Manassas (The Civil War Battle Series, Book 1)

Manassas (The Civil War Battle Series, Book 1)

Manassas, by James Reasoner, is the first novel in The Civil War Battles series based on the Brannon family of Culpeper County, Virginia. This initial volume describes the mood in the South prior to the outbreak of hostilities and follows one of the Brannon sons into the army and onto the scene of the first major battle of the war.As the Civil War sweeps across the country, it finds the most wayfaring member of the Brannon family of Culpeper County, Virginia, working as a wharf rat at the Mississippi River port of New Madrid, Missouri. Caught up in a bar fight he tried to avoid, Cory Brannon is rescued by Capt. Zeke Farrell of the riverboat Missouri Zephyr. Later, when a small party of men attempts to burn the boat, Cory sounds a timely warning and finds himself the newest member of the crew.The Zephyr makes the journey from New Madrid to New Orleans in late 1861. During this time, Cory matures and finds that he has an interest in the ways of the rivermen and in the captain's daughter, Lucille. Later, in early 1862, the Zephyr reaches Cairo, Illinois, and is greeted by Union gunboats. The war is now on the water, and there is little room for river commerce.When Farrell, his ship, and his cargo head down the Tennessee River to avoid Union harrassment, they are drawn into the battle lines around two strongpoints on the river: Confederate Forts Henry and Donelson. A Union force under Ulysses S. Grant is advancing toward the forts to claim the area for the North, and Cory and his crewmates join in the fight to see which side will control the river. Captain Farrell is killed when the Zephyr is destroyed by a Union gunboat.Taken prisoner, Cory loses contact with Lucille. When he learns that Grant is preparing to move farther south, he tries to alert Southern leaders of the danger growing in Western Tennessee. Again he takes up arms, this time at the battle of Shiloh, where the armies in the West collide to determine the fate of the war in the western theater.About the AuthorJAMES REASONER is a veteran writer of historical fication. Author of the Walker Texas Ranger books, he has written several volumes in the Wagons West series, a frontier trilogy set in the years before the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the first seven volumes in The Civil War Battle Series. Reasoner lives near Azle, Texas.Excerpt. ? Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.ManassasBy James Reasoner Cumberland House PublishingCopyright ? 2001 James ReasonerAll right reserved.ISBN: 9781581822137Chapter OneEasy now," William Shakespeare Brannon breathed as hewatched the oncoming riders over the barrel of his rifle."Just keep coming, boys."Beside Will, his deputy, Luther Strawn, shifted a little,making the brush that concealed them rattle loudly. At leastthe noise sounded loud in Will's ears. He grimaced and shot alook at Luther, who just raised his eyebrows and shook hishead. Under the circumstances, that was as much of an apologyas the deputy could make.Will turned his attention back to the riders. There were sixof them coming up the gentle slope of the hill toward theclump of live oaks where Will and Luther were hidden.Beyond the riders a broad, shallow valley fell away into the distance.In the spring the valley would be filled with colorfulexplosions of wildflowers, and by summer it would be greenwith thick, lush grass. But now, in late January 1861, it was amixture of mottled browns and grays.The riders wore long gray coats, which made them blendinto the background to a certain extent. If it came to shooting,that would make it more difficult, thought Will. Why couldn'tbandits all wear nice colorful bandannas and give a man somethingto aim at? His younger brother Titus might be able toshoot the wings off a butterfly at a thousand yards, but Will hadnever been that good with a rifle. He was much handier withthe .36 caliber Colt Navy revolver holstered on his right hip.Though as sheriff he considered it his job to keep th