Troubled State
Civil War Journals of Franklin Archibald Dick
ISBN # 9781931112741
250 pages, hardback
$34.95 (available Jan 2008)
Troubled State is the recently discovered Civil War journals of Franklin Archibald Dick, a prominent St. Louis attorney, who acted as an advisor for Lincoln, Grant, Lyon, Blair, and other important political figures at that time. From an insider’s point of view, he described the Civil War as a loyal Unionist in the politically torn city of St. Louis. More importantly, Franklin Dick’s Civil War journals uncover first hand accounts of historically pivotal moments during the war, such as the Camp Jackson incident, where he acted as Captain Nathaniel Lyon’s Assistant Adjutant General. Franklin Dick’s Civil War journals also add great details to the known literature on the Civil War in Missouri, a barely pro-Union border state during those turbulent years. Brother-in-law to Frank Blair, Franklin Dick served as Missouri Provost Marshal General under Major General Samuel Curtis in 1862. After the war, he practiced law in Washington with Montgomery Blair, Lincoln’s Postmaster General.
These Civil War journals contain my great-great-grandfather’s outspoken views on the Civil War, the country, the state of Missouri, leaders he knew, politics, daily life, concerns about morality, inner thoughts, and private worries. His entries changed from early optimism to later doubts about his future due to pressures from his loyalty to the Union and war issues. He felt he was “a tree in a moveable vessel,” and feared returning to the turmoil in St. Louis, as he mourned the loss of his years of work in Missouri. Franklin Dick’s unique record of American life during the Civil War reminds us that we are what we were, and gives us an irreplaceable new perspective on the impact of history in our lives.
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
June 9, 2008
Troubled State: Civil War Journals of Franklin Archibald Dickis a collection of private journals written by Franklin Archibald Dick, a St. Louis attorney, Union officer, and provost marshal general. Assiduously assembled by Franklin Dick's great-great-granddaughter Gari Carter, Troubled State offers a firsthand view of historical events such as the early Camp Jackson incident (during which he was Captain Lyon's assistant adjutant general). Dick was concerned about the slow progression and horrendous cost of the civil war; witnessing the divided city of St. Louis broke his heart, and journals reflect his progression from optimism to grave doubts about the future. Thoughtfully annotated and supplemented with brief biographies as well as a family genealogy and bibliography, Troubled State is a welcome addition to Civil War primary source shelves.
Mountain ExpressNews- Book Report: Two local authors base their books on family history
by Alli Marshall on 05/15/2008
Radio Interview On KWMU.org
June 26, 2008 St. Louis and the Civil War - A discussion about the role of St. Louis in Civil War history.
Radio Inverview on KSMU.org
Author Gari Carter is coming to Springfield to promote her new book about Missouri and the Civil War. KSMU’s Kristian Kriner reports.
Quotes
"A benefit to scholars and buffs alike, the journals of Franklin Dick offer readers a different perspective on the Civil War from the contested and bloody battleground that was Missouri. The diaries provide valuable insights on how Unionists reacted to the shifting fortunes of war in Missouri and in St. Louis in particular, and how the life of a St. Louis attorhey-turned-provost-marshal changed for all time. The editing is helpful without being obtrusive, allowing Dick's personality to come through."
David Goldfield, Professor of History, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
Downloadables
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The first page of the first journal, where Franklin Dick writes that he has been meaning to keep a record of events for a while.
Troubled State - Civil War Journals of Franklin Archibald Dick, by Gari Carter
ISBN # 9781931112741
250 pages, hardback
$34.95
Order directly from Truman State University Press for free shipping http://tsup.truman.edu/ or call them at (800) 916-6802
