In the spring of 1862, the population of the wilderness and small river community at Shiloh, Tennessee swelled to the size of the city of Chicago because two great armies, Union and Confederate, pitched battle there. The people who lived on that land were caught in the middle of forces beyond their control. The night after the first day of fighting, young Dennis O'Brien is galvanized to look back at the events of his life that led him to this deeply personal and significant place on the battlefield.
This gripping coming of age novel considers the struggles of the O'Brien family during a tumultuous time of politics and war, family dynamics, slavery, religious confliction, mental illness, loyalty and duty, as well as the search for true love. These themes are as present today as they were in the mid-19th century.
Dennis is the middle son of an Irish immigrant who is a tormented veteran of the Mexican-American War. He feels primarily responsible for the care of his mentally ill father and his family. Conflicted about religion, slavery, and his love for the South, he longs for a bright spot in his life. He encounters that light in Jane at a spring below their one room school house, but uncontrollable conditions interfere.
Catastrophic forces of nature against the backdrop of war fever catapult Dennis into a world beyond the farm and Jane. When compelled to take his father to an asylum in New Orleans, astonishing causes of his father's illness are revealed. A stop in Memphis introduces him to the most loathsome aspects of the slave trade and brand him with a hatred of bondage. Simultaneously, Dennis forges relationships with notable persons of his time, including the young riverboat pilot who will become Mark Twain. But surprisingly, it is a free black preacher who becomes a mentor to him, and his mysterious appearances influence many choices Dennis must make.
A looming decision has to be resolved. Can a son of the south hate slavery and still fight for the Southland he loves?