Rugged and sublime

Rugged and Sublime goes a long way toward filling regrettable blanks in our memory of Arkansas's role in the Civil War. It explores the major clashes and locales of the war, including the state secession convention, seizure of the Little Rock Arsenal, the Battle of Wilson's Creek, the Pea Ridge campaign, Marmaduke's invasion of Missouri, the Battle of Helena, and the fall of Little Rock, as well as other actions. Rounding out this new and very readable account are studies of the devolution of Arkansas society when bands of guerrillas and jayhawkers menaced the state, the surrender of the…