Joseph A. Altsheler's historical fiction book The Texan Scouts is set during the American Civil War. Ned Fulton and his cousin, both young Texans, enlist in the Confederate army as scouts in the novel. The two boys are the protagonists of the story, which then follows their adventure as they engage in numerous conflicts, acquire information, and develop their scouting skills. They face a variety of difficulties on the road, such as hostile military, treacherous terrain, and interpersonal disputes. While the guys traverse the challenging and sometimes fatal world of battle, the book also examines the themes of loyalty, friendship, and courage. In order to provide a realistic image of the war and its effects on the individuals who experienced it, Altsheler includes in-depth descriptions of the conflicts and landscapes of the American South throughout the whole book. The Texan Scouts, as a whole, is an exciting and captivating historical book that offers a unique viewpoint on the American Civil War through the eyes of two young Texans.
Joseph A. Altsheler was born on April 29, 1862, in Three Springs, Hart County, Kentucky, to Joseph and Louise Altsheler. He was a newspaper reporter, editor, and author of popular juvenile historical fiction. He wrote fifty novels and at least fifty-three short stories. Seven of his novels were in sequence.He worked as an editor at the Louisville Courier-Journal in 1885. In 1892, he started to work for New York World and then as the editor of the World's tri-weekly magazine. He wrote children's stories due to a lack of suitable stories.On May 30, 1880, Altsheler married Sarah Boles and had a son named Sidney. In 1914, during World War I Altsheler and his family were in Germany and they were forced to remain there.Altsheler died at the age of 57, on June 5, 1919, in New York. His wife, Sarah Boles died after 30 years. Their bodies are buried at the Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.Although each of the thirty-two novels constitutes an independent story, Altsheler suggested reading in sequence for each series (that is, he numbered the volumes). You can read the remaining eighteen novels in any order.
