Press Release--The Little Rock Arsenal Crisis

The History Press is pleased to introduce the new title:

 

The Little Rock Arsenal Crisis

On the Precipice of the American Civil War

 

David Sesser

 

Before shots rang out on a distant South Carolina shore, talk of secession occurred throughout the antebellum United States. These talks grew to a fervent yell in Little Rock, Arkansas. On the eve of a statewide election to determine a secession convention, pro-secession militia descended on Little Rock in February 1861. They closed in around the Federally controlled arsenal in the hopes of seizing the weapons stores. A standoff began between the Federal troops and secessionists, with the citizens of Little Rock caught in the middle. The ensuing political debate set the stage for Southern secession, and the arsenal weapons became integral to the Confederate cause. Join author David Sesser in an exploration of the fascinating political drama and prelude to the bloodiest war in American history.

Meet-the-Author

November 23 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. @ WordsWorth Books & Co (5920 R St, Little Rock, AR)

 

David Sesser is an assistant librarian at Huie Library, Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. He holds graduate degrees in history, public history and library and information science. He resides in Arkadelphia with his wife.

 

ISBN: 978-1-60949-969-3 •  Paperback   •   128 pages   •   $19.99  •  October 2013

 

 

This new book is available at local stores and online at www.historypress.net

It retails as an E-BOOK via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple’s I-bookstore, Google’s  E-bookstore, & Overdrive.

Upcoming Posts

Thanks to the kind folks at LSU Press for sending along a collection of their new releases. Please be sure to check their website for more information on these and many other Civil War titles.


For those interested in the western theater of the war John Lundberg's new book Granbury's Texas Brigade: Diehard Western Confederates looks to be a must read. Lundberg argues that mass desertion was not a signal of giving up but rather a desire to fight the enemy closer to home. The brigade itself fought until the final surrender. Even after the war members of the brigade continued to support the ideals of the Confederacy.



Editor Mark J. Stegmaier brings together twenty-one letters of Henry Adams in Henry Adams In the Secession Crisis: Dispatches to the Boston Daily Advertiser December 1860-March 1861. These letters prove to be strongly in favor of the moderate Republicans who are working to avoid the secession crisis while being highly critical of those calling for secession. These letters are also a glimpse into the early work of the soon to be famous writer.



Sherman's 1864 "March to the Sea" and 1865 "Carolina's Campaign" are the major focus of Mark H. Dunkelman's new book Marching with Sherman: Through Georgia and the Carolina's with the 154th New York. With over 40 pages of notes and a nearly 20 page bibliography  this looks to be a thoroughly researched volume that delves not just into the works of soldiers but also the post war writings of civilians, mostly women, who lived through this part of the war.


I have a weakness for books dealing with historical disasters and Meredith Henne Baker has written a book on one that I imagine most of us have never heard of. Her new book, The Richmond Theater Fire: Early America's First Great Disaster, tells the story of the December 1811 fire that took the lives of nearly 100 people including the governor of Virginia. In this first full length book dealing with the fire Baker shows how it led to a surge of anti theater backlash that stymied theatrical entertainment in Richmond for decades.