CIVIL WAR ON THE BORDER; A Narrative of Operations in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and the Indian Territory During the Years 1861-62. Second Edition, Revised (6th Kansas Cavalry Regimental History)

SUBTITLED: A Narrative of Operations in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and the Indian Territory During the Years 1861-62, Based upon the Official Reports of the Federal Commanders Lyon, Sigel, Sturgis, Fremont, Halleck, Curtis, Schofield, Blunt, Herron, and Totten., and of the Confederate Commanders McCullough, Price, Van Dorn, Hindman, Marmaduke, and Shelby. By Wiley Britton, War Department 1861-1862, Second Edition, Revised. BOOK DESCRIPTION: 8vo, xix, 473 pp. 3 maps (2 folding), 2 portraits. Bound in contemporary full brown Morocco leather, boards ruled in gilt, spine ruled, tooled, and lettered in gilt in compartments, five raised bands, all edges gilt, gilt turn-ins, marbled end leaves. Second Edition. With 3-page typed, signed letter from Britton on letterhead to Hon. Wm. Lochren, Commissioner of Pensions, presenting him a copy of this book as well as request for transfer to the Pensions Bureau. CONDITION DESCRIPTION: Near fine; covers lightly rubbed; gilt bright. Interior is clean and tight. CONTENTS DESCRIPTION: A very scarce and desirable regimental history of the 6th Kansas Cavalry that fought in the Trans-Mississippi, an underappreciated area of operations. This Second Edition was printed from the plates of the 1890 edition, with the added matter, pgs. 467-473 being an index. Exceptionally well written accounts of their service against Confederate guerrilla forces and Indian battles on the Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas frontiers. In addition to discussing the movements of the main armies, Britton describes the guerrilla warfare, Native American affairs, and the tension between civilian populations in border states like Missouri and Kansas, which had contributed so greatly to the sectionalism of the 1850s via the debate over whether they should be free states or slave states. He is also objective about his service, noting acts of kindness and destruction perpetrated by Union forces in the region. Britton covers serious events, but he does so with anecdotes and a sprinkling of humor, including lively depictions of what life was like in camp. However, this was a fighting regiment and had numerous engagements with bushwhackers, guerillas, and scattered elements of Confederate forces. According to the Kansas Adjutant General’s report for 1861-65, Kansas lost a greater number of men killed in action and died of wounds, in proportion to the number of troops furnished, than any other loyal State, the percent being over sixty-one per thousand, whilst the Sixth lost a greater number than any other cavalry regiment of Kansas troops, its loss being nearly eighty per thousand of the whole number enlisted. Wiley Britton was born on October 8, 1842, in Neosho, Missouri. He spent most of his life living in and around Kansas City. A firm abolitionist, Britton enlisted in the 6th Kansas Cavalry on March 8, 1862, and served until he was mustered out on January 16, 1865. Wiley Britton worked as a pension examiner after the end of the Civil War, but lost his job in the early 20th century supposedly due to political differences. Wiley Britton died on September 14, 1930, in Leavenworth, Kansas. REFERENCES: DORN KS 20. COULTER 52; NEVINS I pg. 63 “A basic source for civilian and military affairs in the Kansas – Missouri – Oklahoma area during this region’s critical period; the author a member of the 6th Kansas Cavalry, treats also of Indian and guerilla warfare.”.…