Deke,
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In my book, I devoted about 30 pages to the study of the Brush Battalion, the men in the bush, and yes, Oxford Lake. ..I spent an inordinate number of days and dollars trying to locate "Oxford Lake" because it is mentioned in THE BOURLAND PAPERS. My great friend, Mike Wayne Thompson of Ovilla TX, encouraged me to keep looking because he had read the term "Oxford Lake." ..Several told me that they knew where Oxbow Lake was and they thought I meant Oxbow Lake, that I could not find in the records. ..After I had given up on finding Oxford Lake, I asked Mike to give me the place where his deceased Bickley cousin's book, RECORDS OF RECONSTRUCTION DAYS OF COLLIN COUNTY, was published by the Bickley sisters. ..He suggested that I call her sister who he did not know. ..I sent Rita Bickley of Farmersville TX the aforementioned 30 pages. She was thrilled to share her Oxford Lake info that she had published in a Farmersville Historical Society calendar. ... .This was one of the more exhilarating days of my life.
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Later when I gave a speech in Farmersville TX, I asked if anyone had heard of "Oxford Lake." ..The audience answered en masse “you mean Oxbow Lake” but a gent stood up and said: "It was 'Oxford Lake'.” He explained that his father took him there and explained that Oxford Lake was an important place during the Civil War.
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This is one of several major contribution to Texas and Oklahoma history that my book presents.
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We should be embarrassed that so many books have been written about Quantrill in North Texas without mentioning the Confederate Brush Battalion, the men in the bush, Gen. H.E. McCulloch, nor Colonel James Bourland.
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The scope of my book was determined by THE BOURLAND PAPERS. ..It is about the Civil War era between the South Canadian River (just South of Norman OK) and Dallas, Texarkana (down to Jefferson TX, west to Childress down to Abilene TX. ..About 70 percent of my book is from handwritten records that includes about 240 militia listings from now 34 Texas counties.
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Patti, prochette@Juno.com
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