Stonewall's Gold: A Novel of the Civil War

by Robert J. Mrazek

Winner of the Civil War Society's Seal of Approval
Winner of the Michael Shaara Award for Civil War Fiction

Stonewall's Gold is an adventure story for readers of all ages in the classic tradition of Treasure Island and The Red Badge of Courage . Combining a fascinating and gripping narrative with a portrait of life in the Civil War-era South, it is also the moving story of a boy on the edge of manhood, taking on difficult challenges that force him to confront the world for the first time.

The year of 1864 is a difficult time to be living in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. The Civil War is drawing to a close and, under the orders of General Sheridan, Union troops have laid waste to the countryside. Against this bleak backdrop, Jamie Lockhart's mother takes on a boarder to help her eke out a living until her husband returns from the war.

Soon, someone begins desecrating local soldier's graves, and Jamie, an intrepid fifteen-year-old, discovers that their boarder is the culprit. Confronted, the boarder assaults Jamie's mother; defending her, Jamie kills him. In his personal effects Jamie discovers the item he was looking for in the graveyard, a cryptic map to Stonewall's gold. Thus begins Jamie's quest.

Along the way, Jamie is faced with the best and the worst in human nature, and meets a young girl and falls in love for the first time. He becomes privy to the hidden politics behind the war when he stumbles upon escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad, and he is also forced to confront the ugly realities of war and the absurdity of the lost cause in the final days of the conflict.

A ripping adventure yarn, a moving coming-of-age tale, and a fascinating portrait of the difficulty of life in the Appalachians at the end of the Civil War, Stonewall's Gold is a compelling novel that is certain to appeal to teacher and student alike.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Civil War, American Civil War, War, Historical

223 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 1998

About the author

Robert Jan Mrazek was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 3rd Congressonal District on Long Island for most of the 1980s.

He was born in Newport, Rhode Island, but grew up in Huntington, New York. He graduated from Cornell University in 1967. In 1967, he entered the United States Navy.

Mrazek was elected as a Democrat to the 98th United States Congress, defeating one term Republican incumbent John LeBoutillier. Mrazek served in the House from 1983 until 1993.

While in Congress, he coauthored the law that saved the Manassas battlefield from being bulldozed for a shopping center. He also authored the Tongass Timber Reform Act, the Amerasian Homecoming Act, which brought nineteen thousand children fathered by Americans during the Vietnam War to the US, and the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, which set up the federal registry in the Library of Congress to protect films of cultural importance.

Since retiring from Congress, Mrazek has written ten books. He also wrote and co-directed a feature film called The Congressman, that was released in 2016.

Mrazek is the author of seven novels, including Stonewall's Gold, Unholy Fire, The Deadly Embrace, Valhalla, The Bone Hunters, Dead Man's Bridge, and And the Sparrow Fell.

In 2000, Stonewall's Gold won the Michael Shaara Prize as the best Civil War novel of the year. In 2007, Deadly Embrace won the W.Y. Boyd Prize for Excellence in Military Fiction from the American Library Association.

Mrazek has also written two critically acclaimed non-fiction works, including A Dawn Like Thunder, which was named Best Book (American History) by the Washington Post, and To Kingdom Come, the story of a disastrous mission by the US 8th Air Force over Germany in 1943.

Reviews

[Robert Mrazek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Louis Stevenson adventure like Kidnapped except with the American Civil War as a background. Perfect for time, place, and mood.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's "Treasure Island" set in the Civil War. A good well-told story that kept me turning pages as fast as I could....based on good solid research. Mrazek really brings to life the people of the Shenandoah Valley in that last desperate winter of the Civil War. Young Jamie Lockhart is our hero who uncovers a secret which endangers his life. With the information that he has, he sets out to find a hidden treasure in a war-ravaged land. But desperate men are also looking for the treasure.... I've read a lot about the Civil War, both histories and novels, and I feel this one is up there with the best. And, as always, I ask myself the question: why couldn't this nation have avoided the terrible ordeal we went through from 1861 to 1865?

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is the last winter of the Civil War and the Union army has destroyed fields, farms and food stores to prevent the Shenandoah Valley from being a further source of supplies for the Confederate army.

Jamie Lockhart and his mother are trying to survive and keep their Port Republic farm going until Jamie's father comes home from the war.

Soon after they rent a room to a soldier, someone starts digging up battlefield graves. When Jamie sets out to identify the person, he triggers a series of events and adventures that will endanger his life and take him across northern Virginia.

The setting made the book even better for me, as it all takes place near Manassas. A solid read, a good adventure and an enjoyable historical fiction outing.

[Beth Yeary]

Thanks to the local library book sale, I obtained this book. It's a fictionalized account of gold being stolen from a train during one of the battles of the Civil WAr. Hidden away by one of the theives when they had to split up, it remains buried almost until the end of the war. A fifteen year old boy obtains the map after saving his mother from a rape, and goes off in search of the gold. Along the way, he meets all sorts of characters.

I enjoyed the story line.

[Ivonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro que te atrapa desde el inicio, muy fácil de leer, con una trama muy interesante

[ERIK SALINAS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una rápida aventura fácil de leer entretenida.

[Peter Jochinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short civil War story about some hidden gold bullion.

