Loved this book! Very emotional..the story has stuck with me long after reading it. ( )

I didn't exactly know what to expect from this book and I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. This is the tale of the little recognized Civil War Battle of Franklin in Tennessee and how it affected the people in the town near the battlefield. It also brings to light the efforts that were made by the townspeople to preserve the cemetery and Carnton home where so many soldiers were taken after the battle.
This book appears to be a tribute to Carrie McGavock and her slave/friend Mariah. These two women of the south worked diligently to care for the wounded and to provide solace to the families of the soldiers who died in the battle.
Carrie McGavock is the normal southern woman, wife and mother. Before the battle, her life is filled with depression and grief related to the death of 3 of her young children. It seems that Carrie doesn't come alive until literally everyone around her is dying. The Confederate Army turns her home into a hospital and together, Carrie and Mariah work to ease the suffering of the survivors. Carrie becomes involved emotionally involved with Zachariah Cashwell, a Confederate sergeant who Carrie sends to the surgeon for a leg amputation. Their time together is cut short when Cashwell is sent to a Union prison. Carrie's spirit turns to protection of the cemetery where the Confederate soldiers are buried and she and her husband John work to have the soldiers reburied on the land when the original cemetery is threatened.
The historical facts are cleverly woven throughout the fictional story, enlightening the reader while enhancing the story. ( )

This was an interesting piece of fiction/non-fiction.I found Carrie very interesting so much so that I looked her up online and found pictures(I listened to this one audio) and information that really made her come to life.
That being said the fictional account of Carrie and Zachariah was well a little hard for me she being a southern belle and propriety and all.I think it would have been just as good of a book if the opening of the hospital and the events from there would have brought her and John close again.Instead of the rift between them continuing even though he supported her moving the soldiers.
Carrie was a strong southern woman who I did enjoy learning about. ( )

A very moving book about a nearly-forgotten battle to those of us who have very limited knowledge of the details of the Civil War. This pays homage to many of the fallen soldiers of the Confederate Army, both identified and non-identified. Furthermore, it pays tribute to Carrie McGavock who devoted much of her life to preserving the memory of these soldiers. Many of the historical details are based on fact, interwoven with the author's interpretation of Carrie's relationship with these soldiers & with one in particular. As a reader who is largely ignorant of the facts surrounding the Civil War, I found this book very enlightening and it has piqued my interest into further exploration, with an additional desire to travel to some of these historical sites. Having read the abridged audiobook version, I think this is definitely one instance where an unabridged reading would greatly enhance the reader's enjoyment & appreciation of historical detail, & had I read that, my star rating would've probably been higher. ( )

I’m torn.

Were it not for this book, I would still be in ignorance about the history of the Battle of Franklin and of the Carnton cemetery. We owe a debt of gratitude to this author for bringing the story to the greater attention of readers in this country, and for his work in promoting the physical preservation of the Carnton home and cemetery. I very much appreciate his research into that moment in history and its background. That part of his story was captivating. And, too, the historical notes and photographs at the end of the book were fascinating.

The setting, from the little town of Franklin, Tennessee, to the small farms and large plantations thereabouts, and especially the Carnton homeplace, was very realistically rendered. The place and its time, setting-wise, were believable. (For the main story, the history, and setting - 5 stars.)

But the dialog didn’t ring true. In the characters' thoughts and speech, I couldn’t take to the story.

It felt, at times, as if it was written by a psychologist assigning personality types to his different characters and molding their words to fit his sculptures. At other times, as if a non-Christian was trying to channel to the main character words (and actions) foreign to a woman raised (as his history notes show) in a strong Presbyterian worldview. At times, as if a being from the 21st century was trying to make his characters say what he would have liked them to say from his own enlightened viewpoint, rather than what real people in those situations and from that time in history would actually have said. I don’t know any personal details about the author; nor would such details matter. The dialog just felt forced in those directions. (For this – 2 stars)

Overall, I rate this book 3.5/5 and would recommend it to readers interested in the American Civil War. ( )