Soldier's Heart

By Tamera Lynn Kraft

After returning home from the Civil War, will his soldier's heart come between them?

Noah Andrews, a soldier with the Ohio Seventh Regiment can't wait to get home now that his three year enlistment is coming to an end. He plans to start a new life with his young wife. Molly was only sixteen when she married her hero husband. She prayed every day for him to return home safe and take over the burden of running a farm.

But they can't keep the war from following Noah home. Can they build a life together when his soldier's heart comes between them?

Tamera Lynn Kraft has crafted a well-researched tale about the residuals of war and the lessons of patience for husbands and wives. Well done!  ~ Mary Ellis, author of Civil War Heroines Series.

In Soldier's Heart, Tamera Lynn Kraft weaves an uplifting story of the healing power of love and restoration. The historical details add notable authenticity. You won't want this story to end.

~ Ann Shorey, author of the Sisters at Heart series

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mt. Zion Ridge Press
• Release date: Jul 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781949564549

Tamera Lynn Kraft

Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures. She loves to write historical fiction set in the United States because there are so many stories in American history. There are strong elements of faith, romance, suspense and adventure in her stories. She has received 2nd place in the NOCW contest, 3rd place TARA writer’s contest, and is a finalist in the Frasier Writing Contest. Tamera been married for thirty-nine years to the love of her life, Rick, and has two married adult children and three grandchildren. She has been a children’s pastor for over twenty years. She is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire for Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist and has written children’s church curriculum. She is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry. You can contact Tamera online at her website: http://tameralynnkraft.net

Book preview

Ladies of Oberlin

Red Sky Over America, Book 1

Lost in the Storm, Book 2

The Aftermath, Book 3 (Coming Soon)

Other Books By Tamera Lynn Kraft

Resurrection of Hope

Alice’s Notions

A Christmas Promise

Lost in the Storm (Release August 1, 2019)

Forks in the Road (Coming Soon)

The Story Continues

YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT the stories surrounding this novella. Lost in the Storm, Ladies of Oberlin Book 2, tells the brave story of the Ohio Seventh during their last battles mentioned in this novella. Noah, from Soldier’s Heart, appears as a walk-on character in that novel. Fork in the Road (coming soon) tells the story of Jed Jackson’s orphaned brothers from Lost in the Storm. Red Sky Over America, Ladies of Oberlin Book 1 tells the story of Lavena’s friend and college roommate, America Leighton. Lavena is from Lost in the Storm. The Aftermath, due to release in 2020, continues the story of Nate and Betsy Teagan and Cage and Lavena. I hope you enjoy all of them.

Dedication:

I dedicate this novel to Charlotte Kraft, my mother-in-law. Charlotte spent four years waiting for her soldier, the love of her life, to return from World War II so they could marry and spend their life together. After 48 years of a wonderful life together, he passed away. This past year, she joined him in Heaven.

Editorial Notes:

The Ohio Volunteer Seventh Infantry Regiment from Northeast Ohio was considered the most heroic regiment in the Civil War. A war historian wrote, All in all, considering the number of its battles, its marches, its losses, its conduct in action, it may be safely said that not a single regiment in the United States gained more lasting honor or deserved better of its country than the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

They served a three-year enlistment from April, 1861 when the war began, to July 7-8, 1864, nine months before it ended. They were known as the Rooster Regiment and would caw like roosters as they marched into battle. Company G was from the town of Ravenna located in Portage County, Ohio.

The Ohio Seventh fought in many battles including the following:

Cross Lanes, Western Virginia, August 26th, 1861

Cotton Hill, Western Virginia, November 13th, 1861

Kernstown, Virginia (First Battle of Winchester), March 23rd, 1862

Port Republic, Virginia, June 9th, 1862

Cedar Mountain, Virginia, August 9th, 1862

Snicker's Gap, Virginia, August 21st, 1862

Second Bull Run Campaign, Virginia, August 21st- September 2nd, 1862

Antietam, Maryland, September 17th, 1862

Dumfries, Virginia, December 27th, 1862

Chancellorsville, Virginia, May 1-3, 1863

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 1-4, 1863

Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, November 25th, 1863

Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25th, 1863

Ringgold, Georgia, November 27th, 1863

Tunnel Hill & Buzzards Roost, Georgia, May 5th - 9th, 1864

Dug Gap, Georgia, May 8th, 1864

Resaca, Georgia, May 15th, 1864

Cassville, Georgia, May 22nd - 24th, 1864

Pumpkin Vine Creek, Georgia, May 25th, 1864

New Hope Church, Georgia, May 25th, 1864

The battle at Ringgold Gap was the most devastating battle the Ohio Seventh fought, coming on the heels of victory at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. Their commanding officer, Colonel William R. Creighton, and their second in command, Lt. Colonel Orrin J. Crane, died in that battle as well as an adjutant, two lieutenants, and many other soldiers. All of the remaining officers, with the exception of one, were wounded.

Out of a total enrollment in three years’ service, 17.5%, 237 men, died in battle or from wounds received on the battlefield. Another 468 men or 34.5% were wounded in some degree during battle. Another 187 men were taken prisoner, and seventeen died in Confederate prisons. Fifty seven men died of disease while another six died an accidental death, including Oliver Trembley, who fell overboard and drowned in the Ohio River while on their way to muster out of the service. He had served the entire three years.

In this story, I wanted to honor the memory of this brave regiment who were willing to sacrifice all for their country and for all the Civil War soldiers on both sides who dealt with the repercussions of soldier’s heart after the war.

Acknowledgements:

I would like to acknowledge the Portage County Historical Society, the Ohio Historical Society, and Home Camp of The 7th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry Website for helping me research this novella.

Chapter One

Friday, July 8, 1864 , Ravenna, Ohio

Noah Andrews' heart raced faster than the Ravenna Locomotive roaring along the C&P railroad tracks. It had been so long. He wondered if the bride still looked the same. Still smelled the same. Like gardenias. Like home.

When he’d joined the Ohio Seventh Volunteer Infantry Regiment the cars were filled with recruits going to war. A roar of anticipation filled the train the day they left. Over a hundred young men, in clean starched uniforms, whooped and hooted with each other about how they were going to teach those rebs a lesson they wouldn't forget. They'd be home by Christmas.

Today, the chatter was more subdued. Less than thirty men from his hometown returned with him, their uniforms faded, tattered, and stained with blood. Most of the soldiers from Company G had been wounded, taken prisoner, or killed on a battlefield. The men's faces beamed with excitement, but they couldn't bring themselves to let out the merriment they felt inside. Somehow letting out a cheer would seem disloyal to the men who didn't return.

Noah stared out the window, trying to spot familiar sights. Trees and foliage blocked the view, but occasionally wooded areas thinned out where a house stood next to a corn or wheat field. He couldn’t wait to be a farmer again, to grow crops and raise pigs on the farm his father left to him before the war. To put the horror behind him.

Even on the trip home, tragedy followed the Ohio Seventh when Oliver Trembly from Company C slipped and fell off the train. A captain had alerted the engineer, and the train had come to a slow stop as the wheels squealed on the tracks.

Soldiers jumped out and ran back to where the man fell, but it was too late. He'd already drowned in the Ohio River. Sergeant Trembly had fought in every major battle they’d faced without a scratch on him, but he still didn’t make it home.

Noah pressed against the window and squinted to catch the first glimpse of the town. It looked the same. Portage County Courthouse, a brick building with six columns and a bell tower, all painted white, stood in the center of town with the two-story, brick jailhouse beside it. It'd