Designed for the critical enthusiast as well as anyone who is beginning an interest in the Civil War, Book One of the Civil War Soldier Series takes the reader on a journey to the past to explore the life of soldiers and civilians alike. The opening year of the conflict is vividly described from both Confederate and Union perspectives. Holly Springs, Mississippi resident Joshua Campbell, joins the famed 17th Mississippi Regiment with his friend Zeke Owens, in the first rush of volunteers. Explore the life of a Civil War soldier as he endures the rigors of camp life and drill, in preparation for coming battle. Meet his friends and members of his ‘mess’, always under the watchful eye of a veteran Irishman, Sergeant Timothy Ferrall. Experience the first frightening clash of arms at Manassas and the thrilling charge at Balls Bluff. The young soldier will find comfort in the arms of a rough-hewn country girl, though beguiled by a member of the Virginia aristocracy. Across the Potomac, Elihu Hawthorne, Massachusetts Congressman, learns to navigate the new political landscape created by civil war. Finding his influence limited in early 1861, he embarks on a path that will lead to some disgrace, yet allow him to emerge in a position of prominence by year’s end. Though their paths intersect in dramatic fashion, the lives of these two protagonists mark the fortunes of their respective causes. Rich in historical detail and compellingly told, readers will delight in crackling battle scenes, the maneuvering of Washington political circles, and the appearnce of historical figures trhoughout the book.