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On February 21, 1864, Confederate and Union forces faced off over the banks of the Chuquatonchee Creek on Ellis Bridge in West Point, Mississippi. This three-hour battle pitted Nathan Bedford Forrest with his small but mighty cavalry against William Sooy Smith and his dogged Federal troops as they attempted to push through the prairie and destroy the railroad junction in Meridian. Smith's men did not succeed in their mission and suffered heavy casualties at the hands of Forrest in a precursor to the Battle of Okolona. Author John McBryde details the nuances of the battle that initiated Rebel opposition to the Meridian Campaign, including accounts from West Point locals of the time.
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Hero? Traitor? It all depends on which side of the fence you were standing. Col. Don Steenburn, U.S.Army retired, has put together a fascinating study of one of the most controversial characters in Madison County and Northern Alabama history- determined and gutsy Frank Ballou Gurley of the 4th Alabama, Confederate States of America.
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This book forcefully sets Jesse James in the context of his times, firmly identifying him as a violent & effective Confederate partisan. The author’s descriptions of the events leading up to the war in the West & the complex political struggle after the war are clear & vivid. Few books profoundly change our understanding of a famous figure in American history – this book is one of them.