Product Description
The dawn of June 3, 1861, marked the beginning of a nation divided against itself. War suddenly erupted at the small village of Philippi, West Virginia. A ragged group of Confederate soldiers was quickly and decisively routed and defeated. This small, untrained group, consisting mostly of locals without any formal military experience, suddenly found themselves thrust into the horrors of war. Young Jacob Poling was among these soldiers. Eager to do what he thought was right, he was not prepared for the terror and panic that followed. This is the story of that battle, as seen through the eyes of a frightened young lad: why he joined, why he was there, and the danger and terror he endured afterward—how, with help, he survived, and of his difficult journey home, only to realize that this was to be the beginning, not the end.