“Hold up there!” called someone from behind. Startled out of the monotony of the trail, Reuben looked back. A rider was approaching. He looked like a rough, crude frontiersman; shaggy beard and all. Reuben brought the wagon to a halt and waited. “Hello friend,” said the man as he approached Reuben’s perch onContinue reading “Chapter 3: Montgomery”
Tag Archives: History
Damn Yankee
“Git offa mah property you damn Yankee som beech!” commanded the little man with the tobacco-stained teeth. “And stay away from mah Niggah, you heah?” Reuben’s first encounter with the residents of Linn County had rapidly gone south. He could tell the little man meant business because his hand had moved to theContinue reading “Damn Yankee”
Resolution
A fictionalized account of Reuben DeLay’s time in Confederate prisons Reuben gently pushed the blanket he shared with Dawes over the form of his softly snoring bedmate. The air was cold and his joints ached from sleeping on the hard ground. He needed to stretch and get his blood circulating. He crawled outContinue reading “Resolution”
Bad Mexicans
A Book that Could Be Banned As I read Bad Mexicans: Race, Empire, and Revolution in the Borderlands, I was reminded of the extraordinary efforts of the state of Arizona to ban the teaching of Mexican-American Studies by the Tucson School District. The conservative leaders of my state lived in fear of telling the truthContinue reading “Bad Mexicans”
Company I History
Third Iowa Cavalry During the summer of 1861, a company of cavalry was organized at Centerville by Capt. T. J. Taylor. Our company was first called “Mounted Riflemen” and was in the state service for the protection of the border counties. A duty which was afterwards assumed by Capt. D. A. Spooner and hisContinue reading “Company I History”
Lines for My Mother
PVT. Frederick Buckmaster Poem written to his mother, Mary Ann, on May 9, 1864 Clifton, Tenn. It is a calm still night Mother, the winds are lulled and still… The moon’s soft light is beaming bright on yonder sleeping hill… But this soft dreamy hour, Mother, no magic may impart… To check theContinue reading “Lines for My Mother”
Chasing History (Draft) PT I
Chasing History Few of us make history. We all live through it though. It shocks us, shapes us, strengthens us and gives us direction. We survive the great events of our time, learn from them and move forward. Within the march of our personal histories, we see thousands of events, big and small. We experienceContinue reading “Chasing History (Draft) PT I”
Outlaws, Outrages and Outright Lies 