Powder River Invasion: War on the Rustlers in 1892 (Expanded, Annotated)

By A.S. Mercer

The definitive firsthand expos of the Johnson County War-told by the insider who turned against the cattle barons.
In the spring of 1892, Wyoming's powerful Stock Growers' Association launched a private "invasion" of Johnson County, sending hired gunmen north to break the resistance of small ranchers once and for all. Asa Shinn Mercer, a respected editor and publicist for the cattle interests, was supposed to help sell their version of events to the public. Instead, he turned on them.

In this gripping narrative, Mercer documents how the big cattle companies used blacklists, bogus accusations of rustling, political pressure, and outright murder to seize control of open range and water. He names names, dissects the lies printed in friendly newspapers, and records the terror tactics used against the independent men and families who stood in their way. For that courage he was threatened, beaten, his presses wrecked, and his work nearly erased.

Originally published as The Banditti of the Plains, Mercer's book was immediately suppressed; surviving first editions are among the rarest and most expensive works of Western history. This volume presents the later, restored version of his text, expanded with: A substantial new introduction that places Mercer, the Stock Growers' Association, and the Johnson County War in their wider political and economic context.Detailed annotations identifying the major figures, ranches, and incidents Mercer describes, clarifying where his account has been challenged or confirmed by later research.Helpful notes on key locations, timelines, and terminology for readers new to the era.For readers of frontier history, Western true crime, and the roots of corporate power in the American West, Powder River Invasion: War on the Rustlers in 1892 offers both a vivid story and an essential primary source-written by the man who saw the invasion from the inside, and dared to tell the truth.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1797726803
• ISBN13: 9781797726809
• Release Date: February 2019
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 162 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"