The Return of the O'Mahony: A Novel

Zeke Tisdale looms large over Company F, a ragged Civil‑War unit that has followed him from the first skirmishes to the grim winter in the trenches. Though his hair and beard betray no gray, stories of daring exploits in Utah, Nicaragua, and beyond have turned him into a living legend among the men, even if his official record never caught up. Zeke’s charm is a paradox: a fearless fighter when the guns roar, yet a solitary, hard‑to‑tolerate companion when the campfire burns low.

Now the regiment is thrust into the soggy Virginian spring, marching through swampy meadows and tangled woods toward the uncertain backcountry of the South‑West. Food is scarce, morale frays, and the soldiers cling to a newly‑granted fire for warmth while whispering about the mysterious orders that have sent them far from the main lines. As the rain patters over their makeshift camp, the men must confront hunger, dissent, and the looming question of what awaits them beyond the next ridge.