Before dying of a wound, Pa extracts from Johnny a promise not to become involved in the Civil War and to care for the farm and family. Within days, Johnny impulsively succumbs to anger and honor, joining a supply train bound for besieged Richmond. In an attack by Union soldiers he is captured, to his deep disgust, by a black soldier, Private Cush Turner. Despite the doubts and prejudices of both, friendship and trust develop and each risks his life for the other. The Colliers examine the lives of ordinary Americans during a national crisis, exploring issues of morality and ethics through the actions, thoughts, and conversations of minor characters playing small parts in the final days of the war. They reveal differing ideas about the causes of the war and various interpretations of the Constitution regarding states' rights. Through close focus on the characters, the reader can see clearly the thoughtless destructiveness of Johnny's prejudices and the gradual understanding he achieves as he gets to know Cush. The text offers controversial viewpoints without intrusive moralizing. A fine supplement for textbooks on the Civil War, capable of provoking exciting discussions and insights. Maps; notes; Gettysburg Address. (Fiction. 10+)
