The Journey to Delphos: Kopp Chronicles, #3

By Gregory Kopp

The Tuileries Palace in Paris and the Antebellum Plantations of New Orleans are the backdrop for a young soldier's journey to save an immigrant family and the destiny of a young nation as the Kopp Chronicles sweeping saga of "An Immigrant American" and "A Trace of Royalty" continue.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kopp Company
• Release date: Mar 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781520717432

Gregory Kopp

Gregory Kopp is an Amazon 5-Star Author, Graduate of Northwestern University and a Principal Consultant for Kopp Company, a privately held firm. Gregory is also a Talent Ambassador for The Walt Disney Company. The 5 Star acclaimed Kopp Chronicles series of novels have been nominated for Reader's Choice Awards, Goodreads Choice Awards and numerous "Cover of the Month" & "Book of the Day" Honors. The novels also received a glowing review and is a featured "First Lines" in "Publishers Weekly", an international news website of book publishing and bookselling.

Book preview

Chapter One

Spring, 1853. On the outskirts of Karlsruhe, the capital city of the Grand Duchy of Baden.

He was running as fast as he could through the clearing towards the woods. He heard a shot ring out. A Prussian officer on horseback was galloping behind and gaining on him. He began to take off parts of his uniform, dropping his rifle, then his coat, the vest and finally the sword and belt. He tossed them aside and ran faster. He hoped his legs would hold out until he reached the bramble bushes up ahead. He hoped the thorns on the bushes would stop the officer’s horse.

The Prussian officer was holding his sword as he spurred his horse forward shouting Halt, come back here, you deserter!

He ignored him and ran faster. Finally, he reached a small break in the bramble bushes at the edge of the woods and dove head first into a hole in the ground left by a farmer. He crawled quickly on his belly through the bushes, scratching himself on the thorns, to another small hole and covered himself with dried leaves and tried to quiet his labored breathing.

The Prussian officer’s horse suddenly reared up its front legs as it reached the thorn bushes and the officer grabbed the reins more tightly to avoid being thrown headfirst onto the ground. He cursed loudly and walked his horse back and forth around the edge of the clearing and stuck his sword into the bushes looking for an opening. There was no movement and he soon grew tired. Slowly, he turned his horse and headed back to camp. Meanwhile, another group of Prussian soldiers came galloping up with swords raised.

Did you catch him? The lead soldier on horseback cried out. The Prussian officer shook his head and pointed at the bushes. The other soldiers started to swing their swords at the bushes, but again with no result. Come on, let’s go, and leave him to the wolves! The Prussian officer cried. The other soldiers gathered their reins and turned their horses back towards camp.

Chapter Two

The runaway soldier’s name was Johannes. After the 1849 Baden revolution collapsed, he was impressed into the Prussian army because of his previous military experience gained in the Grand Duke’s army.

Earlier that day, he was given his orders from the Prussian officer to evict any of the remaining revolutionaries out of their homes in the small village outside the capital city of Karlsruhe. Good loyal Prussian soldiers and their families would then move into these vacated homes after the former residents were evicted. He was becoming more and more disgusted as whole families were being uprooted and or killed by the Prussian soldiers when they refused to leave. He knew it was only a matter of time before it was discovered that he harbored sympathy for those citizens that marched and fought with him in the revolution. Bounties were being awarded to anyone who could point out a Baden revolution sympathizer.

The Prussian officer ordered him to remove the woman and her children from the first house they encountered as they arrived in the village. He banged on the front door and ordered the occupants to leave as he had done a hundred times before. A tired looking young woman with disheveled hair and worn clothing answered the door with a small child in her arms and another one holding onto her leg. He raised his rifle and pointed it at her and told her to move out of the doorway.

She suddenly looked up in surprise as she recognized him. He was with her husband who was killed