The Last Hurrah: Sterling Price's Missouri Expedition of 1864 facts for kids
Cover of the book
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| Author | Kyle Sinisi |
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| Cover artist | Andy Thomas |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Price's Missouri Expedition |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Rowman & Littlefield |
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Publication date
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2015 |
| Pages | 432 |
| ISBN | 978-0-7425-4535-9 |
The Last Hurrah: Sterling Price's Missouri Expedition of 1864 is a book written in 2015 by Kyle Sinisi. It was published by Rowman & Littlefield. The book is about Price's Missouri Expedition, a major event during the American Civil War in 1864. This expedition tried to take control of the state of Missouri from the Union army, but it did not succeed.
Kyle Sinisi's book looks closely at the military parts of the expedition. It also talks about the political disagreements happening at the time. The book explains how the land (topography) and moving supplies (logistics) affected the campaign. The Last Hurrah suggests that this event was more than just a quick attack; it was a large military operation. It also says that a battle called the Battle of Mine Creek was very brutal, almost like a massacre. The book also explains that Missouri did not want to leave the Union. People who reviewed the book liked how it covered the campaign completely. They also praised how it discussed politics and the effects of guerrilla warfare.
What the Book is About
The Last Hurrah was written by Kyle Sinisi and came out in 2015. It is part of a series of books about the American Civil War. Kyle Sinisi used to be in the United States Army. He earned a special degree (a Ph.D.) in history from Kansas State University. He mostly studies the political and military history of the United States. This includes the American Civil War and a time period called the Gilded Era. Today, he is a professor at The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina.
The book focuses on Price's Missouri Expedition. This was a military campaign in 1864 during the American Civil War. During this time, Confederate States Army troops, led by General Sterling Price, went into Missouri. The Confederates hoped to capture the city of St. Louis. They also wanted to gather supplies and start a rebellion against the Union in the state.
However, the Union had strong defenses. Because of this, Price decided not to attack St. Louis or the state capital, Jefferson City. Instead, the Confederates moved west across Missouri. They were eventually defeated at the Battle of Westport in October. After this, Price and his soldiers retreated south into Texas. They had lost more than two-thirds of the soldiers who started the expedition.
Key Ideas in the Book
According to a reviewer named Wesley Moody, the Price's Missouri Expedition has not been studied enough by historians. Sinisi's book is seen as a very complete study of this event. The book mainly follows Price's army as they traveled across Missouri. But it also talks about how political fights in Kansas affected the campaign.
Sinisi argues that Price's campaign was not just a small raid. He says it was a much bigger invasion than other cavalry actions during the Civil War. The Last Hurrah explains why the Confederate expedition failed. It points to problems with moving supplies (logistics) and Price's leadership. It also says that Missouri "ultimately did not want to be liberated" by the Confederates. Sinisi describes how the land and supply problems made the campaign very difficult from the start.
Sinisi used many different sources to write his book. These included old letters, newspapers, and writings from after the war. He also used information from other history books. The book gives different numbers for how many people were hurt or killed in some battles. Sinisi says that earlier studies might have reported numbers that were too high.
He also compares what happened in the expedition and earlier guerrilla warfare to the idea of total war. He believes that the Battle of Mine Creek was very brutal, more like a massacre than a typical battle. The book also looks again at how big the wagon train Price brought with his army was. It also explores why Price wanted to keep this wagon train with him. The Last Hurrah includes maps and a long list of sources. The book's front cover shows a painting called Shelby and His Men at Westport by Andy Thomas.
