In the thrilling sequel to Road to Antietam, Tom E. Hicklin's debut novel, the American Civil War enters its third year, and the men and boys of the Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry quickly learn that the devastating events of the Battle of Antietam were just the beginning. The battles get larger and the fighting more brutal, and the casualty rates rise as both sides come to realize that they are pitted in a desperate conflict that will define the future of the United States. In every major battle of the Eastern Theater, the Eighth is there. At places like Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania, they fight to win...and survive.


Meanwhile, on the home front, the losses take their toll. Families are torn apart, people are pushed to the brink by grief and despair, and the Galloway family is no exception. Illness and death hang over the family like a shroud.And through it all, one young man battles grief, guilt, and temptation as he struggles to stay alive long enough to make it home.