The Reluctant Rebel

Not every soldier is filled with patriotic fervour. William Stevenson narrowly escaped the hangman and was pressed into volunteering himself into the Confederate Infantry. There he found himself engaged in pitched battles in support of a cause for which he had very little sympathy. Despite his political views, he could not suppress his genuine fondness for his comrades, and his recollections of them on campaign make interesting - and humorous - reading. Incidents on a runaway train precede a transfer to Morgan's Cavalry. The battle of Shiloh and its aftermath are described in graphic detail as the author plans his greatest adventure - his escape to the North.