North Florida Writer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Life Around Us
  • Contact
  • MY BOOK PAGE

Why is Real History So Important?  The Real Message of My New Book.

3/13/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
A typical young Confederate soldier, like Joshua and all soldiers, just wanting it over.
Those of you who read my blogs or follow my Facebook Author page know that I am a writer.  I write about nature, my faith, nostalgia and history, all subjects that are dear to my heart.  In my latest book, The Long Road Back, a historical-fiction first of three volumes in my Carolina Coastal series, the story opens while young Confederate soldier, Joshua Eldridge, is imprisoned at the Point  Lookout, Maryland Union POW compound. When freed in late April of 1865, he is released at the gate to find his way home.  The book begins with his release and travel back to eastern North Carolina where life is often isolated due to it being the land of the Outer and Inner Banks along the Atlantic and a series of sounds, including the Albemarle and Pamlico.

So, why did I write the book and where did I get the idea?  Well, my own great-grandfather was a Confederate soldier who ended his service as a prisoner of war at Point Lookout, but the similarity with the lead character, Joshua Eldridge, ends there.  That explains the idea but the why is best exemplified by the following story.  I think it makes the point of the story very clear.
___________________________________________________________

THE CANDID FRIENDSHIP OF A FORMER CONFEDERATE AND A FORMER UNION SOLDIER

Tom and Joe were two older fellows in their 70's in 1915.  Tom was a native North Carolinian, a Tar Heel, who had served in the Army of the Confederacy during the Civil War, then came home to work hard and succeed very well as a farmer.  Joe, a native upstate New Yorker, worked in a factory before and after serving in the  Union Army, did very well and advanced to the level of General Manager of a large plant before retiring in 1905.  He was wounded and over the years the wound caused some disability, but he saved his money and decided on retirement to move to a small homestead in North Carolina where the weather would be warmer.  He thrived and cultivated a nice garden that he and his wife tended and they both enjoyed the weather and the nearness to the Albemarle in their later years.

The two men met one day shortly after Joe made his move at the local post office.  They lived only about a mile apart and quickly struck up a friendship.  It didn't take long for them to realize that each had served in the Civil War on opposite sides, but they held no ill will for each other for,  after all, they had fought for their homeland as teenagers, for back in those days people had a much closer relationship with their local communities and their home state than some far off government in Washington, D.C.  Frankly, national politics was alien to them both and neither cared much for it, figuring that serving their homeland was a duty.  Both were glad it was over and through the years had been able to get it out of their minds. Meeting to visit regularly, the subject of the war would on occasion come up and they realized they had both been involved in the Siege of Petersburg,  a bloody series of battles where Tom was captured and ultimately landed in the POW camp.

One spring afternoon, they gathered together after their farming chores for some sweet tea on Tom's shaded porch.  It was a beautiful day and they laughed, telling each other stories about the old days as older men often do.  But then Joe looked at Tom and said he wanted to ask him a question.

"Sure,  Joe," said Tom, "ask me anything you want."

Joe was pensive for a moment, then rubbed his chin and leaned forward saying, "Tom, I know you were just like me and would have done anything for North Carolina as I would have for New York.  But, surely you knew that the North had the equipment and a much larger number of men to serve in the Army, so why did you join the Confederate Army and fight a losing war."

Joe was afraid that he might have hit a raw nerve, but  Tom just smiled and said, "Well, Joe, I was a poor country boy and didn't know very much outside of my own little world. I really didn't know why I was going to war but I knew I had to and the reason was very clear.  Your side was on our property and they weren't invited. That's really all I knew and what I cared about and I doubt you were too much different."

Joe nodded and said, "Well, I guess you are right. I was poor, too, just working in a factory to survive and trying to figure out my life when the war came. So, I enlisted, figuring it was my duty, but I did notice that all the big wigs who proclaimed the need for war mostly didn't serve and neither did their children. War is a poor man's job, below their dignity and their lifestyle."

Tom smiled and said, "Well, Joe,  you sound like I used to but I realize now that life is too short to keep anger and it's better to make amends and move on.  And I'll tell you some of us down here all our lives know things would have been much better had Mr. Lincoln not been assassinated. He wanted the country unified quickly and moving forward. My dad lost a lot during those days afterward but we weathered it and moved on.  And I'm glad that we met and can discuss such things with understanding, not hate. That is always good for our soul."

The two men clinked their glasses and smiled at one another, then moved on to another topic: fishing. What could be better than that on a warm spring afternoon?
___________________________________________________________
And that's why I wrote the book, folks.  We need to  look at history in view of the times in which it took place, not with twenty-first century views.  Times were different and things were different and we need to learn from the reality of our past, not our preconceived notions by today's standards.  Just  copy and paste the following link in your browser to see this and other books that are available.  There is even a short section of the books you can read with no obligation: 
              https://www.amazon.com/James-Dick/e/B00HFCMOVO

Picture
The Battle of Roanoke Island, Feb 1862, where Eldridge received his first taste of war.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    ABOUT ME

    Hi, I'm James, a writer who studies nature,  animals and all things created by God. I also write from time to time about what I think God expects of us.  I would love to hear your thoughts on these subjects. I hope you enjoy my comments.

