Book excerpt: This sweeping story chronicles one young man’s experience with family and fighting during the Civil War. Drew Rennie is a rebel in more ways than one. Since childhood, he has defied the stern, unforgiving grandfather who reared him and who made no secret of his hatred for Drew’s Texan father. And when the Civil War began, Grandfather’s sympathies with the North, the smoldering feud erupted into a violent quarrel. Now, eighteen-year-old Drew has returned to Kentucky with Morgan’s Raiders, a seasoned veteran with two years of experience fighting for the South. And even though Morgan’s disastrous defeat at Cynthiana clearly reflects the Confederacy’s growing weakness, it never occurs to Drew, his spur-jingling friend Anse Kirby, or young Boyd Barrett to stop fighting. In disorder, without adequate supplies and weapons, and harried by Union soldiers, they battle their way south to join Forrest’s army. Ride Proud, Rebel! is the dramatic story of the long, agonizing retreat of the Army of the Tennessee from Harrisburg, Mississippi, where Boyd was wounded, to the rout of Selma and final surrender. Based on unpublished sources and written by a master storyteller, Drew’s adventures as a scout for Forrest during the last year of the Confederacy make not only a gripping tale but also graphically portray the courage and strength of men who met defeat with honor. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.