This book was to be one in a series by Benet commemorating the spirit of American pioneers. Writing this book and sketching out the others (which were never finished due to Benet's early death) took years of his life. He was an American patriot himself who was committed to his country. In his words, "Now for my country that it may still live, All that I have, All that I am I'll give " A great story about the early U.S. and its settlers, their spirit and their western adventures. A must for the western library and those readers interested in the settling of the U.S. west.