Book Signing Tomorrow at Prairie Grove Battlefield

Hindman Hall Museum & Visitor Center at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Northwest Arkansas will be hosting a book signing tomorrow for Pillars of Power: Steps Toward Secession by Jim Lair.

The signing will take place from 1 until 3 at the museum, which is located inside the state park in Prairie Grove (506 East Douglas Street).

Lair is a native of Arkansas and his book is part of an eventual four volume set that will document the Civil War in Arkansas. This book explores the events leading up to the secession of the state from the Union in 1861. He will be available to sign copies of his book, which is a paperback and retails at the park bookstore for $29.99.

If you can't make tomorrow's signing, the book will remain available at the park. You can also order it online directly from Amazon.com at a sale price of $22.79. Just follow this link:
Pillars of Power: Steps Toward Secession

Deadline approaching for Massard Prairie Christmas orders

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Battle of Massard Prairie: The 1864 Confederate Attacks on Fort Smith, Arkansas as a Christmas gift, please note that the printers have informed me they can guarantee delivery on orders placed before December 10th.

This book explores the history of the July 27, 1864, attack on the camp of the 6th Kansas Cavalry on the outskirts of Fort Smith. This engagement was significant because it was one of the few dramatic Confederate victories in Western Arkansas and because it involved one of the great open field cavalry charges of the war in the West.

For information to help you order online, please click here.

The book is also available in Arkansas at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Northwest Arkansas and at the Fort Smith Museum of History in Fort Smith.

If you would like to read more about the Battle of Massard Prairie, please click here.

New Review of Battle of Massard Prairie Book

Just a quick note to say thanks to the folks with the Northwest 15th Arkansas Infantry for the very kind review of my latest book, The Battle of Massard Prairie: The 1864 Confederate Attacks on Fort Smith, Arkansas.

They featured a review of the book on the front page of their September newsletter and were very kind in their remarks.

The organization is involved in WBTS reenacting in Arkansas and Oklahoma and you can learn more about them by visiting their website.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the book, it is available in the museum at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Northwest Arkansas and at the Fort Smith Museum of History in Fort Smith.

Paperback copies can be purchased online by clicking here.

Harback copies are available directly from the printer by clicking here.

Cooper's Expedition to Fort Smith - Part Ten

Cooper's expedition against Fort Smith had been more successful than anticipated in achieving its goals. In the engagements of July 27th and 31st, more than 100 Union soldiers had been taken prisoner and dozens more were either killed or wounded.

In addition, the Confederates had seized hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of supplies, herds of cattle and horses, badly needed weaponry and literally driven the Union forces at Fort Smith into the fortifications of the town itself. Local pro-Southern families had been evacuated and Unionist families lost homes, property and - in at least one documented case - lives.

The inability of the Federals to secure their perimiters ended their use of Massard Prairie and adjacent grasslands to feed their herds of horses and cows. In short, Cooper had succeeded in confining the thousands of Federal troops at Fort Smith to their fortifications. This was to cause drastic consequences for the Union cause in the West over the next few weeks.

The expedition against Fort Smith was an important preliminary episode to the Second Cabin Creek expedition, a dramatic Confederate sweep up through what is now eastern Oklahoma that resulted in the capture of a massive Union supply train making its way from Kansas to Fort Gibson. Second Cabin Creek was one of the greatest and most successful feats of Southern arms during the war. Although it is little known today, it was one of the greatest supply seizures of the Civil War. It would not have been possible had not Cooper's expedition against Fort Smith been successful.

The Civil War in Fort Smith can be explored at several locations today. Among these are Fort Smith National Historic Site and the Fort Smith Museum of History in downtown Fort Smith and Massard Prairie Battlefield Park near the intersection of Red Pine and Morgan in the southeastern section of Fort Smith.

If you would like to learn more about the expedition, please consider picking up a copy of the book, The Battle of Massard Prairie: The 1864 Confederate Attacks on Fort Smith, Arkansas. It is now available in paperback at the Fort Smith Museum of History and at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Arkansas. You can also purchase the book online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/dalecox.

Hardback copies are available for online order only by clicking here.

Massard Prairie Book now available at Fort Smith Museum of History

Paperback copies of The Battle of Massard Prairie: The 1864 Confederate Attacks on Fort Smith, Arkansas are now available at the Fort Smith Museum of History in downtown Fort Smith.

Open daily from Tuesday through Saturday, the museum is located at the western end of Rogers Avenue directly across from the Fort Smith National Historic Site.

As of yesterday the museum had a full supply of autographed copies of the books. Proceeds from their sales are being donated to the museum to assist in their massive operational costs.

Copies of the book are also available in Northwest Arkansas at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park. It can also be ordered online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/dalecox.

Proceeds from the sales also help support the new Cane Hill Battlefield Driving Tour project in Northwest Arkansas.

If you would like to learn more about the Battle of Massard Prairie online, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/massardprairie.

Battle of Massard Prairie books now available at Prairie Grove Battlefield

I'm pleased to let you know that copies of my new book, The Battle of Massard Prairie, are now in stock and available at the gift shop at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Northwest Arkansas.

Proceeds from the book benefit the new Driving Tour project for the Cane Hill Battlefield in Northwest Arkansas as well as other historic preservation efforts in Arkansas.

The book details the July 27, 1864 Confederate attack on the 6th Kansas Cavalry at Massard Prairie, Arkansas and the related attack on Fort Smith a few days later.

The book is also available for purchase online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/massardprairie.

Please allow 10-15 days for delivery.

New Book Released: The Battle of Massard Prairie

I'm pleased to announce the publication of my latest Civil War book, The Battle of Massard Prairie, Arkansas.

This fascinating battle took place on July 27, 1864 on the outskirts of Fort Smith and was one of the most dramatic Confederate victories in Arkansas.

The Battle of Massard Prairie was especially significant because: 1) it included a dramatic mass cavalry charge across miles of open ground, 2) hundreds of white and Native American Confederate soldiers fought side by side, and 3) it resulted in one of the few documented cases of Union soldiers scalping Southern dead.

The book is being published by Yuchi Heritage of Florida and all profits will be donated to historic preservation efforts. 50% have been committed to assist with the development of the new Driving Tour at Cane Hill Battlefield in Arkansas. If you are aware of other projects in need of funding, please contact me to discuss the possibilities.

The book is available now through http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ (just look for the Battle of Massard Prairie heading), where you can also read more about the battle. It will be available through the gift shop at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in 7-10 days and will begin popping up on most online bookstores over the next month or so. Other locations will be announced soon.