Last Stand at Buffington Island

An unstoppable raid. A forgotten front. And the ordinary people caught in between.Spanning ten pivotal months in a little-known theater of the Civil War, Last Stand at Buffington Island traces the impact of two Confederate incursions into Ohio-beginning with Jenkins' Raid in September 1862 and culminating in the Battle of Buffington Island during Morgan's Raid in July 1863. But the heart of the novel lies in what unfolds between those invasions: the slow-building tension, the resilience of a community under threat, and the quiet heroism of those who refuse to stand aside.As fear and uncertainty settle over Meigs County, a quiet, rural county strategically located along a bend in the Ohio River, blacksmith Hiram Stone-a man grounded in principle-reluctantly takes up leadership and preparation of the local home guard. His daughter Lydia, thrust into caregiving when her brother is wounded in Jenkins' Raid, grows into a woman of fierce resolve. And Matthew Reynolds, a troubled Union cavalryman pursuing Morgan's raiders, becomes both witness and moral compass as the county's citizens prepare for the storm they know is coming. The mission: to stop Morgan's regiments before they can escape across the Ohio River.Rooted in the real terrain, voices, and events of southeastern Ohio, Last Stand at Buffington Island is a powerful work of historical fiction that lifts local memory into timeless storytelling. For readers who crave immersive settings, complex characters, and Civil War narratives beyond the well-worn battlefields of the South, this is an unforgettable journey.For readers who love character-driven historical fiction A Civil War novel exploring the Ohio home front Ideal for fans of immersive, terrain-rich storytelling Inspired by true events from Jenkins' and Morgan's Raids