Bryan, I agree with your assessment (no surprise there!). Unionism in Arkansas has been a much neglected topic. Indeed, there has been relatively little interest in it until recently. But even now it is a topic that many people don't want to hear about. And that's a shame. There is just so much that we don't know or understand about the war in Arkansas. Granted, we know a great deal about many things that went on in the state, but there is still a relative vacuum in regard to what we know about other aspects of the war.

As for the thesis, I appreciate your kind words. You have probably figured out by now that it was very much a labor of love for me. I have just really felt like those guys got the short end of the stick, historically speaking. Consequently, I thought it important for their story to be known.

So you know, I do plan on trying to get it published. In fact, I've already been approached by one publisher. But right now I'm concentrating on expanding it a bit. I plan to do another chapter in which I follow the same sample of men after the war to see what happens to them. It should be interesting. I may also flesh out the narrative a bit more. Obviously, there were a lot of things that I did not go into. Anyway, thanks again for the positive feedback. Let me know if you have any questions about it.