Gregory Howard’s Story

Gregory, age thirteen, lives in Alexandria, Virginia—only a few miles from Washington, DC, where the Union army is gathering. His family is divided, with Father a staunch Unionist, while Greg, his siblings, and his mother support Virginia’s decision to secede. After undisciplined Union troops march in to occupy the city, raiding soldiers steal the music box from the bedside of Gregory’s ailing younger sister. Rashly, he promises to get it back for her—a promise he quickly regrets but struggles to fulfill.

Reviews

“When Union troops take over Alexandria and declare martial law, Gregory finds that the conflict is no longer high-minded and political, but ugly and intensely personal.
—Booklist

“The author's . . . use of dialogue, interior monologue, sparse description, and authentic dialects will surely engage young readers.”
—The ALAN Review