A Lieutenant at Eighteen

The narrative follows a teenage cavalry officer who rises from a junior to a first lieutenant while serving with a local mounted regiment in Kentucky during the Civil War. It traces his platoon's patrols and skirmishes against guerrilla bands, participation on the flank of a larger engagement at Mill Springs, periods of capture and activity within enemy lines, a night river escape and subsequent boat voyage, and the planning and execution of operations that lead to the defeat and surrender of marauding irregulars. Episodes emphasize youthful leadership, tactical scouting, small-unit action, and the trials of soldiers on detached service.