During this interview, Shelby described a plan where the Confederate Army in the Trans-Mississippi was going to enter Mexico, drive out the French, and then occupy the country. Shelby maintained it was the brainchild of President Abraham Lincoln.

Well, I've been neglecting my own websites because I've been spending a lot of time implementing the new and improved [I hope] Battle of Westport website.

Trans-Mississippi Musings Press has published the following new titles:

• Border State Contest: Civil War Comes to Missouri in 1861 Second Edition, hard cover published on November 7, 2021 available on Amazon
• Pfc. David L. Titterington: An MP’s Service in Europe during World War II, harde cover published on December 18, 2021 available on Amazon.

I have recently ported several tours from TheCivilWarMuse site to this website. These are abridged versions of the tours.

On behalf of the Monnett Battale of Westport Fund, Dan Smith, John Twite and theCivilWarMuse completed the installation of three new historical markers out at Byram's Ford.

New Book Available from theCivilWarMuse: The Battle of Westport, October 21–23, 1864: A Driving Tour of Battle Sites in Kansas City, Independence, and Northeastern Jackson County, Missouri

Dr. Caleb Winfrey was a surgeon with Maj. Gen. Sterling Price's Army of Missouri during Price's 1864 Invasion of Missouri.

theCivilWarMuse is going to post a series of blog entries during the time period from 1864 through 1870 where the Radical Republicans had control of the State of Missouri.

Frank Blair was instrumental in keeping the border state, Missouri, in the Union at the start of the American Civil War. 

Great news! When the new season begins in April 2019, the Battle of Westport Visitor Center and Museum will be located at the Harris-Kearney House in Westport.

Col. Edward F. Winslow comanded a Union cavalry brigade during the Battle of the Big Blue on October 23, 1864.

 James Buchanan Eads built the ironclad gunboats that helped to win control of the Mississippi River for the Union during the American Civil War.

Brig. Gen. John McNeil commanded a brigade of Missouri State Militia during the 1864 invasion of Missouri by Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price.

The Battle of Westport Museum, currently located in the Swope Interpretive Center at Swope Park in Kansas City, Missouri, will not be renewing its lease when the 2018 season ends on October 31. 

A few years ago, theMuse created an annotated map featuring the key events of the Battle of Westport. My intent was to print out a large format version for display at the Battle of Westport Museum.

Born in Pennsylvania, Kersey Coates was a lawyer who went west on the recommendation of his friend and mentor, Congressan Thadeus Stevens, and served as an adviser and agent for the New England Emigrant Aid Socity. Coates served as the colonel of the Kansas City Home Guards during the Battle of Westport.

Col. Upton Hays, from Jackson County, Missouri, commanded the 12th Missouri Cavalry (CSA) until was killed in action on September 12, 1862, during the First Battle of Newtonia, Missouri.

Capt. Henry E. Palmer, Company A, 11th Kansas Cavalry, spoke in 1905 about his experiences during Sterling Price's invasion of Missouri in October 1864.

Lt. Col. Alonzo W. Slayback commanded a cavalry battalion of new recruits attached to Shelby's Iron Brigade during Price's 1864 invasion of Missouri.

Part 2 of an address delivered on October 14, 1890 by Brevet Maj. Gen. John B. Sanborn to the Minnesota Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

On October 14, 1890, Brevet Maj. Gen. John B. Sanborn delivered an address entitled The Campaign in Missouri in September and October, 1864 to the Minnesota Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

 theCivilWarMuse is working on a new Battle of Westport Driving Tour. He expects to publish during the winter of 2019. Stay Tuned.

August 29-December 2, 1864.—Price's Missouri Expedition, Report of Colonel George W. Veale, 2d Kansas State Militia, of the Battle of Big Blue, Missouri, October 22, 1864

August 29-December 2, 1864.—Price's Missouri Expedition, Report of Col. Sidney D. Jackman, Jackman's Missouri Cavalry, commanding brigade

I recommend reading the article, "Slavery Did Not Make America Rich," written by Deirdre Nansen McCloskey and posted to reason.com

 A biography of Augustus Byram, namesake of Byram’s Ford, published in 1902.

A biography of John B. Sanborn, Union general, published in 1879.

 Eager to take back his home state of Missouri, Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price receives orders to prepare to invade Missouri.

TheCivilWarMuse created an annotated map of the Confederate invasion of Missouri by Maj-Gen Sterling Price. The map is based on the expedition's map published in the Official Records Atlas.

About 1,000 feet of the Historic Byram's Ford Road has been cleared of brush from just west of the Pepsi Beverages Company to Elmwood Avenue.

