I recently read A Brutal Reckoning - The Creek Indians and the Epic War for the American South by Peter Cozens. I bought the book because it dealt with the period immediately after the death of William Augustus Bowles, about whom I am writing a fictional biography (sticking to the historical outline but filling in the gaps with my imagination). It is a balanced assessment of the conflict between the Creek Confederacy and the various states keen to expand in their direction.
The early part of the book provides context for the war by giving an overview of Creek interactions with outside forces from Hernando de Soto's deadly sixteenth century Spanish expedition through British control and on to the growing influence of the new American republic.
In this section, William Bowles gets a mention, as I expected. The man I have carefully crafted 550 pages about is described as 'a delusional former British army officer'! Less than six lines to dismiss the man who declared war on Spain as part of his efforts to forge an independent state for the Creek people. Okay, so Cozens' description does appear to fit the facts! But what a story William's life makes.
Captain Liar & the Forgotten Flag is undergoing a final edit before I start sending it to literary agents. I just hope his story grabs one of them as much as it has mesmerised me.
