Chase The Wild Pigeons: A novel of the Civil War

There was more to the Civil War than famous, glorified generals--much more. In this well-researched historical novel, you will see how the terrible Civil War affected the folks on the home front, too. The story is Civil War fiction. This history is real.

The Civil War South in 1863 is desperate and dangerous. For Joe, a 12-year-old boy suddenly alone and 600 miles from home, it's a nightmare come true. But for this rascal of a boy, it's also the adventure of a lifetime. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn have nothing on him when it comes to adventure.

This a story of a special friendship that only comes along once in in a lifetime. Joe, who is white, and Peter, sixteen and a free Black, become unlikely friends and learn to depend on each other as they try to escape the desperate Confederate South.

Follow these two as they trek through a war-torn countryside and witness war at its worse. They travel through a landscape decimated by brutal battles, and encounter people--black and white--who have suffered the extreme hardships and depredation of three years of war. All the while they learn to depend on each other, and they grow a binding love as special as any two brothers. They will need each other more than they know--unknown to them, they are being pursued by a deranged killer.

What others are saying:

"Two young adolescent boys, one white age 12, and one black age 16, become indelibly imprinted on your mind. Because this is a character-driven story, you laugh and you cry, you love and you hate, you react and you reflect. Gschwend's heart and soul resonate on every page. The story is action-packed. The description is superb..."--Edwynne, Librarian and Retired English Teacher

"Set in the deep south, Chase The Wild Pigeons is a historically accurate novel that transports the reader back to the Civil War. The reader finds himself pulled into life on the Mississippi River, Southern culture and even Civil War era flora and fauna. Mr. Gschwend paints a vivid picture of the effects of war on a nation, especially from the stand point of a child. Chase The Wild Pigeons does a fine job of illustrating racial tensions across the South without being offensive, and tells a lovely story of two young men who have only each other to rely on. Entwined into this entertaining story is adventure, one that makes it difficult to put down. I read this book into the wee hours of the night! I highly recommend this book!"--JennBryant