A new tour for Quantrill's 1863 Lawrence Raid has been added to theMuse's companion website http://www.thecivilwarmuse.com/

Trans-Mississippi Musings Press is pleased to announce a new book, Battle of Westport, October 23, 1864: A Walking Tour of the Battlefield South of Brush Creek in Kansas City, Missouri, written by yours truly, Dick Titterington, aka theCivilWarMuse.

It's fall and that means theCivilWarMuse is going to be out on the battlefield maintaining trails and improving the walking tour by adding signs to the trails.

Available immediately on Amazon: Trans-Mississippi Musings Press releases a new book, Quantrill’s Revenge: A Comprehensive Tour Guide to William C. Quantrill’s Raid of Lawrence, Kansas.

In his memoir, George Griffith describes his time in Kansas during the 1850s.

Apparently historians disagree as to where the Battle of Marmaton River (Charlot's Farm) took place on October 25, 1864.

The City of Kansas City is extending the Blue River Trail system north from Swope Park. A newly completed portion of this hiking/biking trail runs through the Big Blue Battlefield Park between the Blue River and Hardesty Avenue.

Trans-Mississippi Musings Press is pleased to announce a new book, The Story of a Cavalryman: The Civil War Memoirs of Bvt. Brig. Gen. Edward F. Winslow, 4th Iowa Cavalry.

 Kansas Citian Chris Edwards is working on a new project called "Blood on the Border." 

Find out how to track down information about your Civil War Ancestors by reading this great series from the Emerging Civil War Blog.

theCivilWarMuse is is collaborating with the Battle of Westport Museum to produce a large scale map showing the large area over which the Battle of Westport was fought.

Both William F. Scott and Edward F. Winslow mustered into the 4th Iowa Cavalry in 1861. In 1863, both reenlisted as Veteran Volunteers. In their respective memoirs, Scott and Winslow made a point of emphasizing their belief the veteran volunteer reenlistments were a critical component to the success of their campaigns in 1864 and 1865.

Trans-Mississippi Musings Press is pleased to announce the coming publication (1Q 2016) of The Story of a Cavalryman: The Civil War Memoirs of Edward F. Winslow, 4th Iowa Cavalry.

In January 1862, Sgt. Charles O. Dewey, Dodge's Battery, 4th Iowa Infantry submitted a sketch of an instrument used by the secession slave-masters of Missouri to punish their Negroes.

I think a number of authors have misidentified the commander of the Third Division, Right Wing, 16th Army Corps during Price's 1864 Missouri Raid. Here's my evidence.

 I recently came across a list of books recommended by James M. Mcpherson when he appeared on The Diane Rehm Show promoting his latest book, "The War That Forged a Nation: Why the Civil War Still Matters."

Downloadable tour guide is now available for the Battle of Westport near Loose Park in Kansas City, Missouri.

Downloadable tour guides are now available for the Big Blue Battlefield at Byram's ford in Kansas City, Missouri.

theCivilWarMuse is collaborating with the Monnett Battle of Westport Fund to restore portions of the Big Blue Battlefield and create a self-guided walking tour of the Big Blue Battlefield.

I recently completed the brush clearing and marking for the Dee's Battalion Trail in the Big Blue Battlefield Park in Kansas City, Missouri and wanted to post some photos.

A few days ago, the radio show Central Standard, produced by local NPR affiliate, KCUR, invited local historian Monroe Dodd and KCPL Missouri Valley Special Collections manager Eli Paul to discuss their top twenty list of books about the history of Kansas City, Missouri.

I spent a couple of hours on Christmas day and "finished" clearing the brush from the Historic Byram's Ford Road located just east of Hardesty Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. There is still a little bit of brush to clear at either end of this stretch of the road, but in total is less than 30 minutes of effort.

During the holiday season times were lonely on the picket line.

In Kansas City on the Big Blue Battlefield Park, we are continuing our work to clear brush from the Historic Byram's Ford Road.

During Sterling Price's 1864 expedition into Missouri, Brigadier General William L. Cabell, commanding Cabell's Brigade, was captured by Federal troops during the Battle of Mine Creek on October 25, 1864. Never having written an official report, Cabell was encouraged by his fellow veterans to write a report describing the exploits of Cabell's Brigade during the 1864 expedition. Cabell published that report in January, 1900.

During Sterling Price's 1864 expedition into Missouri, Major Abial R. Pierce was in command of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry. His official report did not make it into Volume 41 of the US War Department's Official Records. Pierce and the Fourth Iowa Cavalry were a key factor in the Federal victory at the Battle of Mine Creek on October 25, 1864.

Last week a friend of mine and I went out on a field trip around the battlefield sites for the Battle of Westport which took place from October 21 to 23, 1864. This is just a post of some of the photographs I took.

