This definitive biography of William Clarke Quantrill reveals the characteristics and events that led a quiet Ohio schoolteacher to become the most feared and notorious guerrilla of the Civil War. A virulently pro-slavery Confederate soldier and a brilliant tactician, Quantrill was a charismatic warrior who attracted hundreds of followers to his side--notably the teenaged Frank James, Jesse James, and Cole Younger. The peak of his career came on August 21, 1863, when he led 450 men in a dawn raid on the staunchly Unionist town of Lawrence, Kansas, executing roughly 200 unarmed, unresisting men and teenage boys in what became the greatest atrocity of the Civil War.
Brilliantly weaving together eyewitness accounts, letters, memories, newspaper articles, and military reports into a riveting narrative, this groundbreaking work penetrates the myth of a cardboard-cutout psychopath to expose Quantrill in all his brutality and human complexity. It includes the most accurate account ever written of the Lawrence, Kansas massacre and also details the postwar outlaw careers of those who rode with him.
About the Author :
Edward E. Leslie is the author of The Devil Knows How To Ride, the biography of the Civil War Confederate guerrilla William Clarke Quantrill, and the internationally acclaimed Desperate Journeys, Abandoned Souls. He lives in Massillon, Ohio.
Patrick Cullen (a.k.a. John Lescault), a native of Massachusetts, is a graduate of the Catholic University of America. He lives in Washington, DC, where he works in theater.
Review :
"[An] authoritative and well-written study."
-- "Publishers Weekly"
"A compelling portrait...This is a story that would seem unbelievable if written as fiction and that, thanks to the talents of author and narrator, will leave listeners intrigued."
-- "AudioFile"
"A great, action-packed story by a writer equal to the subject...Congratulations to Edward Leslie's meticulous research and vivid narrative."
-- "Alvin M. Josephy, Jr., author of The Civil War in the American West"
"Leslie attempts a balanced view of the infamous guerrilla leader, portraying his willingness to kill while dispelling myths surrounding him. This is a good place to begin a study of Quantrill; recommended for academic and public libraries."
-- "Library Journal"
"Leslie does a remarkably thorough job of telling Quantrill's bloody story...Highly recommended for Civil War buffs and students of frontier history."
-- "Kirkus Reviews"
