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Overview
The second of a three-volume work that examines the life of one of the most controversial figures of the Civil War, Quantrill in Texas: The Forgotten Campaign" documents a part of William C. Quantrill's life and career that has largely been ignored by historians. Indeed, Quantrill's most unrecognized accomplishments outside his adopted state of Missouri occurred in Texas, not in Kansas or Kentucky."
Synopsis
The second of a three-volume work that examines the life of one of the most controversial figures of the Civil War, Quantrill in Texas: The Forgotten Campaign documents a part of William C. Quantrill's life and career that has largely been ignored by historians. Indeed, Quantrill's most unrecognized accomplishments outside his adopted stated of Missouri occurred in Texas, not in Kansas or Kentucky.
Quantrill in Texas corrects that oversight, carefully exploring for the first time the places and people associated with the guerrilla leader as he moved south during the winter to a safer environment in Texas. The result is a surprising addition to the Quantrill legacy.
Quantrill spent his winters in Texas once the leaves fell from the trees in Missouri, denuding the countryside and leaving his camps vulnerable to discovery by Federal patrols. His first experience there and his subsequent trips to and from the state reveal that he became acquainted with the noted personalities who lived there. His battles and skirmishes along the way increased his reputation among the citizenry as word spread of his victories throughout the South.
This time in Texas explains why Quantrill took his followers through Kentucky toward Virginia rather than return to Texas with the hundreds of other Confederates at the end of the war. While most men of fighting age were away from home serving in the Confederate army, armed desperados-mostly Union and Confederate deserters and conscription dodgers-made their way into north Texas and hid out in areas on impenetrable thickets and underbrush. From there they preyed on the peaceful citizens who had remained behind.
In reality, the arrivalof Quantrill and his men was welcomed by those who lived in north Texas. While most historians depict him as resting in exile, he occupied himself with battling cattle thieves, warding off Indian attacks, hunting down deserters and draft dodgers, and even quelling riots on behalf of the Confederate cause. Careful research in the official records, local historical records, and archaeological excavations reveals that Quantrill and his men thwarted two known Federal invasions of Texas.