This 100 volume set is supplemental to the "The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies" This blog post contains an annotated livst of the volumes.

Trans-Mississippi Musings Press is pleased to announce the publication of a new book by Dick Titterington, theCivilWarMuse.

In the summer of 1864, two senior Union commanders were engaged in a tug-of-war over the services of Major General A. J. Smith.

After deliberations within the Confederacy hierarchy, received orders in the summer of 1864 to organize a cavalry raid into the state of Missouri.

In the fall of 1864 during the cavalry raid into Missouri by Confederate Major General Sterling, Price, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant was concerned about the performance by the Federal commander in Missouri, Major General William S. Rosecrans and considered replacing Rosecrans during the raid.

The Civil War Classics series from Trans-Mississippi Musings brings the best of the works by authors who were present during the American Civil War in those states and territories west of the Mississippi River. These are public domain works, which I have reformatted as eBooks. This is the history of a northern regiment from Iowa: The Story of a Cavalry Regiment: The Career of the Fourth Iowa Veteran Volunteers from Kansas to Georgia 1861-1865 published in 1866 by William Forse Scott. 

Major General Andrew Jackson Smith was not supposed to be in Missouri chasing after Confederate General Sterling Price. Smith commanded the Right Wing of the 16th Army Corps, two veteran infantry divisions from the renowned Army of the Tennessee. He was supposed to be headed east with his command to join up with Major General William T. Sherman.

Okay, you already know about my work clearing trails at the Big Blue Battle field, but theCivilWarMuse has been working hard on lots of other projects. I thought I would write up a summary of what I have been working on.

theCivilWarMuse has been making some good progress on clearing the overgrown walking trails on the Big Blue Battlefield in Kansas City, Missouri. I thought I would post some pictures of the progress.

Over the next several weeks, theMuse will be clearing walking trails at the Big Blue Battlefield in Kansas City, Missouri. Then we will publish an updated Big Blue Battlefield Walking Tour on the Battle of Westport and theCivilWarMuse websites. 

The Civil War Muse has just published Volume 3 of Trans-Mississippi Musings, "Sterling Price Returns: The Southern Counteroffensive to Retake Missouri in 1861"

Well, I finally returned to St. Louis and so was able to visit the Missouri Civil War Museum. It’s amazing what Executive Director Mark L. Trout and what I am sure is a plethora of volunteers have accomplished. The restored Jefferson Barracks Post Exchange and Gymnasium Building looks beautiful, and the museum is just another great reason to visit St. Louis. 

The Civil War Classics series from Trans-Mississippi Musings brings the best of the works by authors who were present during the American Civil War in those states and territories west of the Mississippi River. These are public domain works, which I have reformatted as eBooks. One of the best regimental histories available is A Southern Record: The History of the Third Regiment Louisiana Infantry published in 1866 by William H. Tunnard. 

Sergeant Will Tunnard, Company K, Third Louisiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment, had fought at the Battle of Oak Hills (Wilson’s Creek) in August 1861. By winter, McCulloch had withdrawn to northern Arkansas, and his brigade had gone into winter quarters at Cross Hollow, about seven miles southeast of Bentonville, Arkansas.

The Civil War Classics series from Trans-Mississippi Musings brings the best of the works by authors who were present during the American Civil War in those states and territories west of the Mississippi River. These are public domain works, which I have reformatted as eBooks. For the second volume in this series, I have chosen Shelby and His Men or, The War in the West (Trans-Mississippi Musings Classics) by John Newman Edwards.

From historical marker located just north of the intersection of Holmes Road and East 79^th Street in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Thomas Mockbee Farmhouse stood here. On October 22, 1864, after the Confederates had forced a crossing of the Big Blue to the east 300 men of the 2nd Kansas Militia were north of the farmhouse where they formed a line facing north. Jackman's Brigade with Gordon's Regiment of Shelby's Division made several mounted charges and finally overran the Union position. Union losses were 30 killed; 50 wounded; 102 captured including a 24-Pound Howitzer. Jackman also lost heavily in this fight.

On October 22, 1864, Confederate forces under the command of forced a crossing of the Big Blue River at Byram’s Ford on the Independence-Westport road. Defending the ford was a brigade of Federal Volunteers under the command of Colonel Charles R. Jennison. This engagement is also referred to as the Battle of the Big Blue.

On October 21, 1864, two brigades of Kansas Volunteer Cavalry held off a much larger Confederate force under the command of Major General John S. Marmaduke. When Marmaduke was reinforced by Brigadier General Jo Shelby, the Federals wee forced to wihdraw west to Independence.

