Helpful Score: 2
Not everything in regards to the civil war was ugly and depressing. This was such a wonderful book and despite the title it was not cheesy like a lot of love stories are. These were real, gritty, and truthful stories of couples who endured the long seperation that the Civil War brought into their lives.
A few of my favorite stories included David Andrew Demus (Union - Private in Co. K, 54th Mass. Volunteer Inf.) and his wife Mary Jane Christy. David was one of the first African Americans to serve in the Civil War. David did not receive the same amount of pay that the white soldiers did so Mary Jane decided to get a job by husking corn for the neighbors. When David found out he got mad at her and demanded she not was to not do that anymore. However Mary Jane was an extremely strong willed woman who ruled the household and made it known to David that she did what had to be done to survive.
Keith and Malinda Blalock both served in the 26th North Carolina Infantry and then switched sides later on in the war and served as scouts in the 10th Michigan Calvary. Yes you heard right, both husband and wife served in the war together. Malinda distraught over her husband going out to fight in the war, she cut her hair, threw on a uniform and disguised herself, and told them that she was Keith's brother Sam. It was not until she was injured that her true identity became known. Honestly I would have loved to have seen the faces of the doctor who discovered that Sam was actually Malinda. There is a lot more to the story of Keith and Malinda, but I don't want to give it away. Their story and what they did is by far one of the best ones in the book.
A few of my favorite stories included David Andrew Demus (Union - Private in Co. K, 54th Mass. Volunteer Inf.) and his wife Mary Jane Christy. David was one of the first African Americans to serve in the Civil War. David did not receive the same amount of pay that the white soldiers did so Mary Jane decided to get a job by husking corn for the neighbors. When David found out he got mad at her and demanded she not was to not do that anymore. However Mary Jane was an extremely strong willed woman who ruled the household and made it known to David that she did what had to be done to survive.
Keith and Malinda Blalock both served in the 26th North Carolina Infantry and then switched sides later on in the war and served as scouts in the 10th Michigan Calvary. Yes you heard right, both husband and wife served in the war together. Malinda distraught over her husband going out to fight in the war, she cut her hair, threw on a uniform and disguised herself, and told them that she was Keith's brother Sam. It was not until she was injured that her true identity became known. Honestly I would have loved to have seen the faces of the doctor who discovered that Sam was actually Malinda. There is a lot more to the story of Keith and Malinda, but I don't want to give it away. Their story and what they did is by far one of the best ones in the book.