Facts and Fiction in ON GROUNDS OF HONOR

I’ve said many times that one of my objectives as a novelist is to bring history to life with rich stories and compelling characters. While writing ON GROUNDS OF HONOR I spent extensive hours researching the details and facts of the Civil War and of life in the 1860s. My intention was for the historical authenticity to add depth to the fictional story.

In the chapters surrounding the battle of Gettysburg, I took the liberty of inserting several actual persons into the story. The first such individual to come on the scene was the nurse, Cornelia Hancock, who was the tended Jeremiah’s wounds at the church functioning as a makeshift hospital. The next is the nun, Sister Camilla, who provided care for him and the other wounded soldiers at Camp Letterman. Also to make an appearance in the Gettysburg scene was Catherine Slyder and her daughter, Hannah, who lived near the Bushman farm which served as a field hospital.

              Cornelia Hancock

Sisters of Charity, like Sister Camilla

                   Jennie Wade

There was a brief reference to the young girl, Jennie Wade, who was the only civilian to be killed in the battle. I have shared her story with you previously.

There are many movies and novels which attempt to romanticize the Civil War, but the truth is that all wars are brutal and gruesome. The account of the Battle of Gettysburg and its aftermath was difficult for me to research and bring to life, and it may prove difficult for you to read. But this too is part of the past that cannot be forgotten. Whenever war can be avoided, it should be. Whenever peace can be chosen, let us choose it.

Compromise and selfless love never leave carnage in their wake.

The weapons of the Civil War were lethal and inhumane. The soft lead mini ball splintered bone and left fragments of clothing in the wound to fester. Often, the only way to save the life of the injured soldier was to amputate the damaged limb. Conditions at the field hospitals were crude and unsanitary. The depiction of the surgeon and his instruments was chilling, but regrettably accurate. However, the human spirit is resilient and discovers courage in times of adversity. Some of the soldiers who endured amputation returned to the battlefield to continue fighting for their cause, while many went home to rebuild their lives and families. The increased need for prosthetic limbs inspired research and innovation which led to creative solutions for these men who were learning to function in new ways with their disability.

While the war certainly brought destruction, death, and broken lives, it also provided the opportunity to find bravery in the face of a myriad of challenges. For the men at war, it was a chance to demonstrate valor in the face of gunfire and grenades. For those left behind, there was the need to persevere and endure until those they loved returned. And for many women, like Cornelia Hancock and Sister Camilla, it was a call to forfeit their own comfort and health in order to demonstrate courageous compassion.