W.W. Withenbury was a famous river boat captain during the mid-1800s. In retirement,he wrote a series of letters for the CincinnatiCommercial, under the title "Red River Reminiscences." JacquesBagur has selected and annotated 39 letters describing three steamboat voyageson the upper Red River from 1838 to 1842.

     Withenbury was a master of character andincident, and his profiles of persons, including three signers of the TexasDeclaration of Independence, reflect years of acquaintance. The beauty of hiswriting ranks this among the best of the reminiscences that were written as thesteamboat era was declining.

?Baguris an expert on the Red River in the nineteenth century, and it shows in thiswork. Informative and entertaining.? ?RandolphB. "Mike" Campbell, author of Goneto Texas: A History of the Lone Star State

?Thiswill rank as a great assistance to researchers if anyone wants to attackhistory of the Red River again. Some of his in-depth research was fabulous.??Skipper Steely, author of Red River Pioneers