The Choice Was Gray

The Choice Was Gray tells the story of the experiences of Will Cross, a young Confederate soldier from what would eventually become West Virginia. His unit would participate in action from the first skirmish at Philippi in 1861 through the surrender at Appomattox in 1865. His company, the Upshur Grays, would serve under Stonewall Jackson in the Valley Campaign and in the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee, taking part in such major battles as the Seven Days around Richmond, Antietam, Gettysburg, the Wilderness and the final siege of Richmond and Petersburg. And, over the years of the war, Will experiences his share of romantic complicationsfirst with his childhood sweetheart, Betsy Hodges, and later with two attractive Richmond ladies. Based on an actual unit and thoroughly researched, this fictionalized account explores many aspects of army life during the Civil War, from camp routine to the terrors of battle to the ways in which the soldiers fought boredom. Detailed and engaging on a personal level, The Choice Was Gray draws you into one of Americas most turbulent times.