The Hildebrand book by Kirby Ross is a must read for anyone interested in the Civil War in Missouri. It is the best book on the Missouri Civil War guerrilla conflict since Michael Fellman wrote "Inside War" in 1989. Whether you are interested in Hildebrand or not, Ross' excellent references and source notes serve as an excellent introduction and provide a point of departure for research into the wider guerrilla conflict in southeast Missouri.

Colonel Samuel Mahaney Sr.
National Security Fellow
Harvard Kennedy School
Cambridge MA