[Rinkafu_Ral · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy amena. Bastante interesante y algunas escenas, aunque algo crudas, muy bellas

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a young adult book but the plot is well thought out, gives historical background of the times, and is historically accurate. I read it in a day if that says anything!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A combination of the styles of Jack Higgins, Nevil Shute and Thomas Costain.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for story; three for writing. Interesting take on real happening

[Sandra Ottley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very engaging story.

[Priscilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Ilha de Tesouro de Robert Louis Stevenson colocada no meio da Guerra Civil Americana.

É bem escrito, mas pode ser mais interessante para os fãs desse período histórico.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another Civil-War-in-the-Shenandoahs historical novel, great to read after Cold Mountain. When I read this book, I thought it was based on a true story because the author gives information at the end about the Civil War soldier who is the father of the protagonist of the novel. However, I have since found out that this is not the case, it is all fiction. (There is a line between fiction and documented fact in novels and some biographies that is growing blurrier all the time, especially in children’s books.) Stonewall Jackson buried gold after the battle of Bull Run, and one of his soldiers made a map of where the gold was buried. Later, the soldier with the map died during Jackson’s victory at Port Republic, VA in June, 1862. A stranger comes to town and desecrates the graves of the soldiers there until he finds the map, which falls into the hands of 15-year-old Jamie Lockhart. Jamie vows to find the gold, but is pursued by a band of ruffians who were with the grave-digging stranger. An exciting, suspenseful story, although I was sorry to have been misled by the author’s afterword.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many reviewers said this is an adventure story for all ages. I agree that it has the feel of "Treasure Island" - except that there are at least two near-rapes in the book! Do middle schoolers really need this realism? I quit reading half way through because I got tired of the chase, violence, and near-death experiences. Checked to learn if there was any case in the Civil War concerning missing gold. Could not find such an experience and so the story just seemed too farfetched for me. Also, did not like that the author simply created a totally fictional afterward that implied there really was a Katharine Dandridge and Jamie Lockhart. At least that seems to be the case, according to another reviewer. Am going to be traveling in the Harrisonburg, VA area in the future and am glad of having read descriptions of the terrain.

[John Gschwend · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this novel to compare it with mine, "Chase The Wild Pigeons." They both have teenagers as the main characters. This story is great. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give anything away. It moves along nicely, and the relationship with the main characters is nice and believable. It takes place in the Shenandoah Valley--I've been there to research my own novel, so I could see it in my mind's eye.

If you want to read a Civil War novel where the war is the background, get this. It is well worth the time. Also, be sure you read the postscript.

[Korin Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well-written page-turner! It was a good size for a quick read. The plot is very interesting and characters very likeable. I quickly read the Explanatory Notes at the beginning but not in detail. I liked it better that way because the Ending Notes held surprises for me. I then went back and read the Explanatory Notes at the beginning again in greater detail. It paints a picture of what it was really like during the Civil War in Viriginia. Recommended! I've already passed it on to a friend.

[Diane Wachter · Rating 4 out of 5]

RDC-M V 3 1999, 5/6/13. A novel about a shipment of confederate gold bars, stolen by Union soldiers, then stolen back by a group of rebs and hidden after the Battle of Manassas. A crude coded map was made and carried by the man who hid the gold. That soldier was killed and buried at Port Republic. One of his cohorts robbed soldiers grave to find the map, but he was killed when he attacked a 15 year old boy's mother, and the lad killed him. The lad set out to find the gold, as did the other cohorts. Very good Civil War story. Truly enjoyed it.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traveling through what was left of Virginia in the last months of the Civil War with Jamie was a thoroughly absorbing journey. This story rings with authenticity and the moral agony of civil war is very clearly illustrated. The characters are alive, both admirable and pitiable, and their differing motivations and desires well defined. I would heartily recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a true adventure based in a most turbulent time in American history!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one. It is based on the belief that there was a shipment of gold coming to the Confederacy from France (I think I have that right) and the fact that it was lost. Its been numerous years since this I read this but I recall it being good and definitely worth reading. I think it gets its name from the fact that Stonewall's Troops had some part in transporting the gold.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful ride from cover to cover and a must read for any civil war readers. It's an afternoon well spent in a race and adventure equal to my childhood readings of Treasure Island, etc. Enjoy!

[Vitor Frazão · Rating 1 out of 5]

Este livro não passa de um apressando conjunto de eventos empilhados, sem qualquer tentativa séria de gerar uma ligação entre o leitor e as personagens e a história em si é fraca. Não fosse por teimosia, tê-lo-ia abandonado a poucas páginas do início.

[AraBD · Rating 1 out of 5]

Leído en español en una compilación de Reader's Digest.
No conozco mucho del tema de esta guerra y no me agradó la historia, pareciera dejar en mal al protagonista pues cometió muchos errores que para lo que estaba viviendo no parecen concordar.

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young Southern boy gets caught up in the search for a wagonload full of gold belonging to the Union. This is a sweet historical coming-of-age story.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great! Thanks to my neighbor Judy this book was a great escape for me! Historical, adventurous, fun and the ultimate escape after working all day!!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Civil-War era fictional mystery novel... a quick read but I enjoyed it very much.

[Blaine Morrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great read! Some coming-of-age, some adventure, some historical fiction: all fun and well-paced.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars/5.

[Kenneth Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun mystery set at the end of the civil war.

[Sonny · Rating 3 out of 5]

It reminded me of Treasure Island set during the American War Between the States. I liked Robert Louis Stevenson's version better.