Leaving Gettysburg by Curtis Crocket

This is an account of the retreat of the Confederate army after its defeat at Gettysburg, while the Union army tried to stop them from reaching the Potomac River. With little to no food, the soldiers marched 40 miles day and night through massive storms that turned the road into a bed of mud. Many without shoes or weapons, they pushed through to return to the south rather than ending in a Yankee prison.

The story is told through the eyes of different soldiers on both sides of the conflict, blending to create a magnificent story of heroism, perseverance, and sacrifice. The author gives an honest account, showing the flaws on both sides.

I heard about this novel from the author himself, after having sold him one of my own novels on Manitoulin Island. Although I was at a market to sell books, he and I could have talked about writing all day. A chance encounter turned into a fantastic story.