Snakebit: Prelude to War (John D. Poniske F) tom Ryan Drawing on rarely-seen documents and

Drawing on rarely-seen documents and family histories

we can in turn appreciate the force that made northern victory possible: the citizen-soldier

his agonized decision to side with Virginia when it seceded from the Union

and after the assassination these same forces used all of their resources to attempt his escape

ten postwar presidents appointed former Confederates to serve the reunited nation as Supreme Court justices

Snakebit: Prelude to War (John D. Poniske F) tom Ryan Drawing on rarely-seen documents andby John D. Poniske The Western Maryland, Garret family, struggles to maintain their farm as their neighbors argue about the slavery issue. They live in a border state where folks take both sides and emotions run hot. Their stoic matriarch, known only as "Mother" holds the family together in the absence of her dead husband. The deceased patriarch, Valentine, was a giant of a man both in stature and character. He acts as the family conscience and mentor