A new book by theCivilWarMuse (Dick Titterington) entitled Border State Contest: Civil War Comes to Missouri in 1861 (Trans-Mississippi Musings) (Volume 2)  is now available in the Amazon book store.

I've started the Civil War Classics series from Trans-Mississippi Musings bringing the best of the works by authors who were present during the American Civil War in those states and territories west of the Mississippi River. These are public domain works, which I have reformatted as eBooks.

On September 26, 1864, Confederate Major-General Sterling Price entered the Arcadia Valley to begin his movement against the Federal garrison in Fort Davidson located near the town of Pilot Knob, Missouri. 

On September 19, 1864, Confederate Major-General Sterling Price crossed into Missouri from Arkansas with an army of 12,000 cavalrymen. His objective was the capture of the great western city of St. Louis, Missouri.

On September 18, 1864 from his headquarters in Camp No. 20 at Pocahontas, Arkansas, Confederate Major-General Sterling Price issued General Orders, No. 8 organizing the Army of Missouri. In this order Price also issued the marching orders for the invasion of Missouri.

An exhibit entitled “Guerrillas in our Midst” is currently on display in downtown Kansas City, Missouri at the Kansas City Public Library’s Central Library.

An exhibit entitled “Order No. 11: Martial Law on the Missouri Border” is currently on display at The Box Gallery in downtown Kansas City, Missouri on the first floor of the Commerce Bank Building. 

One of the many tragic incidents results from Order Number 11 occurred 150 years ago today. More than half of the Federal cavalry that Brigadier-General Thomas Ewing, Jr. had under his command in the District of the Border were Kansas volunteers. Ewing assigned to many of these Kansas troops the responsibility of enforcing the evacuation by Missourians of their homes required by Order Number 11. In Lone Jack, Missouri six civilians were executed on September 6, 1863. There is a monument in Lone Jack where five of the dead are buried.

If you happen to be in Kansas City, you can visit the location where Brigadier-General Thomas Ewing, Jr. signed General Orders, No. 11. The Pacific House still exists and there is a historical marker located just across the street.

In response to Quantrill’s Raid on Lawrence, Kansas, The Federal commander of the District of the Border, Brigadier-General Thomas Ewing, Jr. issued General Orders, No. 11 on August 25, 1863. It’s main provision was to order the citizens of Jackson, Cass, Bates and part of Vernon Counties in Missouri to leave their homes within 15 days.

Federal cavalry in Kansas and Missouri knew that something was up, but seemed unable to respond quickly enough to prevent he guerrilla raid on Lawrence, Kansas.

On August 21, 1863 led around 400 Missouri guerrillas across the border into Kansas to punish the symbolic capital of abolitionists in Kansas.

There were actually two other orders that came before Order Number 11. Logically, they were General Orders, No. 9 and General Orders, No. 10 issued by Brigadier-General Thomas Ewing, Jr. in the District of the Border. The implementation of Order Number 10 led to the infamous collapse of the Union Prison building in which a number of women relatives of well-known Missouri guerrillas were either killed or severely injured. 

August 25, 2013 will be the 150^th anniversary of the day that Brigadier-General Thomas Ewing, Jr. issued General Orders, No. 11 in the District of the Border from his headquarters at the Pacific House on Delaware Street in Kansas City, Missouri.

“Blood & Ashes”, a series of commemorative events observing the 150th anniversary of General Order #11 is produced by the Jackson County Historical Society in cooperation with The Wornall/Majors House Museums, Wide Awake Films, The Rice-Tremonti Home, and Wine Walk on Delaware.

For More info, go to the Blood & Ashes website 

I've just completed the first draft of my next book in the Trans-Mississippi Musings series on the American Civil War.

It’s 1860 in the State of Missouri. When all the votes are counted, three men have been elected that will change the state forever. Claiborne Fox Jackson becomes the state’s Governor. Francis Preston Blair, Jr. is re-elected to represent Missouri’s First District in the United States House of Representatives. And Abraham Lincoln becomes the nation’s 12^th President of the United States ... 

A Civil War class, Price's 1864 Missouri Raid, is being offered by theCivilWarMuse through SPARK (Senior Peers Actively Renewing Knowledge). The class begins September 24, 2013 and runs for six weeks through the end of October.

It's July 3, 1861 in Boonville Missouri. After his quick, decisive action in the days before the Battle of Boonville, Brigadier-General Nathaniel Lyon was finding it more difficult to head south and chase after the retreating Missouri State Guard. His forces had grown to 2,400 after being joined in Boonville by the First Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The logistics of marching from Boonville to Springfield was creating problems for Lyon. He needed to requisition supplies and the wagons to get the supplies to Springfield.