A man attempts to hold his family together in the unforgiving face of the Civil War in C. J. Cole's heart-wrenching historical account, Dark and Savage Ground.
Martin Rice, a widower with seven children, attempts to keep his family as far away as possible from the escalating violence that surrounds them during the Civil War. But the Missouri Partisan Rangers, a band of guerilla fighters who are seen to be fighting for the honor of the South, have made their home near Martin's farm on the outskirts of Lone Jack, Missouri.
A loyal Unionist, Martin staunchly supports President Abraham Lincoln-one of the only people in his district to do so. But behind his back, his daughter Mattie and her husband, Calvin, are providing support to the guerillas. They help by leaving supplies for them, hiding wounded fighters, and smuggling messages-with Mattie even nursing the injured men back to health and knitting stockings for the unofficial Confederate combatants.
The Civil War arrives when Union and Confederate soldiers clash on the streets of Lone Jack in 1862. Soon, Union forces are going all-out to defeat the guerillas and their supporters, leaving behind resentment and anger that trickle down through generations...
About the Author: C. J. Cole studied journalism at the University of Colorado before launching a career in sales and marketing. Now retired, she has returned to her first love: writing.
Her Civil War biography Dark and Savage Ground tells the story of her great-great-great-grandfather, whose family was torn apart by the horrible conflict during the Civil War on the Missouri-Kansas border.
Ms. Cole is married with six sons.
