Helen Dupuy; a French-speaking teenager living in Bayou Lafourche; Louisiana; noted with horror the coming invaders. “ The first Yankee gunboats passed Donaldsville May 4 at 11 A.M.;†she wrote in her diary. Her home lay just a few miles from the Mississippi River; and word quickly arrived that Union sailors were confiscating sugar; cotton; and other contraband of war. The realities of her new situation soon became apparent—and ominous: “Then began the most awful pillaging.†Award-winning author Donald S. Frazier has revised and updated his award-winning book; Fire in the Cane Field: The Invasion of Louisiana and Texas; January 1861–January 1863. Beginning with the spasms of secession in the Pelican State; Frazier weaves a stirring tale of bravado; reaction; and war as he describes the consequences of disunion for the hapless citizens of Louisiana. The army and navy campaigns he portrays weave a tale of the Federal Government’s determination to suppress the newborn Confederacy by putting ever-increasing pressure on its adherents from New Orleans to Galveston. The surprising triumph of Texas troops on their home soil in early 1863 proved to be a decisive reverse to Union ambitions and doomed the region to even bloodier destruction to come. This bracing work; ten years in the making; ushered in a chronological string of five books on the Civil War in Louisiana and Texas; as Frazier presents fresh sources on new topics in a series of captivating narratives. Titles in his innovative Louisiana series include Thunder Across the Swamp: The Fight for the Lower Mississippi; February–May 1863; Blood on the Bayou: Vicksburg; Port Hudson; and the Trans-Mississippi; June 1863–February 1864; and (forthcoming) Storm on the Farthest Shore: The 1863 Campaigns for Texas and Death at the Landing: The Contest for the Red River and the Collapse of Confederate Louisiana; March 1864–June 1865.
#131133 in Books Jesse Stuart Foundation 2001-12-01Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 6.25 x 1.75l; 2.00 #File Name: 1931672024653 pages
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A HISTORICAL AND EPIC STORY OF THE SETTLING OF THE EARLY NORTHWEST TERRITORYBy richard e whitelockDecades ago; as young students; the American Wilderness was a topic that we studied in detail. But now; this part of our American history along with the American Revolution are treated very lightly and in little detail in most school's history curriculum. The author of this series; Allan Eckert; is a marvelous author and well deserving of the six Pulitzers his work s were nominated for. Historical Narratives present factual evidence along with the author's attempt to portray what the characters were thinking; how they might have reacted to certain situations and why they did what they did in terms of reacting. This era of the late 1700's and early 1800's come to life and their stories actually jump off the page. Simon Kenton; Pontiac; Tecumseh; Cornstalk; and Blue Jacket; Simon Gerty; William Harrison; Thomas Jefferson; Daniel Boone come to life and their stories unfold nicely. The influences of the French; British; the many Native American Tribes; the early American settlers; and our military and political leaders at the time come to life in vivid colors. The settling of the Indiana Territories; statehood and epic conflicts between the Native Americans and French and English Army along with colonial militia members come to life in vivid details. The Ohio River ran red with blood from our early ancestors and the reasons for the conflict between the two opponents are well developed by the author.British leadership from London; to Colonial Governors; assemblies and British Generals and armies that were sent to protect the colonies were so subpar that our early settlers were ripe for picking. The British military was out of their element when European styles of warfare were applied to Indian and Canadian styles of "hit and run" warfare. The British generals were so unprepared for frontier type warfare and frankly they lacked the backbone to fight this new style of combat. The French and Indians came so close to capturing Albany; Philadelphia and even New York city. The Americans had their chances to win the war in its earliest goings; but deferred to allowing the French and Indians to run roughshod over our forts throughout Pennsylvania; Ohio and New York state. For a time; the American colonies were in a bad way of surviving the onslaught of the French; Indians and our poor tactic and strategy formulated by the English generals. The atrocities that the Native Americans subjected our settlers to was unforgivable. The greed and land snatching that the English subjected the Native Americans to were equally unforgivable.As I suggested in my earlier reviews; I would recommend that you own and carefully read all six volumes that Eckert wrote in his Americana Series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading these epic works and meeting the many characters that contributed to the history known as the settling of early American territories west of the Appalachians and east of the Mississippi River. Great reading!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Some very good parts in the book that gave more information than ...By Bucky BadgerSome very good parts in the book that gave more information than I was familiar with so I generally enjoyed the book. But I liked his earlier one; The Frontiersman; much more. Too many short and long letters from characters in it and I thought the beginning 1/4 of the book dragged some. If you read this book; and I don't discourage that; I would suggest skimming some of the lesser parts and drilling down into more captivating areas for the best results. The Indians (especially the Iroquois) tried to play off the French and British from each other and regretted not teaming up with the other Indians against all whites. Some similarities in the Middle East during the Cold War.8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. History Brought to LifeBy Howard CoveyHope to see the rest of this series in Kindle soon!Another instance of history brought to life in a very readable and entertaining narrative. This is the telling of the French and Indian War which established the English Colonies dominion of Eastern North America and Canada. What I love about the way Eckert tells these stories is that we see it through the eyes of the Indians; Frontiersmen and soldiers who were most directly involved - rather than the politicians and would be founders who were bit players here - though would play huge rolls in the actual shaping of America. George Washington is a character - as he did serve and command in the war - but the focus is not on him - and shouldn't be. The overlying story is the beginning of the end of the League of the Six Nations - The Iroquois. How they are courted by both factions of "invaders" -and how they chose to fight the war ultimately affected their own dominion of the same lands. A great story - a great book!
