Bushwhackers of Western Missouri: Guerrilla Warfare in the American Civil War, 1861-1863

​Dr. Joseph M. Beilein Jr, author of "Bushwhackers: Guerrilla Warfare, Manhood, and the Household in Civil War Missouri", will explore a little-known, but consequential part of the Civil War in his talk about the guerrilla movement in western Missouri. Beginning within southern sympathizing, slaveholding households the unique style of warfare was an organic outgrowth of antebellum white society at the intersection of the South and the West. Well-fed, dressed in flamboyant clothing, riding fast horses, and armed to the teeth, young white men actively worked to create a warrior persona that fit with their romantic notions of war; they were a combination of chivalrous knights and mythic frontiersmen...at least in their own imaginations. But, of course, the war they tried to wage changed, became bloodier, more gruesome, and costlier than they ever could have thought. Without apologizing for their violence, the ultimate goal is to understand these killers as men - who they thought they were, why they chose to fight the way they did, and how the experience of guerrilla warfare changed them and their women.

Covid-19 policies will be in effect throughout programming, please review the JES Covid-19 policy here. Patrons will need to show their vaccination cards or proof of a negative test. Face masks will no longer be required for patrons, but are encouraged.

All JES programming is free to all Erie County students with advanced registration and proof of enrollment at event check-in. To register with the student discount, use the coupon code "eriecountystudent" and make sure to bring proof of enrollment to the programs you register for.