Abolitionist of the Most Dangerous Kind: James Montgomery and His War on Slavery.

The article focuses on the book *Abolitionist of the Most Dangerous Kind: James Montgomery and His War on Slavery* by Todd Mildfelt and David D. Schafer, which reevaluates the legacy of James Montgomery, a Union colonel and abolitionist often misrepresented in popular culture. The authors argue that Montgomery was a principled antislavery fighter whose experience in Bleeding Kansas and leadership of Black troops during the Civil War exemplified a militant abolitionism that embraced "hard war" tactics to end slavery. While the book faces challenges due to gaps in the historical record and occasional unclear terminology, it provides a well-researched and nuanced portrait that challenges earlier negative portrayals and highlights Montgomery's role in shaping the violent conflict necessary to abolish slavery.