Gettysburg by Morning

by Randy O'Brien

Overview

One young woman’s courage will change the course of history.

Gettysburg by Morning vividly brings to life the turbulent era of the Civil War through the eyes of teenage firebrand Eloise Jacobson. On July 4, 1861, Eloise delivers a rousing speech in Concord, Massachusetts, condemning the South’s attack on Fort Sumter and denouncing the horrors of slavery. Her impassioned words inspire her brother Edward to enlist in the Union Army. But when their father, a proud descendant of a Revolutionary War veteran, unexpectedly dies, Edward flees, abandoning his patriotic duty. Shattered by her brother’s betrayal, Eloise returns to the family’s telegraph office, resigned to a life of monotony.

Determined to restore her family's honor, Eloise makes a bold and unthinkable decision: she will take Edward’s place on the battlefield. Disguised as a man, she enlists in the renowned Massachusetts 20th Regiment, enduring the brutal realities of war—from harrowing skirmishes to the blood-soaked fields of Gettysburg. Her exceptional telegraph skills soon catch the attention of General George Custer, and she finds herself working directly with President Abraham Lincoln in the heart of the White House war room.

In a poignant twist of fate, Lincoln stumbles upon a newspaper article recounting Eloise’s Independence Day speech, drawing inspiration from her powerful words for his iconic Gettysburg Address.

This riveting novel explores themes of women’s courage, sacrifice, and patriotism during one of the most defining moments in American history. Featuring historical figures like Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, George Custer, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Gettysburg by Morning immerses readers in the Civil War, following a determined young woman who risks everything to fight for her country’s future.

With over 200 documented cases of women disguising themselves as men to fight in the Civil War, this story shines a light on the untold acts of bravery that helped shape a nation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781592111015
Publisher:	Histria Books
Publication date:	11/16/2021
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

An award-winning radio journalist and book reviewer, Randall O'Brien has a B.S. degree from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, majoring in English and minoring in History and Secondary education. He was the News Director of WMOT-FM for three decades, reporting hard news and features, proudly mentoring dozens of now successful graduates. He was an adjunct writing instructor at MTSU and Watkins School of Art and Design and former President of the Tennessee Screenwriting Association.

Editorial Reviews

Courageous and cunning, Eloise’s journey from fierce patriot to wary and scarred veteran is one of triumph, highlighting innumerable obstacles facing American women in the 19th century – decades before the women’s suffrage movement.

Murfreesboro Daily News Journal

A deftly crafted historical novel by an author with a meticulous flair for narrative driven storytelling that is expertly combined with an eye for historical detail, "Gettysburg by Morning" is a riveting and entertaining read from cover to cover that will have a special appeal for Civil War buffs.

Midwest Book Review

2022-08-04
In this novel, a young woman intent on fighting for the Union cause during the Civil War disguises herself as a man.

In 1861, the nation hangs on the precipice of war, and Massachusetts teenager Eloise Jacobson, an outspoken critic of slavery, prepares to do her part. She’s armed with a remarkable education, and since her family operates a telegraph office, she is skilled at Morse code. But her desire to contribute to the war effort is rebuffed because she is a woman, a rejection delivered by no less than Oliver Wendell Holmes. Her brother, Edward, enlists in the Army but, following their father’s death, loses his nerve, a gutless decision that threatens to ruin the family’s reputation. When Edward abandons his commitment and runs south, Eloise is struck by an ingenious, if radical, idea—she will assume the appearance of a man and take her brother’s place, both saving the family name and providing her with an opportunity to fight. Her transformation is remarkable—she even takes up smoking a pipe in order to give her voice a more masculine timbre. With great intelligence and subtlety, O’Brien chronicles the fortunes of Eloise and Edward—the latter eventually overcomes his cowardice but only to fight for the Confederate side, making the siblings war enemies. Eloise is a remarkable and memorable hero—deeply intelligent and equally decent, she is profoundly changed by her experiences of battle and death and fully realizes the societal limitations placed on her gender: “I was surprised by how much my deception allowed me more freedom and responsibility than my real identity. I never realized just how merely being a woman could hamper my freedom of movement and my entrance into establishments.” This is a historically astute story that deftly highlights an element of the war largely neglected.

A thrilling war tale, dramatically engrossing and historically authentic.

Kirkus Reviews

"Gettysburg by Morning is a riveting and entertaining read from cover to cover that will have a special appeal for Civil War buffs." —Midwest Book Review

"This is a historically astute story that deftly highlights an element of the war largely neglected. A thrilling war tale, dramatically engrossing and historically authentic." —Kirkus Reviews 

From the Publisher