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off duty, and they watched out for one another in battle. They had saved each other from certain death more than once. Daniel was proud to have such a man as a friend.
    They eventually reached Joshua’s tent, and Daniel soberly read his aunt Mary’s letter while his friend made the coffee. When he had finished, he looked up to find Joshua seated at the small table he used to lay out military maps. Two tin mugs of coffee sat in front of him, and Daniel sat down and took a sip of the harsh brew. He looked at the general. “It’s from my aunt Mary.”
    Joshua’s brows knit together. “I thought she was in South Carolina.”
    Daniel shook his head. “When General Sherman went through, she made her way back up to Ohio. When she got back, she found my mother dying from pneumonia.”
    He covered his eyes with his hand. The war was coming to a close. Death, his close companion of four years, was supposed to have fled, yet here it was still, leering at him with its hideous pale face. He’d been through some of the bloodiest and most brutal battles of the war, yet this was harder than any of them.
Lord, give me strength
.
    “I’m truly sorry for your loss,” he heard his friend say quietly.
    Daniel abruptly took his cup and went to the tent flap, where he finished his coffee in one large gulp, welcoming the heat of the liquid. It helped stop the tears from forming in his eyes. If he was going to succumb to grief, he wanted to do it in private.
    “You need to go home, Daniel.”
    He had a dozen arguments ready, but they died on his lips. While the war still raged further south in parts of North Carolina and Alabama, Lee’s surrender had been the beginning of the end. It was only a matter of time now. At any rate, the Army of the Potomac, which the 4th Ohio was a part of, wouldn’t see any more action.
    His aunt had also sent word that his brothers were dead, but Daniel had already known. He had been at Cold Harbor and seen Toby lining up with a Pennsylvania regiment. He’d been shocked to see him. It had been decided at the beginning of the war that Toby would stay home and help their mother keep up the farm. He’d had every intention of finding the nineteen-year-old after the battle and figuring out a way to get him home. But there had been no chance. His brother died that very day, and having no heart to break the news to their mother, Daniel requested that Toby’s commanding officer write to tell her the news. And as for Jonah, one of his older brother’s fellow soldiers had written him. His body had never been found, but the man had been positive he had seen Jonah fall in the midst of battle, mortally wounded. With his mother and brothers gone, the farm was his responsibility now.
Like Pa always wanted
, he thought grimly. He turned back to Joshua. “General Grant is most likely still at Mr. McLean’s house.”
    Joshua rose from his chair. “If he’s not, we can ride on to headquarters.”
    Daniel slowly nodded and, putting down his cup, followed his friend out of the tent.

Chapter 4
Saturday, April 15, 1865
    K atherine walked down to the edge of the drive and stopped, raising her face to the bright spring sun. With closed eyes, she allowed the rays to play and dance on her face before steeling herself to the chore ahead.
    She was headed into Ostrander to check on the mail and buy a few things at the mercantile. Mary had written Daniel almost a month ago, and there was still no word from him. And with General Lee’s surrender a scant two weeks ago, her friend had become terribly worried.
    Katherine looked back at the sweet little farmhouse and checked her desire to go back inside. She had to do this because Mary could not undertake the task herself.
Grant me strength, Father
. Making sure her bonnet was straight and readjusting the basket on her arm, she turned and started to make her way down the dirt road.
    Her first month in Ostrander had been interesting to say the least, starting with Dorothy Kirby’s