As of today you can purchase all ebook formats of HARDSHIP AND HARDTACK, the first volume of Richard Bassett's life as a soldier during the Civil War. Links to all the format are in the sidebar under the picture of the cover or you can go here for the Kindle format, here for the Nook and here for all other formats.
This book has been a long time coming. Many thanks to RL Murray for first telling me Richard's story all those years ago. I also want to say thank you to some of my early readers who put up with some truly awful drafts and give a special thank you to my Dad who gave me my love of history in the first place.
Another thank you to my daughter for the cover design and to all the men and women who are involved in keeping our history alive through re-enactments. You offer a valuable service, as do the local historical societies who preserve our past so that we might learn from it. Thank you to you all.
A print version will be coming soon, so watch this space for that announcement. Till then, here's an excerpt from the first chapter to whet your appetite (or just go buy the ebook!).
from
HARDSHIP AND HARDTACK
CF Duprey
All Rights Reserved
“Dresden!”
At the sound of the steamer’s captain’s call, most of the men of Company B crowded the decks to get one last look at home. Each of the companies had done the same thing at various points along the way as the steamer passed one hometown after another. He watched as eagerly as the rest to see the families left behind.
It seemed as if all of PennYan had traveled the five miles to the dock at Dresden. A band played and ladies waved their handkerchiefs, all to send them on their way with fond memories of home. Even Richard found himself caught up in the gaiety and waved back almost as vehemently as the others, though he knew Mary wouldn’t be there. Their farm lay further south, closer to Dundee. He would look for his wife there.
Dresden faded into the distance, the sound of the band lingering long after the town slipped out of sight. Now they approached Lakemont, where he suspected his wife would be.
As they came into sight of the tiny hamlet, Richard strained his eyes, his heart beating hard. This would be the last glimpse of his family he’d get for a very long time. His eyes misted as he thought of it, but a surreptitious wipe of his sleeve got rid of them. He didn’t want his last look at his wife blurred by tears.
He saw his father first, standing straight and tall on the shoreline, saluting. Rass joined Richard at the side of the steamer and the two brothers stood at attention, returning the salute. And there was Mary, waving a blue handkerchief. He chuckled and remembered that she had told him it wouldn’t be a white one because she wasn’t going to surrender her husband to the army, only loan him. And so she waved a blue handkerchief that matched the blue of the uniform he would soon wear. By her side were his two little boys, Eddie and Georgie. At four years old, Eddie was old enough to understand a little of where his father was going.
He stood between his grandfather and his mother, shyly waving at the big boat. Georgie had just taken his first steps last week, and clung unsteadily to Mary’s skirts. As he watched, Mary scooped up the baby and held him for Richard to see.
The shoreline passed all too fast. Richard hardly noticed that Lill, their sister, also waved, as did Kate, Rass’ current love interest. No, his eyes were for Mary and the boys. The two brothers traveled back along the rail to the rear of the boat, keeping their family in their eyes as long as they could.
A moment later and the trees hid the sight of the small knot of people on the shore. The two stood in silence as the boat continued south, finally turning as one to pick their way back to their belongings.
No bands played now and the mood turned somber as each man thought of the ones he left
behind. It would be a long time before they would be back here again. Some would never come back.
The silent shore drifted past in an unbroken line of woodland. Not too many people lived right on the shore. The farms that bordered the lake tended to be up on the hills where the breezes cooled the houses and the sun warmed the earth. Richard thought of the haying they had just finished and tried not to worry about his father getting in the corn with only the help of a few old men and young boys. In spite of the conversation he’d had with Mary before he left, he knew she’d help harvest as well, a task he really didn’t want her doing. Her place was with the children, providing them a safe home he intended to come home to.
And with that...go buy the book!
