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And Hell Followed With Him
A story that crosses oceans and continents from before the Civil War to the years just before World War II, a uniquely American story.
Ranald MacKenzie can do anything, at least that’s how it seems to friend and foe alike. From Bull Run to Appomattox, the tireless and endlessly resourceful MacKenzie marches from one victory to the next, no matter how seemingly impossible the assignment. Promoted to general at only 24, he seems impervious to pain and incapable of failure.
When the Civil War ends, MacKenzie's reputation shines even brighter when he is assigned to the Plains Indian Wars to take on the invincible Comanche led by their great war chief Quanah. But there is a price to be paid for 25 years of almost constant and always brutal warfare…
Based on the real-life story of Ranald MacKenzie, whose eventual illness – possibly PTSD almost a century before anyone knew what that was – and terrible end saw him virtually erased from the pages of history; a bare mention, when he is mentioned at all.
Ranald MacKenzie can do anything, at least that’s how it seems to friend and foe alike. From Bull Run to Appomattox, the tireless and endlessly resourceful MacKenzie marches from one victory to the next, no matter how seemingly impossible the assignment. Promoted to general at only 24, he seems impervious to pain and incapable of failure.
When the Civil War ends, MacKenzie's reputation shines even brighter when he is assigned to the Plains Indian Wars to take on the invincible Comanche led by their great war chief Quanah. But there is a price to be paid for 25 years of almost constant and always brutal warfare…
Based on the real-life story of Ranald MacKenzie, whose eventual illness – possibly PTSD almost a century before anyone knew what that was – and terrible end saw him virtually erased from the pages of history; a bare mention, when he is mentioned at all.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 23, 2021
68 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 21, 2021
Great book
A wonderful book about a soldier that I knew nothing about. We learn about the officer and his best friend as they move from West Point to a life in the army. We learn about all the fights out West with the Indians.
A wonderful book about a soldier that I knew nothing about. We learn about the officer and his best friend as they move from West Point to a life in the army. We learn about all the fights out West with the Indians.
May 4, 2021
Hell Is a State of Mind
If you've been in the Army, especially if you've ever known a "lifer", this book will resonate like being in the belfry at the Norma Spellmann Memorial Carillon's.
While it's only lately become recognized as a mental illness, a disease, actually, PTSD has been around since man first started making war at any level. It can happen during or immediately after a battle, or it can manifest as a late onset disease many years after time in service has ended.
Told as if from the point of view of an "old warrior" and a friend to General Ranold McKenzie from childhood through the Civil War, including many years of battle with the native American Indians, and ultimately the death of the General and his long time friend, COL Stone.
I don't often give a book a five star rating, and you may disagree with me, that's your prerogative. But if you read this book and don't think this is a book about heroes, we probably have little in common.
If you're part of the cancel culture, don't bother trying to read this book. It will only piss you off.
If you've been in the Army, especially if you've ever known a "lifer", this book will resonate like being in the belfry at the Norma Spellmann Memorial Carillon's.
While it's only lately become recognized as a mental illness, a disease, actually, PTSD has been around since man first started making war at any level. It can happen during or immediately after a battle, or it can manifest as a late onset disease many years after time in service has ended.
Told as if from the point of view of an "old warrior" and a friend to General Ranold McKenzie from childhood through the Civil War, including many years of battle with the native American Indians, and ultimately the death of the General and his long time friend, COL Stone.
I don't often give a book a five star rating, and you may disagree with me, that's your prerogative. But if you read this book and don't think this is a book about heroes, we probably have little in common.
If you're part of the cancel culture, don't bother trying to read this book. It will only piss you off.
June 10, 2021
I've never heard of Ranald MacKenzie and after reading this account of his life I wondered why I hadn't. The man was a great leader through the Civil War, but also the Indian Wars. Not much is known about the Indian Wars and sadly, our own nation is slowly losing our heritage of the Civil War. They're not PC enough to learn about. But I digress.
This is the life of MacKenzie as seen through the eyes of his life-long friend that traveled with him throughout his military career. Being a novelized version of a real person there are gaps that I wish were further investigated, but then it wouldn't be as readable.
I found it a sad ending. A great warrior left to rot in a state lunatic asylum instead of retiring and left to write his own story. Thankfully Robert Wisehart wrote "And Hell Followed With Him" or no one will have given this man the proper place in history.
But it leaves me wondering how many other great men and women in our history have we forgotten. It's said that if we don't learn our history we're destine to repeat it. I am one that believes it.
This is the life of MacKenzie as seen through the eyes of his life-long friend that traveled with him throughout his military career. Being a novelized version of a real person there are gaps that I wish were further investigated, but then it wouldn't be as readable.
I found it a sad ending. A great warrior left to rot in a state lunatic asylum instead of retiring and left to write his own story. Thankfully Robert Wisehart wrote "And Hell Followed With Him" or no one will have given this man the proper place in history.
But it leaves me wondering how many other great men and women in our history have we forgotten. It's said that if we don't learn our history we're destine to repeat it. I am one that believes it.
May 5, 2024
Surprisingly engaging!
Not my usual genre, I was pulled into the story immediately and it held my interest throughout. Fast paced, with a narrator you feel you really know, who gives life to the many characters and makes you care about them all. Even the vivid descriptions of violent mortal combat (violence is not my thing) were engaging, given the time period and character development of the work. Incorporating real Civil War people and places made it seem more of a true memoir than a novel. Recommended!
Not my usual genre, I was pulled into the story immediately and it held my interest throughout. Fast paced, with a narrator you feel you really know, who gives life to the many characters and makes you care about them all. Even the vivid descriptions of violent mortal combat (violence is not my thing) were engaging, given the time period and character development of the work. Incorporating real Civil War people and places made it seem more of a true memoir than a novel. Recommended!
March 24, 2021
Entertaining Historical Review with Color!
Rinehart writes in an easy entertaining manner that provides informative historical facts and figures with full visual descriptions, and a sense of humor!
Rinehart writes in an easy entertaining manner that provides informative historical facts and figures with full visual descriptions, and a sense of humor!
March 24, 2021
Very well written accurate account of a very troubling time in our history.
May 25, 2021
Excellent story.
It kept my interest throughout. One of a kind that you hate to have ended. Bravo! I look forward to reading more from this author.
It kept my interest throughout. One of a kind that you hate to have ended. Bravo! I look forward to reading more from this author.
December 22, 2021
Excellent. Somewhat fact based on the story of Ranald "Bad Hand" McKenzie, a notorious Indian fighter on the Texas plains in the 1870s. Great western themed read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews