudice.Alonzo Taylor ( Jack Flagg's stepson) was my mothers uncle. This book is part of our family history.
Of all the books that I have read on what happened there in Wyoming in 1892, this one seems to be the fairest on all counts. Maybe its because it comes from a woman's point of view. I would recommend it to anyone interested in "The Johnson County War>". Nathelle Stollens

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a Wyoming thing...., March 20, 2006

By 

DAVID GROESBECK (WEST MONROE,NY.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The War on Powder River (Paperback)

I had the privilege of living in Wyoming for seven years. If you want to spark a LIVELY discussion,bring up the Johnson County War(which is the subject of this fine book) anywhere in Johnson or Sheridan counties. Decendents of both factions still live there & continue to have strong opinions on this event. Cutting to the chase,this was nothing other than an armed invasion of an American state by a mercenary army of gunmen hired by The Wyoming Stockgrowers Association with the express purpose of killing aproximately 125 people on a (very real) hit list & seizing control of established local government. The enormity of the conspiracy far exceeded any of the various western range wars of the period-even though the total body count was fairly minimal. Fortunately for the residents of Johnson county,these Texas thugs were about as adept at the blitz invasion business as were the ATF incompetents when attempting to enter the Branch Dravidian compound in Waco. It would be gratifying to say that these hired murderers were repulsed,arrested & punished. Unfortunately,that didn't happen. Cavalry from nearby Fort Kinney saved their bacon by rescuing the invaders from the furious residents & whisking them away to Cheyenne where the the entire matter finally fizzled out with no charges or trial. It did,however,effectively blunt the unchallenged power of the monopoly WSGA. Internecene sniping continued until 1902 with the hanging of their hireling Tom Horn. As Ms. Smith amply points out,however,Wyoming justice has rarely been a polished or unambiguous affair. I would say that this is the classic & most even handed account of a most extraordinary event even by Wyoming standards.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best..., January 3, 2009

By 

David Kreycik (Douglas Wyoming) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The War on Powder River (Paperback)

If you only read one book about the Cattlemen's War in Wyoming, this should be the one. This is the most thoroughly researched book on the subject I have read to date. It is also very interesting to read and hard to put down.

The author does an excellant job of presenting the events leading up to (causing) the invasion. Each chapter is accompanied by the author's extensive notes detailing her research (at the back of the book). Although much of the book contains the author's opinion, those opinions are credible and backed up by her extensive research.

This author portrays the Cattlemen unfavorably. Until this book, I have always leaned toward the Cattlemen's cause. This author's thorough research and presentation have changed my POV.

I will humbly point out a possible minor error on page 283. The author writes "A daughter of the lively rustler Lee Moore... married a son of W.C. Irvine." I think it is the other way around. W.C. Irvine, an invader, owned the Ogallala ranch. The Ogallala Ranch is still in operation today, but it is owned by the Moore family.

History is written by the victors, and the Johnson County War is no exception. There are plenty of books available, written by both sides, and I have read several. I feel this one is the most thorough presentation.