The Guns of Bull Run by Joseph Alexander Altsheler
"The Guns of Bull Run" is a historical adventure novel by Joseph Alexander Altsheler, set during the tumultuous period leading up to the American Civil War. The narrative centers on young Harry Kenton, a Southern sympathizer from Kentucky, as he travels to Charleston, South Carolina, amidst rising tensions between the North and South. Through Harry's journey, readers witness the deep-seated passions and ideological divides that affect families and friends, particularly as Harry and his cousin Dick Mason choose opposing sides in the conflict yet vow to remain friends. The story introduces a diverse cast of characters, including a Northern spy named William J. Shepard and former Army officer Leonidas Talbot, each representing different perspectives during this pivotal moment in history.
As the narrative unfolds, Harry experiences the fervor of war preparations in Charleston, culminating in significant events such as the inauguration of Jefferson Davis and the fall of Fort Sumter. His subsequent return to Kentucky reveals the harsh realities of conflict, including encounters with opportunistic characters exploiting the chaos of war. Altsheler's work is the first in a series that explores the Civil War from multiple viewpoints, providing a Southern perspective through Harry's eyes while setting the stage for the Northern viewpoint in later volumes. Written in a style accessible to young adult readers, "The Guns of Bull Run" is noted for its engaging characters and vivid storytelling, making it an excellent introduction to the complexities of the Civil War era.
The Guns of Bull Run by Joseph Alexander Altsheler
First published: 1914
Type of work: Historical fiction
Themes: Friendship, coming-of-age, and war
Time of work: Winter, 1860, to fall, 1861
Recommended Ages: 13-15
Locale: Charleston, South Carolina; Lexington, Kentucky; and Richmond, Virginia
Principal Characters:
Harry Kenton , a Kentucky lad who fights for the ConfederacyDick Mason , his cousin, who fights for the UnionColonel George Kenton , his father, a leading citizen of KentuckyColonel Leonidas Talbot , his friend, the commander of The Invincibles, a Southern regimentWilliam J. Shepard , a Northern spyBill Skelly , mountaineer and guerrilla who uses the war to his own advantageArthur St. Clair , Harry’s friend, a native of Charleston
The Story
The Guns of Bull Run is a historical adventure novel. In his account of the events leading up to and including the first major battle of the American Civil War, Joseph Altsheler introduces a broad cast of characters. The story focuses on young Harry Kenton, who will sympathize with and fight for the Southern side of the conflict. Harry travels from his home in the border state of Kentucky to Charleston, South Carolina, while the world waits to see whether other Southern states will join in the rebellion. Tracing his journey, the reader is able to witness the passions and ideals of people in the South as they choose sides. Not only are cities and states split over the issues, but friends and families find themselves taking opposite sides as well. Through Harry’s eyes and ears, the reader is able to witness the pain and difficulty people face when they adhere to their beliefs in the face of a great national tragedy. Even though Harry and his cousin Dick Mason choose different sides, they pledge, before the outbreak of fighting, that they will always be friends. The reader is left to discover whether friendship can survive the bloodiest conflict the world had ever seen.
During the course of his journey to South Carolina, Harry meets and develops feelings of friendship for a mysterious young man from St. Louis named William J. Shepard. It soon becomes evident that Shepard is a Northern spy, and Harry finds himself under Shepard’s gun when he confronts him with the fact. In this scene, Shepard describes his vision of “a terrible war, crowded with mighty battles.”
By the time Harry arrives in Charleston, he has made another new friend in Leonidas Talbot, a former United States Army officer returning to his native South Carolina to serve. Charleston is a city preparing for war. The federal garrison at Fort Sumter refuses to surrender to state authority. Earthworks and siege cannon are being quickly put into place as Harry arrives along with a steady stream of other people who come to see history in the making.
Harry witnesses the inauguration of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederacy and, later, the fall of Fort Sumter. Once it is clear that there will be war, Harry returns to Kentucky to help his father try to bring the state over to the Southern side. He arrives to find an outlaw band of mountain guerrillas, led by Bill Skelly, attacking his home. Skelly fights not for any noble cause but for spite and envy of those who have achieved more than he. The battle with the Skelly band illustrates how war seems always to bring forth a class of people who will try to exploit any opportunity for personal gain.
When it becomes evident that Kentucky will not join forces with the South, Harry travels up the blue Kentucky River and across the Virginia Mountains to join his South Carolina friends at Richmond, where they have organized a regiment called “The Invincibles.” At Richmond, the reader is introduced to a series of major historical figures such as Jubal Early, “Stonewall” Jackson, Ambrose Everett Burnside, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Irvin McDowell.
As the armies muster on both sides of Bull Run, north of Richmond, all emotions run to anticipation of great events and greater danger. When the great Battle of Bull Run does come, Harry and The Invincibles have already been tested in skirmishes and smaller battles.
Context
The Guns of Bull Run is the first in Altsheler’s Civil War series. Seven other titles follow the characters of Dick Mason and Harry Kenton through the major battles of the war and on to the final meeting of the armies at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. The volumes in this series tell the story of the American Civil War from different sides in the conflict. Just as Harry provides the Southern perspective in The Guns of Bull Run, his cousin Dick offers the Northern view of the war in subsequent volumes.
As in other titles in the series, The Guns of Bull Run is written in the romantic tradition of the hero. The main characters are strong, honest, cunning, and sincere. The virtues of the hero are magnified under the stresses of battle and the struggle to survive.
As in all Altsheler’s books, the events and even the settings are taken from carefully studied historic accounts of the period. The events and the nature of the people and places depicted serve as accurate windows on the past. Altsheler is able to present history accurately but without sacrificing the book’s value as pure and exciting entertainment.
The Guns of Bull Run is especially appropriate for young adult readers. Altsheler displayed a natural gift for writing young people’s stories. His tales are vivid, and his characters come alive on the pages; they display honor, humor, and wholesomeness throughout their adventures, and they serve as admirable role models for youth. At the same time, the author uses a clear and uncluttered style of writing young readers appreciate. The Guns of Bull Run is very likely to spark interest in the American Civil War in the young reader and entice him to read further on the subject.