This is not complete listing of all the books I’ve used for research, as that would be a very long list indeed, and I’ve (unfortunately) forgotten the names of many I read for my earlier books.
Instead, this is a list of books I’ve either found particularly useful and/or particularly interesting, even if I did not end up using much from that book, or else these still reside on my bookshelves.
General Knowledge.
- American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms.
- The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War.
An Uncivilized Yankee.
Unfortunately, I long ago purged most of the books I owned on this subject, and I was very bad about keeping notes on where I got my information. I’ve gotten much better now. This is what I have left.
- Jeb Stuart. John W. Thomason.
- Field Surgeon at Gettysburg. Clyde B. Kernek, M.D.
- The Language of the Civil War. John D. Wright.
- Forward to Richmond.
- The Horse Soldier.
A Great Wide Nowhere and Farewell and Goodbye.
Since these two stories are very closely connected, many of the books I read are the same.
- Wolves for the Blue Coats: Indian Scouts and Auxiliaries with the United States Army, 1866-90. Thomas W. Dunlay.
- The View from Officers’ Row: Army Perceptions of Western Indians. Sherry L. Smith.
- Life and Manners in the Frontier Army. Oliver Knight.
- From Everglade to Canyon with the Second United States Cavalry. Theophilus F. Rodenbough.
- Forts of the American Frontier 1820-91: Central and Northern Plains. Ron Field.
- US Army in the Plains Indian Wars 1865-91. Clayton K.S. Chun
- Forty Miles a Day on Beans and Hay. Don Rickey, Jr.
- Nothing Like It in the World. Stephen E. Ambrose.
- Glittering Misery: Dependents of the Indian Fighting Army. Patricia Y. Stallard.
- Class and Race in the Frontier Army. Kevin Adams.
- Army Wives on the American Frontier. Anne Bruner Eales.
- Indians, Infants and Infantry: Andrew and Elizabeth Burt on the Frontier. Merrill J. Mattes.
- The Horse Soldier.
- Frontier Regulars: The United States Army and the Indian, 1866-1891. Robert M. Utley.
- Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone. George Black.
The Slow Trail Home:
- Crossing Rio Pecos
Many Waters:
- Isaac’s Storm. Eric Larson.
- The Storm of the Century. Al Roker. Rather derivative (he used Isaac’s Storm as a source), but it does focus on different individuals than Larson’s and the viewpoint of a meteorologist is helpful. Did find some small factual errors, but for the most part a good source.