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Flat Top Mountain Ranch: The Beginning
Can Two Men Escape the Horror of the Civil War and the Prejudice of Reconstruction by Heading West?
As in all wars, young men volunteer to fight. The Union recruited Jack Donaldson from the Catskill Mountains in New York to whip the Rebels into submission and return home before the next harvest. After he survives two years of war, watches his closest friends die in battle, and suffers a gunshot wound at Gettysburg, he’s had enough. Jack decides to muster out and start a new life by heading west on the Santa Fe Trail.
In Louisiana, a Confederate major convinced a Louisiana detachment of free-born black men, including Ty Jones, to help the South repel the northern invaders. Ty leaves the peaceful, sheltered plantation of his childhood and marches off to war, full of pride. Brutal wartime conditions and senseless discrimination are a rude awakening to the outside world and after humiliating defeat at Vicksburg, he returns home. With the advice of his father, he leaves war and the aftermath of the Southern defeat behind and heads west in search of a new opportunity.
The two veterans from opposite sides of the war meet on the Santa Fe Trail, discover they have plenty in common, and form a partnership. Their start a cattle ranch in the rough country of the west Texas plains and make it a place to call their own. Their dreams come with a price. Their pasts haunt them as they struggle to establish the Flat Top Mountain Ranch during the Westward Expansion and Indian Wars.
James E. Doucette is a retired businessman and part-time rancher. He grew up in the Northeast and moved to Texas in 1983. In 1988, he and his wife, Denise, purchased the Flat Top Mountain Ranch. One thing they’ve learned about ranching is that when the fences are down, the cattle are scattered, and the Texas High Plains winter wind is blowing, there are only two people out chasing the cattle—the rancher and his wife.
As in all wars, young men volunteer to fight. The Union recruited Jack Donaldson from the Catskill Mountains in New York to whip the Rebels into submission and return home before the next harvest. After he survives two years of war, watches his closest friends die in battle, and suffers a gunshot wound at Gettysburg, he’s had enough. Jack decides to muster out and start a new life by heading west on the Santa Fe Trail.
In Louisiana, a Confederate major convinced a Louisiana detachment of free-born black men, including Ty Jones, to help the South repel the northern invaders. Ty leaves the peaceful, sheltered plantation of his childhood and marches off to war, full of pride. Brutal wartime conditions and senseless discrimination are a rude awakening to the outside world and after humiliating defeat at Vicksburg, he returns home. With the advice of his father, he leaves war and the aftermath of the Southern defeat behind and heads west in search of a new opportunity.
The two veterans from opposite sides of the war meet on the Santa Fe Trail, discover they have plenty in common, and form a partnership. Their start a cattle ranch in the rough country of the west Texas plains and make it a place to call their own. Their dreams come with a price. Their pasts haunt them as they struggle to establish the Flat Top Mountain Ranch during the Westward Expansion and Indian Wars.
James E. Doucette is a retired businessman and part-time rancher. He grew up in the Northeast and moved to Texas in 1983. In 1988, he and his wife, Denise, purchased the Flat Top Mountain Ranch. One thing they’ve learned about ranching is that when the fences are down, the cattle are scattered, and the Texas High Plains winter wind is blowing, there are only two people out chasing the cattle—the rancher and his wife.
346 pages, Paperback
Published December 9, 2019
About the author
James E. Doucette
6 books2 followersJames is a US Navy veteran & retired entrepreneur. He now spends his time writing. He is a member of Lockney's American Legion.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 17, 2021
American utopia at Flat Top Mountain Ranch
This is the story of two men from opposing sides of the Civil War, Jack Donaldson and Tiberius (Ty) Jones, who for different reasons, travel West to start a new life. The book first starts telling their separate stories, until they meet and become instant friends. They struck a deal with Charles Goodnight to buy some cattle, and with the help of their respective fathers, they buy Flat Top Mountain Ranch.
Jack is a White man who served in the Union Army, and Ty is a free Black man with a White father who served in the Confederate Army, but the differences don't end there. Jack marries a Mexican and Ty marries a Comanche, with all their customs and traditions. It's as if all the nations of the Americas came together at Flat Top Mountain Ranch, and without getting too much into politics, I wish that would've really happened. The United States would've been a better place for it.
There are certain aspects that put the story into historical context, though. The main characters encounter Colonel Ronald S. Mackenzie, and Ty's brother-in-law is Quanah, the leader of the Comanches. Additionally, Jack is based on an ancestor of the author's wife.
All would've been great with this book, if it weren't for the Spanish dialogue. These are supposed to be native Spanish speakers, yet their Spanish leaves a lot to be desired. It's as if the author just went to Google translate to do the Spanish dialogue. For that, I had to take off one star. Apart form that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's got enough action, adventure, and history to make it work.
