"A State Divided: Civil War Letters of James C. Hale and Benjamin Petree is a delightful journey into the mid-1800s and the Hale/Petree family. It is a history of the times. It is a history of a family. It is easy to read and easy to understand – one of the top books in its genre." - Kathy Ridge, Lead Genealogist, Andrew County Museum “These letters tell remarkable tales that put the conflict into real perspective and offer a striking example of what loyal Missouri men fought for and worried about as the war continued. Of particular interest is Hale’s letters as a member of the Veteran Reserve Corps, one of the few collections documenting how disabled and wounded soldiers augmented U.S. military strength. Hale’s and Petree’s letters, crafted together with readable commentary and insightful context from editor Tonya McQuade, provide invaluable insight into the daily lives of soldiers, how they perceived the United States Civil War, and how that conflict impacted their families in Missouri.” - Neil P. Chatelain, Assistant Professor of History, Lone Star College – North Harris A State Divided: The Civil War Letters of James Calaway Hale and Benjamin Petree of Andrew County, Missouri, 1862-1865, presents fifty previously unpublished Civil War letters and explains the context in which these two Missouri soldiers and their families found themselves living, both before and during the Civil War, as they watched discord, destruction, and bloodshed erupt all around them. Missouri was a state torn apart by political disagreements and violence even before the firing on Fort Sumter in April 1861. While the Missouri Compromise of 1820 helped to postpone the Civil War for four decades, the Platte Purchase, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott case, and the “Bleeding Kansas” border wars – all of which played out here – added fuel to the fire. Many believe the Civil War truly started in Missouri. Some of the war’s first blood spilled on its soil, and the state even found itself with two competing governments: one supporting the Union; the other, the Confederacy. Originally from Tennessee and Indiana, Hale and Petree each had relatives who fought and died on both sides of the war. Their letters provide vivid details and unique perspectives into their lives and experiences during the war. The book’s added historical details and explanations highlight the important role played by Missouri – a state that saw 42% of the battles in the U.S. during the first year of the war; suffered more than 1000 engagements on its soil, many involving guerrilla warfare; and experienced one of the last surrenders – 47 days after Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. Author Tonya Graham McQuade, Hale's great-great-great granddaughter, invites you to discover more about these two Missouri soldiers as they march and drill with their regiments, avoid several close calls with guerrillas and enemy troops, witness the buildup to the Vicksburg Campaign, get an in-depth look at wartime St. Louis, overcome illness, trek with Sherman through the Carolinas, ponder the devastation they encounter, celebrate victory in Washington, D.C., and spend a lot of time sitting around, longing to be home, writing letters to their families.