    Archive

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    America
    American Sports
    Animals
    Armed Forces Day
    Conservatism
    Doctorpatient0717615167
    Elections-2016
    Florida
    Florida-politics
    Freedom
    Freedom-of-speech
    Geese
    God
    Gods Glory0546cd6883
    Health Care
    Honor
    Integrity
    Jesus Christ
    Koch-brothers
    Leisure-time
    Love
    Military
    Nature
    Primaries
    Proverbs
    Safety
    Savior
    The Future
    Top-political-donors-list
    Tyrannical-government

    RSS Feed

Thanks for contacting northfloridawriter.com.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Arian Zwegers, trvlto, thomas pix, taberandrew, Justin A. Wilcox, Glyn Lowe Photoworks, ckay, phalinn, curtis palmer, bnpositive, oddsock, HooLengSiong, jespahjoy, illustir, ljlphotography, Out at Bob's, The Labour Party, ljlphotography, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, eli.pousson, JasonParis, Fibonacci Blue, wht_wolf9653, bsabarnowl, ` TheDreamSky, Ken_Hoffman, dsearls, NCinDC, James Byrum, DonkeyHotey, Waiting For The Word, cliff1066™, possan, dpape, David Holt London, akeg, Waiting For The Word, Glyn Lowe Photoworks, MilitaryHealth, yukali, infomatique, goforchris, cliff1066™, Wootang01, dctim1, Donald Lee Pardue, LizMarie_AK, campdarby, CedarBendDrive, bill85704, faeparsons, TMAB2003, cliff1066™, Rennett Stowe, KOMUnews, cliff1066™, chris.huggins, USDAgov, mat_walker, gruntzooki, DonkeyHotey, ljlphotography, Elvert Barnes, Paulsasleepwalker, facebook.com/snapshotsofthepast, foto3116, Miller_Center, digitonin, BostonCatholic, Watt_Dabney, jepoirrier, EpicFireworks, derekskey, cletch, DonkeyHotey, KOMUnews, DonkeyHotey, ravensong75, Alan Cleaver, Francisco Diez, hermmermferm, cod_gabriel, Marxchivist, Fibonacci Blue, dbgg1979, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, David Barrie, rjs1322, Just Another Wretch, Keith Laverack, Waiting For The Word, whoohoo120, AFS-USA Intercultural Programs, Brett Jordan, yisris, Michael Hodge, Waiting For The Word, MilitaryHealth, doceggman, AlmazUK, taberandrew, cliff1066™, krossbow, shinya, The Jewish Agency for Israel, kudumomo, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, cliff1066™, johntrainor, emilio labrador, cliff1066™, EraPhernalia Vintage . . . (playin' hook-y ;o), **emmar**, Mrs. Gemstone, Andrea Westmoreland, Jeff Kern, Waiting For The Word, Abdulsalam Haykal, Donald Lee Pardue, roberthuffstutter, Dougtone, b1mbo, DonkeyHotey, paularps, kaatjevervoort, Simon Davison, BONGURI, Marion Doss, ex_magician, Bergfels, Brett Jordan, Tim Evanson, Art4TheGlryOfGod, Jeff Kubina, sskennel, DonkeyHotey, VirtKitty, Rodrigo_Soldon, resistealeau, MilitaryHealth, edalisse, Mervi Eskelinen aka tasselflower, Kaz Andrew, nitram242, Andrew Aliferis, uitdragerij, Paul J Everett, Joe Shlabotnik, Jeffrey, Harry Thomas Photography, Tim Evanson, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Ron Cogswell, Nationalmuseet, escapedtowisconsin, Michael Cory, DonkeyHotey, timsamoff, mrbillt6, bnilsen, themonnie, dichohecho, Waiting For The Word, technochick, cliff1066™, RTD Photography, Randy Wick, Enokson, Rising Damp, DonkeyHotey, Waiting For The Word, SteveNakatani, Fovea Centralis, Dru Bloomfield - At Home in Scottsdale, lisaclarke, Mulad, Roswell_UMC, Bengt Nyman, U.S. Embassy New Delhi, FreedomHouse2, SuperFantastic, Rory Finneren, Alaskan Dude, Larry1732, Mr. T in DC, ikewinski, Ivy Dawned, RLHyde, Waiting For The Word, heartajack, dyogi, dailymatador, David Paul Ohmer, Pleuntje, Leonard Bentley, midwestnerd, Donald Lee Pardue, DonkeyHotey, Oli-Oviyan, PatrikWalde, flamesworddragon, The U.S. Army, Zach Heller Photography, DonkeyHotey, EvinDC, Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections, Ronnie Macdonald, Gerry Dincher, The U.S. Army, Jeff Belmonte, DonkeyHotey, Texas Military Forces, jim.greenhill, Ben Sutherland, the Original Jeff Martin, Loz Flowers, CBP Photography, spbpda, OCVA, Hot Rod Homepage, brianholsclaw, dozodomo, quinn.anya, KOMUnews, wtstoffs, Leo Newball, Jr., lilli2de, dmott9, Justin A. Wilcox, sören2013, boboroshi, newagecrap, CoreBurn, simminch, ninahale, EvinDC, Mister Awesome, HeyRocker, beggs, Donald Lee Pardue