I am an amateur writer and researcher having self published 4 historical fiction books recounting the events in the lives of my ancestors. Your Nathaniel Starbuck series I am now reading gives me so much new information about the battles my ancestors fought.
I visited Antietam and Leesburg with my husband in 2013. We listened to the amazing lectures presented by park rangers and walked through the battle areas feeling the presence of those long gone including Union soldier, Pvt. Peter Gilroy of the New York 69th Irish Brigade. He was my husband’s second great grandfather, a part of the unit that was the rear guard at Harrisons Island. He was also at Antietam where his regiment attacked at bloody lane. Your descriptions of those events have given me more insight into the terrible battles. Peter was shot in Petersburg, VA in 1864, captured and died.
My own second great grandfather, John Haase, fought at Bull Run and Seven Oaks within the 2nd Michigan Co A. Your description of the transport from Washington DC to their final destination helped me understand the magnitude of that effort. Their extended stay after the battle was worse than the fighting. John survived his 6 year tenure in the war.
Thank you for your time and effort researching those events and then translating that into a fascinating story. I am grateful to you for deepening my knowledge of Civil War history.
I have read almost all of your books. You are one of my favorite authors. Your characters are funny and awful and tragic. I try to emulate you for you are such a good writer and teacher.
My sincerest gratitude for writing amazing novels,
Janet Pauli Bickner