I have heard about the hard times both soldiers and civilians faced during the Civil War. In school, the teachers covered how supplies were scarce and people often went with little food and clothing. How there was a hatred on both sides just based on not much more than the fact that they were enemies. But, even though I knew prisoners were taken, that fact was not mentioned very often, and how they were treated didn’t come up much at all.

Tracy Groot gives a voice to how things were for the Union captives of one prison in The Sentinels of Andersonville. Alternating mainly between one Union prisoner, a few Confederate soldiers, and a Southern family, the tortuous conditions of Andersonville Prison, and how they were often overlooked, the story relates what happened. The struggles of both sides become evident.

Though they were oblivious at first, the central Southern characters come to realize that the other side is still made up of people, who don’t deserve the inhuman treatment they get in prison. The Union prisoner also realizes that Confederates are humans, too. Throughout the book, compassion and mercy, and doing the right thing even when it isn’t popular are stressed. People go against their own family and friends to do what is right and what needs to be done to help others.

In the end, though disgrace and harm come to the characters, they come together as an extended family. The Christian principle of loving everyone, even your enemy is prevalent in the story. It provides an illustration of how we should live that out.

With enough details to make the story come alive in my imagination, but not enough that I became disgusted with it, it was hard for me to stop reading.

I received a free copy of The Sentinels of Andersonville from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for and honest review.