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"John T. Wilder was an entrepreneur, Civil War general, and business leader who would become influential in the development of post-Civil War Chattanooga. A northern transplant who made his early fortune in the iron industry, Wilder would gain notoriety in the Western Theater through his victories at the battles of Chattanooga, Chickamauga, and throughout the Tullahoma and Atlanta Campaigns while leading the famous "Lightning Brigade." After the Civil War, he relocated to Chattanooga and began the Roane Iron Company and fostered southern ironworks throughout the southeast. He was elected mayor of Chattanooga but would fail to be elected to Congress as its representative. Finally, he was instrumental in the establishment of national military parks in Chattanooga and Chickamauga. Nicely's biography captures the life of a man important to the overall development of Chattanooga and East Tennessee and argues that Wilder was influential in bringing both northern and immigrant populations to the area"--

Introduction / by Josh Zeman -- Satan at Stanford -- The gun of August -- "Knock on coffins" -- Her name was Stacy -- Countdown : the final week -- Catch -- Confession -- "Sam sleeps" -- The process -- Into the maze -- Blood in the badlands -- "Hello from the gutters" -- Minot? Why not? -- A matter of murder -- Inside the biggest case -- The most unlikely ally -- "Sam" speaks -- "Hunted, stalked and slain" -- What's happening, America? -- From the belly of the beast -- A coast-to-coast conspiracy -- A call to Copco -- In death's valley -- Murder reigned in Southern California -- Death mask.

This book, first published in 2007, offers a bold new interpretation of American business history during the formative years 1870–1920, which mark the dawn of modern big business. It focuses on four major revolutions that ushered in this new era: those in power, transportation, communication, and organization. Using the metaphor of America as an economic hothouse uniquely suited to rapid economic growth during these years, it analyzes the interplay of key factors such as entrepreneurial talent, technology, land, natural resources, law, mass markets, and the rise of cities. It also delineates the process that laid the foundation for the modern era, in which virtually every human activity became a business, and, in most cases, a big business. The book also profiles numerous major entrepreneurs whose careers and activities illustrate broader trends and themes. It utilizes a wide variety of sources, including novels from the period, to produce a lively narrative