Death+on+the+River



Main characters: Jake Clay - main character - joins the Army at age 18; gets captured and sent to Andersonville camp Billy Sharp - inmate at Andersonville that helped Jake escape; raider Sam - raider; dies on the ship //The Sultana// Wirz - captain of the camp at Andersonville William Collins (Mosby) - leader of the raiders The Raiders - gang of people worked together to survive Jim Clay - Jake Clay's brother Nathanial - a boy who is killed by Billy and Jake (Nathaniel tried to be friendly to Jake)

Summary: In June of 1864, the Civil War is raging across America. The Confederate States of America are dying, but are determined to put up a fight to the end. At a small skirmish in Georgia, young Union soldier Jake Clay is captured in the heat of battle and taken to the Confederate Prison Camp, Andersonville. There he is exposed to the dire conditions subjected to the Union Prisoners of War. Overcrowding, starvation, and disease are daily parts of life and the struggle to survive is a battle in itself. Full of light and never willing to give in to death, Jake teams up with the clever and sly, Billy Sharp. Billy is untrustworthy and willing to to do whatever it takes to survive, even if it meant to commit murder. Andersonville is ruled with Raiders, who terrorize the camp, killing innocent people for their own needs and wants. Billy and Jake join the Raiders group to help with survival but later the Raiders, along with their leader, get taken away.