From the Halls of the Montezumas: Mexican War Dispatches from James L. Freaner, Writing under the Pen Name "Mustang"

— Vol. 14: of War and the Southwest Series

Published: October, 2019  Pages: 576  Features: 31 b&w illus. 3 maps. Notes. Bib. Index.

James L. Freaner was one of America’s first war correspondents covering General Winfield Scott’s campaign during the Mexican War. His letters appeared in newspapers under the byline “Mustang,” and his reports from the front included publication of complete casualty lists (long before official reports became public), detailed battle descriptions, and observations on postwar Mexico. Freaner’s greatest contribution was persuading Nicholas P. Trist, negotiator with Mexico, to ignore his recall and conclude a peace treaty that added California, Nevada, Utah, and other territory to a growing country. more... about From the Halls of the Montezumas: Mexican War Dispatches from James L. Freaner, Writing under the Pen Name "Mustang"

Ordered West: The Civil War Exploits of Charles A. Curtis

— Vol. 13: of War and the Southwest Series

Published: June, 2017  Pages: 704  Features: 31 b&w illus. 4 maps. Notes. Bib. Index.

During the Civil War, Charles Curtis served in the 5th United States Infantry on the New Mexico and Arizona frontier. He spent his years from 1862 to 1865 on garrison duty, interacting with Native Americans, both hostile and friendly. Years after his service and while president of Norwich University, Curtis wrote an extensive memoir of his time in the Southwest. Curtis’s reminiscences detail his encounters with Indians, notable military figures, eccentrics, and other characters from the Old West—including Kit Carson—as well as the construction of Fort Whipple and expeditions against the Navajo and Apache. more... about Ordered West: The Civil War Exploits of Charles A. Curtis

• Finalist for the 2018 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards in Biography