The Civil War is still raging when young naturalist Frank Nelson comes home. He carries with him stories of narrow escapes, brutal battles on the Mississippi, and the strange wonders he's witnessed aboard the Union gun-boats. But home isn't quite the sanctuary he remembers. His mother and sister bear the scars of his absence, and his friend Harry receives word that his brother has been captured by the Confederates. As Frank shares his adventures with those who love him, the narrative weaves together the excitement of military life with the quiet ache of a family learning to breathe again. Written in 1864, while the war's outcome was still uncertain, this novel pulses with the desperate energy of history happening in real time. Castlemon gives us a hero who is equal parts boyish curiosity and soldier's resolve, navigating a nation tearing itself apart while clinging to the natural world that once defined him. For readers who love adventure, historical immediacy, and stories of young men forced to grow up too fast.
