The March of the 18th

In 1864 the fate of the Union Army’s Veterans’ Reserve Corps rested on the courage of its soldiers crippled by the war, whose only desire was dignified service, even after harrowing personal sacrifice. The Veterans’ Reserve Corps was created during the Civil War to allow invalid soldiers to serve effectively, thereby freeing the able-bodied for combat. The March of the 18th is a novel wrapped around the true events of one invalid regiment forgotten as a footnote in our nation’s history. The March of the 18th is to pay tribute to veterans yesterday and today who have been cruelly struck by the violence of war, and who have persevered through the permanence of their own loss of limbs and independence. Whether from martial courage or carelessness or glaring ineptitude, a soldier will live forever with the consequences of action or accident. From an oft-wounded paternal commander and a battle-hardened sergeant we learn the value of example; from a young uncertain officer to a blind private we see the consequences of bravery, and the redemptive power of faith. The soldier of The March of the 18th lived to perform his duty for country and his brethren, and to give his own life greater purpose. The invalid soldier is a living monument to our freedom. Kevin Horgan served as an infantry officer in the USMC from 1979-1984. Kevin and his wife, Maureen, reside in Georgia. Fifty percent of the author’s royalties for this book will be donated to charities for wounded veterans. See details at www.Marchofthe18th.com.