Overview

"On August 30th, 1862 twenty-four year old William Goodman left his wife and three small children to join the 5th Michigan Cavalry. He participated in numerous conflicts under the leadership of George Armstrong Custer including the battles at Hanover, Gettysburg, and Monterey Pass. On October 11, 1863, he was captured near an obscure town on the James River and died nine months later at Andersonville Prison. Those battles as well as the depredations at Andersonville Prison are well documented. What lacks documentation are Goodman's emotions and inner most thoughts. William Goodman-Civil War Horse-soldier is a work of non-fiction in that weaponry, geography and individual troop movements are meticulously adhered to and provide an accurate historical account.It is also a work of fiction in that the novel fleshes out the participants and reminds the reader that these were real people whose endurance and resolve were pressed to the ultimate limits. The dialogue is sprinkled with humor, which may seem out of place, but it is the author's experience as a medic with the 4th Inf. Div. in Vietnam that humor is often all that maintains one's sanity during the stress of combat. New estimates now place the cost of the Civil War in terms of human life at three quarters of a million people. After observing the death toll at Gettysburg, Robert E. Lee was moved to tears and postulated that ""It is well that war is so terrible-lest we should grow too fond of it"""

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I began reading this story with a heavy heart. Did I really want to read a story about a Union soldier who, according to the blub, survived the civil war, but was captured and died in a prisoner of war camp? I needn't have worried; the voices of the main characters and the inherent strength of the story carried me through to a surprisingly uplifting ending. This is the fictionalized story of the author's great great grandfather. The historical details are reproduced faithfully, and the author improvises the characters' thoughts and dialogue with care and in a manner consistent with the period. Well worth your time and money. 5 healthy stars. Well written account of a Union cavalry soldier from Michigan. Takes you through his home life, training, boredom, battle and capture. I would recommend this to anyone that finds Jeff Shaara's books entertaining. 

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