There are over 200 hundred documented cases of women who dressed as men to fight in the Civil War. Gettysburg by Morning is the first novel that explores this phenomenon from the battlefield to the White House. Histria Books is pleased to announce the release of this exciting new novel by Nashville author Randy O’Brien under its Addison & Highsmith Publishers imprint, dedicated to outstanding works of original fiction.
It’s July 4, 1860. At this year’s Independence Day celebration at Concord, MA, the featured speaker is high-spirited and fiercely patriotic Eloise Edwards. She rails against the South’s attack on Fort Sumter and the injustice of slavery. A newspaper article recounting the speech inspires her brother Edward to enlist. Unfortunately, the siblings’ father, a War of Independence veteran, dies, and Edward decides he doesn’t want to join the Union army after all and runs away.
In a dramatic moment, she decides that she will take her brother’s place and fight for the honor of her family and the country. She joins the Massachusetts 20th and lives through several horrific battles, including Gettysburg, the most devastating conflict in U.S. history. General George Custer discovers her talent as a telegraph operator. She soon rises through the ranks and to the war room at the White House, where she works daily with President Abraham Lincoln. One night, as Eloise sleeps at her post, Lincoln sees a copy of the newspaper article featuring Eloise’s speech. The speech inspires him and borrows key phrases for the most famous speech in American history, The Gettysburg Address.
Gettysburg by Morning places you on the battlefield with a patriotic young woman fighting arm-in-arm with her fellow soldiers. Historical characters like Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, George Custer, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and others make reading this story like walking hand-in-hand with history.
Nashvillian Randy O’Brien is a retired award-winning radio journalist. He was the News Director of WMOT-FM for three decades, reporting hard news and features. In addition, he was an adjunct writing instructor. His interests include audiobooks, just about any genre, fiction or non-fiction, movies, and speed walking.
Gettysburg by Morning, 264 pp., ISBN 978-1-59211-101-5, is available at HistriaBooks.com and from all major book retailers. Titles published under the various imprints of Histria Books are distributed worldwide by the Casemate Group. For information on publishing with Histria Books, please visit HistriaBooks.com or contact us at info@histriabooks.com.