This is the story of two men from opposing sides of the Civil War, Jack Donaldson and Tiberius (Ty) Jones, who for different reasons, travel West to start a new life. The book first starts telling their separate stories, until they meet and become instant friends. They struck a deal with Charles Goodnight to buy some cattle, and with the help of their respective fathers, they buy Flat Top Mountain Ranch.
Jack is a White man who served in the Union Army, and Ty is a free Black man with a White father who served in the Confederate Army, but the differences don't end there. Jack marries a Mexican and Ty marries a Comanche, with all their customs and traditions. It's as if all the nations of the Americas came together at Flat Top Mountain Ranch, and without getting too much into politics, I wish that would've really happened. The United States would've been a better place for it.
There are certain aspects that put the story into historical context, though. The main characters encounter Colonel Ronald S. Mackenzie, and Ty's brother-in-law is Quanah, the leader of the Comanches. Additionally, Jack is based on an ancestor of the author's wife.
All would've been great with this book, if it weren't for the Spanish dialogue. These are supposed to be native Spanish speakers, yet their Spanish leaves a lot to be desired. It's as if the author just went to Google translate to do the Spanish dialogue. For that, I had to take off one star. Apart form that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's got enough action, adventure, and history to make it work.
March 3, 2025
This is a historical fiction about White New Yorker Jack Donaldson and Black Louisianan Ty Jones on opposite sides of the Civil War meeting after the war and being tired of the violence. I think it's interesting that Jack is based on the author's ancestor and Ty is based on a multitude of research Doucette did on the 22nd Louisiana Detachment.
I also find it interesting (though sadly not surprising) that the White officers of the 22nd would be more likely to have respect for others of different races not only from other south folk but even ones from the north.
The story...could have been more boring than it was but it also fell flat a lot. I enjoyed the camaraderie between Jack and Ty, from how they met to being cowboys to becoming shared owners of a ranch. I found their wives fascinating and wish more was focused on them. My favorite character was Charles Goodnight.
I like how much was focused on the importance of family, how Jack's father was harsh at times but showed he loved his son; that the White people who didn't own Ty but actually hired Black workers for their plantation/farm/whatever treated him like a son.
Jack's PTSD could have manifested more strongly but I also understand this book was about how some people legitimately could have worked with and been friends with White, Spanish, Indigenous, and Black people no matter their background simply if they showed the same respect back.
I also find it interesting (though sadly not surprising) that the White officers of the 22nd would be more likely to have respect for others of different races not only from other south folk but even ones from the north.
The story...could have been more boring than it was but it also fell flat a lot. I enjoyed the camaraderie between Jack and Ty, from how they met to being cowboys to becoming shared owners of a ranch. I found their wives fascinating and wish more was focused on them. My favorite character was Charles Goodnight.
I like how much was focused on the importance of family, how Jack's father was harsh at times but showed he loved his son; that the White people who didn't own Ty but actually hired Black workers for their plantation/farm/whatever treated him like a son.
Jack's PTSD could have manifested more strongly but I also understand this book was about how some people legitimately could have worked with and been friends with White, Spanish, Indigenous, and Black people no matter their background simply if they showed the same respect back.
May 25, 2020
I've always enjoyed a good Western yarn. The historical significance of the plot led me to keep reading. However, the dialogue was unrealistic and overdone. There seemed to be no central plot. The journey seemed too easy. The bad guys were dispatched too quickly. The good guys they met along the way were unrealistically helpful. Diehard Western fans will likely find it entertaining. Others, not so much.
May 12, 2020
This was a fun and interesting Western Adventure. If you like reading about the years after the Civil War, this book is for you. You will get a taste of what the West was like. From the life of a buffalo hunter and trapper to cowboy. The relationship of the Indians with the settlers is explored both the good and bad. If you have ever wondered what ranch life is like you will enjoy this book.
September 4, 2021
This work included a lot of good history and information surrounding American expansion out west. It follows two men who fought for opposing sides in the Civil War and end up joining together in their quest for peace and land.
Overall it was a good read, but the characters and exposition felt flat, which took away from some of the exciting, wild west adventure.
Overall it was a good read, but the characters and exposition felt flat, which took away from some of the exciting, wild west adventure.
January 7, 2021
This is a great book that had me interested from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book.
December 21, 2020
I’m a historical fiction fan so I was already drawn to this book. It’s a full of adventure, a little violence, a little romance, and a solid friendship. I gave this book 3 stars because it is good but I felt that the author was doing more “telling” than “showing.”
November 22, 2023
Life After the War
The American Civil War displaced many civilians as well as scattered countless animals. With no one to tend to them, the cattle stray everywhere, making them free to own. Jack Donaldson sees this an opportunity to collect the animals for himself. He wants to set up a ranch. This is basically what consists of James E. Doucette's novel, Flat Top Mountain Ranch: The Beginning.
