Rifles for Watie

"Rifles for Watie" was a wonderful book. I just love stories full of romance, battles, spies, and heroes. And this book was historical fiction, too, so I learned a lot about the Civil War. It really emphasizes how the Confederate army had feelings and beliefs just as much as the Union army. It's a perfectly believable and acurrate book, and a great story as well.

This book is about the hardships and struggles during the Civil War. Jeff Bussey, a farmer boy, heard about the new war and is very exited. He is very eager to join the volunteer army. He left his farm, mother, and Father, and goes out to fight against the rebel army. Lead by the half-blooded Stand Watie. During the War, Jeff sees many of his new friends die. Jeff discovers a rebel girl that he really likes named Lucy. Then Jeff is sent o spy on the rebel side. He finds the rebels are not so bad and Jeff starts to admire Watie. In the rest of the book Jeff had to decide if he should stay with the rebel side or the union side. This action packed historical fiction should be highly rated. You can feel the troops live through the War conditions while you read this book. If you are looking for a great book to read you should read, "Rifles for Watie."

As a Civil War historian, I found this book fascinating! I knew little about the war in the very far west, or about Indians fighting for the Confederates! This book brought it all alive for me! But this book also deals with the issues of the war for both sides! If you enjoy serious Civil War stories, then this book is for you! Grade: A+

When Jeff Bussey joins the Union Army in 1861, he isn't thinking to free slaves, he just wants to rid his home of the bushwackers who raid his neighbors and tried to kill his father. Rifles for Watie goes deeper into history than any other book I've read. I never realized that there was more to the Civil War that fighting over slavery. In this book, you get to see what life was like on both sides of the battle grounds, when Jeff fights for both the Union and the Confederacy, as a Union spy. Besides being wonderfully researched, this book also has a great collection of lifelike characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction, and even those who don't. You will definately get something out of it.

Rifles for Watie was a superb book about young Jefferson Davis Bussey of the Union Army and his enemy, the evil Captain Clardy.There were very vivid details and well described characters.I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good story. I also believe it would be a good idea for children under ten reading this book with an adult. This book could be considered slow at some places, but believe me that if you like history, Civil War, or maybe just a good book, you've got the right one.

I can't believe this book is still available! This was one of the very few books I remember by title that I read when I was in the 4th Grade in 1957. It made quite an impression on a ten year old... so much so that I can recall it so vividly after forty-six years. It had to be great to leave such a positive impression for so long.

I personally feel that anyone studying the Civil War should read this book. "Good" and "bad" are not not easily identified by the color of a uniform. How Jeff deals with each situation provides many opportunities for discussion. Although this book could be read by and certainly enjoyed by a young reader (lots of excitment to keep them interested) much of the moral value would likely be lost without follow-up discussion.

Simply an amazing book! It does evrything a historical fiction novel should. It hits all the highs and stays up there. In this story you breathe, smell, see, even feel the civil war around you. A fascinating book!

If you like action and adventure books Rifles for Watie is your type of book. It starts out somewhere around the 1890's when a 17 year old kid named Jeff wants to join the army so that he could stop bushwhackers [people who want slavery] to stop terrorizing his family. 13 months in camp many funny things happen and serious things to. Theres also his boss the general that is very pushy and has an iron fist. Did I mention that he has not even fired a shot so far at camp? Which will win north or the south? Will Jeff survive the war? If you want to know you're going to have to read the book and find out your self. Oh one more thing I also forgot to say that the book is fantastic!!!!!!!

Tristan

I loved the book!!! It's about Jefferson Davis Bussey joining the Union Army and fighting the Civil War. Jeff is a intfantry man,a cavalry man, and a spy. On his spy mission, he falls in love with a pretty rebel girl named Lucy Washborne. He is probably the only soldier to fight the Civil War and understand the South and the North sides.

We purchased this for our son who loves historical fiction and it was a wonderful story based on a true story. It was fast paced and very detailed. I would highly recommend this for your personal library as well as for your school library.

This is my favorite book ever. I first encountered Rifles for Watie when my fifth grade teacher read it aloud to our class. I read the book again several times while growing up. As an adult I read the book every 5 years or so. At the age of 40 it's still magic to me. Please share the Civil War adventures of Jefferson Davis Bussey with your children!

Hello. This book is about a boy named Jefferson Bussey who has dreamed of enlisting in the army and when two bushwakers try and attack his father he decides to join. Through the book there is a whole bunch of adventures that Jeff must overcome including becoming a soldier on the enemy side.

I thought Rifles For Watie was really!! Good book. This is probabley my most favorite Civil War book.This book even though it was fiction brought out some of the real expierences of what happend in Civil War.

Rifles for Watie

Rifles is written by Harold Keith. Rifles is an good made up story of the life of a solider during the Civil War. It reads fast and will decently fill you up with some CivilWar facts, but not too many. Jeff, our main character,r is a boy of 17 and joins up with the North after bushwhackers attack his home. Kansas, 1861 is the setting for this book and it covers all of the Civil War. Jeff has some trouble with his commanding officer. Good for kids 10 and up. If you want a good adventure story, this is the way to go.

Terrible. There was no warning about the use of the word Ni__er. I was horrified, embarrassed and so hurt that my son was exposed to the full use of this word. Shattered. My 11 year old son was hurt, he wasn't expecting it and neither was I. If I let myself cry, It won't solve it so I'm going to pray before I talk to the Coordinator of the book course my son is in.

If you are interested in stories of war, history, America, love, hate, deceit, scandal,and just plain good literature, then Rifles for Watie" is the book for you. This is a book for all ages. You are never too young or too old to read this book. It is enjoyable and informative for young readers, while it's depth is such that anyone will be lost in the adventures of young Jefferson Davis Bussey. I can't say enough about it. Just read it, and you'll understand.

Rifles for Watie is a book about Jefferson Davis “Jeffy” Bussey. He wants to get drafted into the Union Army. After bushwhackers attack his family's farm, he gets drafted and goes to the army.

He works his way up rankings from infantry to cavalry. Soon he meets a pretty rebel girl named Lucy Washbourne. Lucy does not acknowledge him because he is a Union soldier. Eventually, Jeff moves up in the ranks to a scout. Jeff finds out about reinforcements being sent to the Confederates. Jeff also knew that the Washbournes were missing a family member while Jeff was working on scout. Later, he learns that he was present at the firing squad murder of Lee Washbourne, Lucy’s brother. He sends his friend, Noah, to tell the Washbournes the news. Lucy discovers how beautiful of a man Jeff is and has a change of heart for him.

Jeff goes to the rebels to pretend to be a soldier and stays long overdue. He thinks about betraying the Union because the rebels are not monsters, but ordinary people like him. Jeff knows that the right thing to do is fight for what he believes in, so he goes back to the Union.

Jeff finds out his captain, Captain Clardy, betrayed the Union by selling repeating rifles to the rebels for gold bars. Jeff goes on the run back to the army while being hunted down and finally makes it back to the Union side. Jeff ranks up to a sergeant, and in the end, all is well.
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars