Race and Radicalism in the Union Army
About the Book
Identifying elements of radicalism and reform in the interactions among blacks, Indians, and whites, Mark A. Lause examines how a multiracial vision of American society developed on the western frontier during the Civil War. Focusing on the radical followers of John Brown in territorial Kansas, Lause examines the impact of abolitionist sentiment on relations with Indians and the crucial role of nonwhites in the conflict. He discusses the radicalizing impact of this triracial Unionism upon the military course of the war in the upper Trans-Mississippi. Assessing the social interrelations, ramifications, and military impact of nonwhites in the Union forces, Race and Radicalism in the Union Army explores the extent of interracial thought and activity among Americans in this period and greatly expands the historical narrative on the Civil War in the West.About the Author
Mark A. Lause is a professor of American history at the University of Cincinnati and the author of A Secret Society History of the Civil War and other books.Also by this author
Reviews
"A bold, eye-opening study that lays bare the multiple struggles that underlay the Civil War west of the Mississippi. Sophisticated and startling."--Arkansas Historical Quarterly"A concise and thought-provoking description of events throughout the Civil War era in a region ignored first by contemporary officials and later by historians caught up in the war in the East."--American Historical Review
"A necessary read."--Against the Current
"Engrossing."--Monthly Review
"Recommended."--Choice
"An important contribution to the literature of the diplomatic aspects of the Civil War."--NYMAS Review
"This heroic story is brilliantly told."--counterpunch.org
Blurbs
"This incredible work broadens understanding of the Civil War in the West and expands historical knowledge about the Native American contributions to the war effort. It will appeal to any Civil War historian and those interested in Native American or military history."--Eugene H. Berwanger, author of The Frontier against Slavery: Western Anti-Negro Prejudice and the Slavery Extension Controversy
"In this study of an obscure but important group of radicals, Lause includes cameos of fascinating figures largely ignored in standard accounts as well as coverage of battles beyond the frame of nearly all Civil War texts. Future work will have to reckon with this marvelous study."--Bruce Laurie, author of Beyond Garrison: Antislavery and Social Reform
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