A Forgotten Evil
In 1868, young woodcutter Caleb Justin and his father cut down trees for firewood so the riverboats that travel down the Ohio River can refuel. Caleb’s father dies accidentally, leaving Caleb to continue the business on his own. Joshua Hart, a runaway, meets Caleb and suggests they travel out West, join the cavalry, and fight the Indians. They pack up their meager belongings and travel towards Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to join General Sheridan’s army.
The army rejects Caleb because of an injured foot, although Joshua joins General Custer’s Seventh Cavalry. Alone and disappointed, Caleb heads back East. He stops along his journey to supply an army fort and a railroad construction crew with wood. While he is in his camp, Indians surprise and capture him. While a captive, Caleb tries to fit in to the Indians’ way of life until he is able to escape. Meanwhile, his friend Joshua and the Seventh Cavalry face a major Indian battle near the Washita River.
Caught in the Plains Indian War of 1868, Caleb, along with Joan Monnet, who Caleb rescues from an Indian attack, face relentless difficulties as they struggle to survive on the open plains. I found the novel gripping as the storyline builds to an exciting and satisfying conclusion. The drama and action are evenly paced as the author molds the characters from scene to scene.
