Byron A. (Byron Archibald) Dunn

Born in Hillsdale County, Michigan, in 1842, Byron A. Dunn served in the Union Army during the Civil War before building a second career in education. He studied at Hillsdale College, later moved to Missouri, and became principal and superintendent of the Maryville public schools.

Dunn also worked in journalism, including with the Maryville Republican, and eventually became known as a writer of historical fiction for younger readers. Many of his best-known books return to the Civil War, including Raiding with Morgan, On General Thomas's Staff, Storming Vicksburg, and The Boy Scouts of the Shenandoah.

What makes his work especially interesting is the mix of first-hand historical perspective and storytelling energy. His novels were written for young audiences, but they still offer a lively window into how Americans of his era remembered the war and introduced that history to new generations.