Bloody Engagements:
John R. Kelso’s Civil War
What they’re saying
“This memoir offers a dramatic account of Missouri’s own civil war within the larger national Civil War. An intrepid Unionist and anti-slavery partisan, John Kelso became the scourge of Missouri Rebels in many violent encounters that he narrates in vigorous prose.”
--James M. McPherson, author of The War That Forged a Nation: Why the Civil War Still Matters
“John Russell Kelso’s account of his Civil War experiences pulls readers into a violent, complex world of highly charged politics, regular and irregular military action, and personal revenge. A staunch Unionist, Kelso participated in vicious guerrilla fighting in Missouri, earning praise from loyal citizens and condemnation as a war criminal from Rebels. His postwar disillusionment reminds us that victory in great wars is not always uncomplicated.”
--Gary W. Gallagher, author of The Union War
“Making meaning from memories, John Kelso’s Civil War experiences come richly alive through his convictions, conflict, rage, and ultimate bitterness. Christopher Grasso’s learned editorial hand lends lavish context to this valuable volume.”
--Martha Hodes, author of Mourning Lincoln