It’s the 19th century, and America is engaged in Civil War. Two individuals in the battlefront take the center stage in James E. Doucette’s novel, Flat Top Mountain Ranch: The Beginning.
The story begins with the armed conflict between the Confederates and the Union. In one camp, there is Tiberius “Ty” Jones. He is a multiracial man, but a freeborn. He fights for the Confederates. While, in the enemy camp is Jack Donaldson. He’s a white man that defends the Union. So to speak, the two men are total strangers to each other. They both stand on different political views.
Life Journey to the Mountain Ranch
As soon as the war ended, Ty’s father advises him to leave their home for a good reason. As a non-white man, his life is now in danger. So, he sets out for the countryside and eventually joins a group of hunters in Texas.
On the other hand, Jack intends to go west after serving the Union. He thinks of the cattle that were let loose when their owners flee to safety. Since the animals are now without owners, Jack sees an opportunity to collect the stray animals. He plans to start a ranch. And so, after his discharge from the army, Jack buys a packhorse and a mare for his journey.
Eventually, the two former servicemen cross paths along the way. Soon, a friendship and partnership begins between them. Jack and Ty agree to establish a cattle ranch. To prepare themselves for their new undertaking, they seek the help of the cowboys and the wagon train master.
Will the two friends succeed in their endeavor? Follow jack and Ty’s journey in the countryside.
The Book and the Author
Flat Top Mountain Ranch: The Beginning begins with an adrenaline rush. The author describes how the war is fought. His descriptions are so vivid that the reader is transported to where the action takes place. Likewise, Doucette builds up the two major characters well.
Sadly, though, the author fails to maintain the momentum of his story. As Jack and Ty start their respective journey after the war, the story slackens. The subsequent events and scenes take on a monotonous flat tone until the end.
For a reader not interested in chasing cattle and cowboy activities, Flat Top Mountain Ranch is a boring book to read. But, in fairness to the author, these parts of the plot serve as a guide or manual. People who wish to start a ranch may find this whole book helpful. It talks about the challenges that await a beginner rancher. The book describes in detail the ins and outs of ranching.
Meanwhile, Flat Top Mountain Ranch is well-proofread, I didn’t notice any typographical or grammatical error in it. And so, I give it a rating of 3 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to readers interested in the ranch business. This book offers several tips about the trade.
The American Civil War displaced many civilians as well as scattered countless animals. With no one to tend to them, the cattle stray everywhere, making them free to own. Jack Donaldson sees this an opportunity to collect the animals for himself. He wants to set up a ranch. This is basically what consists of James E. Doucette's novel, Flat Top Mountain Ranch: The Beginning.
It’s the 19th century, and America is engaged in Civil War. Two individuals in the battlefront take the center stage in James E. Doucette’s novel, Flat Top Mountain Ranch: The Beginning.
The story begins with the armed conflict between the Confederates and the Union. In one camp, there is Tiberius “Ty” Jones. He is a multiracial man, but a freeborn. He fights for the Confederates. While, in the enemy camp is Jack Donaldson. He’s a white man that defends the Union. So to speak, the two men are total strangers to each other. They both stand on different political views.
Life Journey to the Mountain Ranch
As soon as the war ended, Ty’s father advises him to leave their home for a good reason. As a non-white man, his life is now in danger. So, he sets out for the countryside and eventually joins a group of hunters in Texas.
On the other hand, Jack intends to go west after serving the Union. He thinks of the cattle that were let loose when their owners flee to safety. Since the animals are now without owners, Jack sees an opportunity to collect the stray animals. He plans to start a ranch. And so, after his discharge from the army, Jack buys a packhorse and a mare for his journey.
Eventually, the two former servicemen cross paths along the way. Soon, a friendship and partnership begins between them. Jack and Ty agree to establish a cattle ranch. To prepare themselves for their new undertaking, they seek the help of the cowboys and the wagon train master.
Will the two friends succeed in their endeavor? Follow jack and Ty’s journey in the countryside.
The Book and the Author
Flat Top Mountain Ranch: The Beginning begins with an adrenaline rush. The author describes how the war is fought. His descriptions are so vivid that the reader is transported to where the action takes place. Likewise, Doucette builds up the two major characters well.
Sadly, though, the author fails to maintain the momentum of his story. As Jack and Ty start their respective journey after the war, the story slackens. The subsequent events and scenes take on a monotonous flat tone until the end.
For a reader not interested in chasing cattle and cowboy activities, Flat Top Mountain Ranch is a boring book to read. But, in fairness to the author, these parts of the plot serve as a guide or manual. People who wish to start a ranch may find this whole book helpful. It talks about the challenges that await a beginner rancher. The book describes in detail the ins and outs of ranching.
Meanwhile, Flat Top Mountain Ranch is well-proofread, I didn’t notice any typographical or grammatical error in it. And so, I give it a rating of 3 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to readers interested in the ranch business. This book offers several tips about the trade.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews