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About The Red Path: Indian Brigades in the Civil War (Unabridged)

When hostilities in the Civil War come to Indian Territory it is no surprise that already Indian agents, all southern and "secesh" to a man, had early on recruited many Indian leaders and their followers for the Confederate States of America. Southern Indian Brigades were quickly established, and one in particular under Col. Stand Watie, whose participation is key to The Red Path . A second Chief, President of the Cherokee Nation, John Ross aka Keeowskowee, pleaded for a Gray Path - neutrality and a White Path - peace. His neutraity policy was circulated to all the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory - Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole. A third Chief, Opothele Yoholo, a Creek Chief followed his own Red Path, the Refugee's Path, as he led 9,000 out of Indian Territory to Kansas. This chief's followers became the Northern Indian Brigades. Caught up in the drama and intrigue of a nation torn apart - The Indian Nation - Chief Ross's spy, Jessie Longbow, and Ross's beautiful and intelligent niece, Raven Ross, a reporter for the Tahlequah Voice , try to maintain a romance that they believe is bigger and stronger than the turmoil of war. This means love amid wartime in the Trans-Mississsippi theater of war which history has long ignored. This novel does for the Native Americans of the Five Civilized Tribes what Glory did for Black Union soldiers. It is an important story that is grounded in fact and based on truth. The native population of Indian Territory saw more loss of life per capita than did any state, North or South. As John Jakes is one of my heroes, I have long wanted to write this story which has been some 20 years in the making. In the meantime, I have written 50+ previous novels. I had to write those in order to make this one happen.