Drew, if you haven't read "I Acted From Principle," take Bill up on his offer. It is one of the most detailed and fascinating personal accounts of service in the Trans-Mississippi, and one of the few written by a Confederate army surgeon in any theater of the war.

The account of Dr. McPheeters' attempts to remain neutral in St. Louis is riveting. His refusal, on principle, to take the oath of allegiance resulted in outrageous reprisals against him and his family. He escaped from the city to join the Confederate army, and his wife was later jailed and then banished from the city.

If you're interested in the Trans-Mississippi, this is a "must-have" book.