An American Vendetta: Hatfield and McCoy Feud

A Story of Barbarism in the United States. Initially published in 1889, An American Vendetta represented one of the earliest journalistic accounts of the now-famous Hatfield and McCoy Feud. During that time period, many across the country first came to hear of the story through the pages of this book.

Besides telling the complex and bloody story of the feud-often in blunt and harsh terms-this volume, penned by New York World reporter, Theron C. Crawford, presents the only known interview with feudist Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield conducted in Hatfield's home in Logan County, West Virginia.

At the time of Crawford's writings, the family conflict was at its greatest intensity. The brutal massacre at Randall McCoy's cabin by the Hatfields, which resulted in the death of two of his children, Alifair and Calvin, had taken place just months earlier, on New Year's Day, 1888. One week later, "Crazy Jim" Vance was killed by Hatfield archenemy, "Bad Frank" Phillips. It was in the shadow of this bloody backdrop that Devil Anse, during his interview with Crawford, stressed that he wanted peace with the McCoys-but had no intention of disarming or surrendering to law officers or bounty hunters. Peace, it turns out, was still a few years off.

After many decades, American Vendetta, a Hatfield and McCoy Feud classic, is available again. T.C. Crawford's colorful interviews, his vivid description of the region, and the brutal feud accounts make this volume fascinating to read and a must for every library collection. American Vendetta is a valuable work of American history.