Hero of the Red River: The Life and Times of Joseph Bailey

by michael-j-goc

Book about Bailey, his deeds before, during and after civil war. Restored Civil War-era black-and-white photos.

Hardcover

Published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Paul Cencula · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy American history and biographies, but I'm not a huge fan of Civil War history. This one really dragged for me with all the minutia on battle hardware and various types of dams. I would have enjoyed it more if it were about 100 pages shorter.

[Chi Dubinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joseph Bailey lived on the Wisconsin frontier in the 1850s in Kilbourn City, where he built a dam that he hoped would launch the city and make his fortune. He fought on the front lines of the Civil War with the Union Army in Maryland and the Gulf states, as a cavalry officer and engineer, and rose to the rank of Brigadier General. After the war, he served as a sheriff in Missouri where he met his death. The tale includes crooked business partners, the war, race problems, and separation from his family.
Goc has written many books on historical subjects—this one is based mostly on Bailey’s letters and newspaper articles.