This deeply moving story describes Union soldier Hiram Terman’s experiences during the American Civil War. Hiram joins the 82nd Ohio Regiment in 1862, where he meets two men, Seth and Isaiah, and they become fast friends. As they leave for the first march, they are excited but apprehensive about what lies ahead.
Hiram, Seth, and Isaiah face many challenges as they march from battle to battle and camp to camp. At the battle of Gettysburg, Hiram, his friends, and hundreds of soldiers are taken prisoner by the Confederates and sent to Belle Island. Death is a real possibility in the prison, so they quickly learn how to survive under the most vile conditions. Hiram is eventually transferred to Andersonville and other camps as well.
The misery of the prison camps is heart-breaking and many of the men perish. This story highlights one soldier’s admirable strength, courage, and perseverance to withstand the horrors of war, and the author does a wonderful job of describing this. The book is well-written and the character building is excellent. Max Terman offers the reader a realistic and detailed account of the battles and what camp life was like for the soldiers. I felt as if I were there witnessing first-hand what they were going through. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover the author is a descendant of Hiram, which made the story all the more interesting to read. I highly recommend this book to readers who are interested in this period of time in U.S. history.
Stephanie
You also may see my review on HNS: http://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/hirams-honor/
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