Bibliograph

Kearny's march, the epic creation of the American West, 1846-1847, Winston Groom

Type

Label

Kearny's march, the epic creation of the American West, 1846-1847, Winston Groom

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Illustrations

illustrationsplatesportraitsmaps

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Kearny's march

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

701810360

Responsibility statement

Winston Groom

Sub title

the epic creation of the American West, 1846-1847

Summary

"In June 1846, General Stephen Watts Kearny rode out of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with two thousand soldiers, bound for California. At the time, the nation was hell-bent on expansion: James K. Polk had lately won the presidency by threatening England over the borders in Oregon, while Congress had just voted, in defiance of the Mexican government, to annex Texas. After Mexico declared war on the United States, Kearny's Army of the West was sent out, carrying orders to occupy Mexican territory. When his expedition ended a year later, the country had doubled in size and now stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific, fulfilling what many saw as the nation's unique destiny -- and at the same time setting the stage for the American Civil War. Winston Groom recounts the amazing adventure and danger that Kearny and his troops encountered on the trail. Their story intertwines with those of the famous mountain man Kit Carson; Brigham Young and his Mormon followers fleeing persecution and Illinois; and the ill-fated Donner party, trapped in the snow of the Sierra Nevada. Together, they encounter wild Indians, Mexican armies, political intrigue, dangerous wildlife, gold rushes, and land-grabs. Some returned in glory, others in shackles, and some not at all. But these were the people who helped America fulfill her promise. Distilling a wealth of letters, journals, and military records, Groom gives us a powerful account that enlivens our understanding of the exciting, if unforgiving, business of country-making."--Publisher's description

Table Of Contents

What's in a name? -- A people in motion -- Mr. Polk gets his war -- The Pathfinder -- True West -- Kearny's march -- The Santa Fe Trail -- Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you -- "The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on" -- In old Monterey -- Dancing on air -- Doniphan's Expedition -- The fight of their lives -- The death trap -- The horror -- Political treachery, military insubordination, discovery of Zion, and the salvation of children -- Last roll call : a warm salute

Target audience

adult

Classification