In the long and bitter prelude to war, southern transplants dominated California government, keeping the state aligned with Dixie. However, a murderous duel in 1859 killed "Free Soil" U.S. Senator David C. Broderick, and public opinion began to change. As war broke out back east, a golden-tongued preacher named Reverend Thomas Starr King crisscrossed the state endeavoring to save the Golden State for the Union. Seventeen thousand California volunteers thwarted secessionist schemes and waged brutal campaigns against native tribesmen resisting white encroachment as far away as Idaho and New Mexico. And a determined battalion of California cavalry journeyed to Virginia's Shenandoah Valley to battle John Singleton Mosby, the South's deadliest partisan ranger. Author Richard Hurley delves into homefront activities during the nation's bloodiest war and chronicles the adventures of the brave men who fought far from home. "Many books and articles have examined important aspects of California's Civil War, but the literature has yet to produce a full-length and truly comprehensive study of the state's role in the conflict. There's little doubt that today's Californians as a whole are largely unaware of just how deeply and directly the 1861-65 war affected the Golden State, and Richard Hurley's California and the Civil War gamely attempts to inform the modern public about a significant moment in their history. A sweeping overview intended for a popular audience, the book is a more than solid introduction to the topic." Civil War Books and Authors "Richard Hurley has produced an informative and entertaining look at the impact of the Civil War on California and Californians' impact on the war. He intriguingly explores Golden State warriors' active roles throughout the southwest and in the Eastern Theater, where their cavalry skills were desperately needed. Hurley's humor and frank insights enhance the enjoyment of reading this unique study." Edward Bonekemper, author of six Civil War books, including The Myth of the Lost Cause: Why the South Fought the Civil War and Why the North Won "Although the Civil War's titanic battles all took place far to the east, California was roiled by the conflict too. In this book, Richard Hurley brings the stories and colorful characters of the Civil War-era Golden State to vivid life. Anyone who thinks the Civil War didn't affect the Pacific Coast will come away with a whole new perspective." Christopher L. Kolakowski, author of The Stones River and Tullahoma Campaigns: This Army Does Not Retreat and The Civil War at Perryville: Battling for the Bluegrass "Once I started reading California and the Civil War by Richard Hurley, I couldn't stop. History is my passion and my profession, and this is the first book I've read that accurately interprets California prior to and during the Civil War, as well as its role in that great conflict. Richard's rich, moving narrative not only kept my attention, but my enthusiasm. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has the slightest interest in history or California or reading in general. Everyone who reads it will enjoy it. Ralph Gibson, museums administrator, Placer County Museums "California and the Civil War is a clear and concise exposition on the Golden State's history from The Bear Flag Republic through 1865. Hurley presents the geography of the state as a way of discussing the political leanings of Southern immigrants and Northern immigrants. California played a crucial part in political challenges during the 1850s." Civil War Librarian Richard Hurley received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and wrote for the Harvard Lampoon. He worked for three years in the history division of the Oakland Museum of California. He earned a master's degree in architecture from UC-Berkeley, then left the Bay Area for the Sierra foothills and a career in computer-based multimedia. Richard is co-author of the award-winning historical fiction Queen of the Northern Mines. He has authored multimedia shows and guest curated a museum exhibit on California and the Civil War.