wjmcomposer

A surprisingly good accounting of a very important conflict largely ignored and forgotten by U.S. History, yet vital to understanding the formation not only of American national identity, but that which creates the massive influx to the "Old Southwest" (today the Southeastern states of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi) which create the agricultural culture that in turn leads to the U.S. Civil War. Politically, it elevates the man for whom all U.S. policy would be deeply influenced by between 1829 and the early 1850's. If there is a mostly unknown war in U.S. history, it's entirely forgotten little brother is the Creek War. To understand that you cannot look at them separately is one of the glories of this book.

The book is arranged in smaller sections, taking some period or place and giving the reader an essential narrative, then following it with a breakdown of each battle, town, or fort involved in a short paragraph which includes where it lies in modern times, the status (if any) of any historical markers, parks, and reconstructions. Often these include some sense of the roads and distances required to reach them, and even pictures taken by the authors of the modern sites.

Serious historians will find a somewhat lighter treatment than they might expect, though primary sources are reprinted in the back of the book...the accounts of the fall of Ft. Mims, and the Battle of the Canoes standing out as excellent reading to this reviewer. But the easy readability of this book is to it's profit, and the most serious of readers shouldn't overlook this book, but perhaps use it as a starting point, and guide. The notes on sources are also excellent, and will leave the student with a detailed roadmap to further study.

In all, a truly excellent effort, accomplishing exactly what they set out to do. Highly recommended!