Goodreads asked William R. Reynolds Jr.:

What’s the best thing about being a writer?

William R. Reynolds Jr. In the non-fiction historical genre, my biggest thrill when I come up with some historical document that proves how something occurred. There is often details that have been described incorrectly or inaccurately in previous historical writings, and it's exciting to find something that exposes the truth.
One example is in the Pickens book I point out that my ancestor, Joseph Pickens, was a Lieutenant during the Battle of Kettle Creek in February of 1779. The monument at Kettle Creek battlefield indicates that he was a captain as does all of the historical writings that mention him. There are good reasons for this error. A period historian had written that it was 'likely' Jospeh Pickens was elected captain when his brother, Andrew Pickens, was made a major late in 1776. General Andrew Pickens even many years later described Joseph as a captain when he wrote to Henry 'Light-horse Harry' Lee.
However, I found a document where Joseph appeared in court just a few months after the Battle of kettle Creek where he swore under oath he was a Lieutenant in Captain Weems company and the sworn affidavit is witnessed by then-Colonel Andrew Pickens. Addirionally, I found a pension application of a member if the Ninety Six, SC militia where the applicant swore that Weems was made captain when Andrew pickens was promoted to major and that weems was captain for several years and that Joseph Pickens was made captain when Weems retired,. The monument at Kettle Creek inaccurately shows Weems and Joseph Pickens names next to each other as captains.

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