Murray Pura's American Civil War Series - Cry of Freedom - Volume 9 - A Gettysburg Vignette by Patrick E. Craig!

5.0 out of 5 stars Spirits of Gettysburg

Book Description

It is July of 1863 and the terrible Battle of Gettysburg is raging in the little Pennsylvania town. John Wesley Culp has come back to his childhood home, but he is fighting in the Army of Northern Virginia and his friends and family look upon him as a traitor. In his pocket he carries a letter from his best friend, Jack Skelly, a Union soldier wounded at the Second Battle of Winchester. The letter is for Jack's sweetheart, Ginnie Wade, but the battle takes its terrible toll and the letter never gets delivered. 150 years latter, Randy Culpepper, the great-great grandson of Wesley's best friend, Jed, returns to Gettysburg for the anniversary of the great battle, and through a series of strange occurrences becomes a player in the unresolved story of Wesley Culp, Jack Skelly, and Ginnie Wade.

Biography

Patrick E. Craig is a lifelong writer and musician who left a successful songwriting and performance career in the music industry to follow Christ in 1984. He spent the next twenty-six years as a worship leader, seminar speaker and pastor in churches, and at retreats, seminars and conferences all across the Western United States. After ministering for a number of years in music and worship to a circuit of small churches in Northern California, he is now concentrating on writing and publishing both fiction and non-fiction books. He has recently signed a three book deal with Harvest House Publishers to publish his "Apple Creek Dreams" series. The books are historical Amish fiction and the first book, "A Quilt for Jenna," was released January 1, 2013. It will be followed by "The Road Home" on September 1, 2013, and "Jenny's Choice" on February 1, 2014. Patrick is represented by the Steve Laube Agency.

My Review ~

In 1863 the worst battle fought on American soil raged in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Young Ginnie Wade had written in her diary her concerns for Union soldier, Jack Skelly. Jack has written a letter to his beloved Ginnie, but severe injuries prevented him from seeing that the letter was sent. He implored his friends to guarantee the delivery of the letter, but due to the ravages of war the letter was never delivered.

Randy Culpepper's grandfather has told him the stories about his great-great grandfather, Jed Culpepper, who had fought in the Civil War. Intrigued by his grandfather's stories along with his interest in Civil War history, Randy travels to Gettysburg to participate in the reenactment of the Civil War. His discoveries are numerous and quite surprising.

Patrick Craig describes the battlefields and sites surrounding Gettysburg in vivid detail. The images of war, devastation and casualties echo throughout the narrative. Personalities are presented with sensitivity and realism, making the characters in this vignette convincing and credible. Unsuspected events are created that bring a sense of spirituality and veneration to this tale of war and holy ground. This author writes with awe-inspiring artistry.