Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Rifles for Watie
Book Review: Not as good as I remembered -- but ...
Summary: 3 Stars
I actually went back and re-read "Rifles for Watie" several months ago, more than 40 years after I had first encountered it. (It won the 1958 Newberry Award for children's literature and was a hot item in my elementary school library.) In reading the book as an adult, I was disappointed in the episodic construction of Harold Keith's narrative. He makes some big leaps as he jumps along through the Civil War; in some cases, several months pass between one chapter and the next. This weakens the development of the characters, in particular the youthful focus of the book, Jeff Bussey. At the end of the novel, despite his four years of experience as a combat soldier, spy, and lover, there is little sense that this teenager matures or changes. Even without war, and even sequestered in college, most kids do a fair amount of growing up between ages 18 and 22. At the end of a terrible war, Jeff seems to be as callow and even innocent as he was in his recruit days.
This failing, however, probably won't matter to the young audience for whom Keith was writing back in the 1950s. The book reflects the sensibilities of that era, especially in the equal regard in which Keith holds the supporters of both the Union and the Confederacy. Jefferson Davis Bussey, a Union soldier (named by his father after a respected Mexican War comrade from Mississippi!), learns to like and respect his Confederate adversaries, and he falls in love with a Rebel girl. The only real villain in the story is a Union officer. Even in the 21st century, younger readers (ages 8-14) will likely identify with Jeff and his perspective on the events of the 1860s. They also will enjoy Keith's colorful description of battles and soldiering, as well as the more sober scenes of the war's cruelty and destruction.
When "Rifles for Watie" was first published, it revealed to many Americans, including a lot of Civil War scholars, that the conflict had been irrepressible west of the Mississippi as well as in the East. Keith doesn't really deal with all the causes and ramifications of the war in the Indian Territory, and a search of the amazon.com website reveals many more recent scholarly books about the subject. But for readers young and old, "Rifles for Watie" still can be a painless introduction to the topic -- for all of that episodic narrative, it's still a Good Read.
Book Review: RIfles for Watie
Summary: 5 Stars
Rifles for Watie By Alex By Harold Keith
Rifles for Watie is a very intense book about the civil war. It has a lot of action in the battles and very good word choice. But that's not all it is about, it is also about friendship, trust, love, and much more.
The setting is in the 1800's in Kentucky. You meet a boy named Jeff, Jeff is unsettled about the war. Jeff is tall with black hair and blue eyes. Jeff is also scared of the bushwhackers, people who go around house to house stealing thing and burning down houses. Well one day when Jeff goes home from working on the fields he finds that bushwhackers have attacked their house and are still there. Jeff and his father eventually scare them away. After the attack Jeff decides that he is tired of just sitting around the house while there is a war taking place. So Jeff decides that he is going to join the confederates or the north side of the war. While in the army Jeff makes new friends and loses some old ones. But while Jeff is in the army he is assigned a special assignment. Jeff is going to be a spy for the confederates. So Jeff is going to go join the rebels as a southerner. Jeff joins the rebels but soon learns that the rebels are just normal people and he makes some really good friends. Then Jeff one day finds out something that the confederates should know about to win the battle against the rebels. But know Jeff has a problem, should he tell the confederates what is happening so that all his friends should be killed on the rebel side, or should Jeff stay on the rebel side and fight against his friends on the confederate side. Also while on the confederate side Jeff falls in love with a southern girl. And Jeff has to try and sweep her off her feet while he tries to fight a war. The ending will shock you and at the end you will want a sequel. Jeff has to be brave as he is fighting a war between two armies and himself.
Rifles for Watie is a fast pace and exciting book. In this book you will fight huge battles and meet historic generals. This book you will want to read over and over again.
Book Review: Rifles For Waite
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this book in the sixth grade (too many years ago) and it made an incredible impression. I have read few books in my life which made the reader feel as much a part of the story as Rifles for Waite. I came to Amazon to buy it for my son as he is a fan of Civil War stories. Excellent reading!Book Review: Rifles For Watie
Summary: 5 Stars
Rifles For Watie takes place during the Civil War in the Ozark Region of America (Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas). Jeff Bussy, a 16-year old farm boy from Kansas, is excited when he enlists in the Kansas Volunteers to help the Union defeat the Confederacy. Along the way, however, he learns that war is a difficult thing- starvation, losing friends in battle, exhaustion, all the hardships that come along with it. When he is sent as a scout to spy on the Confederate soldiers, through mistake he ends up enlisting into their army. He realizes that no side is wrong or right, and he faces some difficult decisions concerning loyalty. And all this time, he is in love with the daughter of a Confederate Commander! This book is extremely informational, and it is interesting, as well. If you enjoy any kind of history, you'll enjoy this book, too!Book Review: Rifles For Watie
Summary: 5 Stars
Rifles for Watie is a book about a boy who is 16 years old, joining the Union army. After training, (Jeff which is his name) marches long hours to another fort where in a few days are going to fight. Jeff can't wait to fight, butwhen the are marching in to battle a general orders him to retrieve another general that was left behind.After some small fighting later, General Blunt orders Jeff to go be a scout and spy on the Confederate Army. He is sent there to get the information needed to win the Civil War. When he does get the info he plans to leave A.S.A.P. because he is 14 months overdue. When he is running away a Confederate spots him, and starts to chase him. It is a long and weary chase all along Texas Road but he manages to get back to the fort and help the Union Army win.