Trail to Vicksburg (Leisure Western)

This volume contains two of Patten's novellas. The first is "The Golden Magnet" which was originally published in Best Western Magazine as "The Man on the Stage" but here it has had Patten's original title restored. In this story, Cole Estes has come west to help an old friend save his stage line from fierce competition. On the journey riding in a coach of the line, he is accompanied by his friend's headstrong daughter who he has taken a dislike to. The coach is forced off the road by the competitors coach and all but the driver survive.

Now Cole is angry and agrees to take the job he initially thought was hopeless. Soon he is fighting for his life and reputation but with the assistance of a local dance hall girl, he plans to turn the show more tables on the villains. Fast paced with lots of action.

The second title is "Trail to Vicksburg" which is published for the first time anywhere in this volume. Set during the Civil War, Patten could not get it published because the period in which he set it. The story concerns 17 year old Jeff Hueston's adventure as trail boss of an 1000 head herd of Texas cattle he is trying to move from Goliad, Texas to New Orleans to feed the Confederate Army there. His biggest obstacle is crossing the Mississippi River although he is warned about outlaws and army deserters and he does outsmart a cattle rustler. Patten includes great detail about organizing and running a cattle drive from the initial roundup and branding to staffing the a drive and outfitting the chuck wagon. The trip provides many challenges to overcome them and get his herd to market. While Jeff really wants to enlist in the Confederate Army, once he sees the condition of that army, he realizes the cause is lost. show less