At the start of the American Civil War, Professor John Ulysses Martin of Clarksville, Tennessee and his students march off to face the harsh reality of battlefield combat. As his students die one by one, John questions his lofty convictions and, after losing a leg at Antietam, realizes he has made a fool of himself. He concludes that war is nothing more than the butchery of innocents. During his convalescence at Armory Square Hospital, John makes notes in a pocket Bible of Yankee troops and artillery heading south for an attack on Richmond. Caught spying, he is taken to the Old Capitol Prison to be hanged, but manages a harrowing escape. When he reaches Richmond and turns in his notes, General Hood realizes John's value to the war effort and rewards him with a perilous assignment: destroy the railroad bridge over the Cumberland River at Clarksville, Tennessee.
I have a BS degree from Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN, and attended Rutgers University. I retired from the VA Regional Office in St. Petersburg, FL where I was a Rating Specialist (RVSR) on the Appeals Team. I am a contributing editor to Vietnow magazine. I live in Florida with my wife and a vivacious Labrador retriever whom we are teaching to sing barbershop.
I'm writing a sequel to my novel, A Thirst for War, and also working on a thriller based on a visit to Chartres Cathedral. Additionally, I'm actively at work on a self-help book for veterans seeking benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
I'm a member of Vietnow, and a contributing editor to their publication.
