"Tree of Appomattox" by Joseph Alexander Altsheler is a historical novel set during the American Civil War. The plot follows a group of soldiers from both the North and the South as they navigate the challenges of war and battle. The author does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life and immersing the reader in the intense atmosphere of the time period.

Altsheler's writing style is engaging and descriptive, allowing readers to easily visualize the epic battles and emotional struggles faced by the characters. The story is filled with twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Overall, "Tree of Appomattox" is a captivating and well-written novel that is sure to appeal to fans of historical fiction. It offers a unique perspective on the Civil War and sheds light on the personal sacrifices made by those who fought in it. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Civil War or simply looking for a gripping, well-researched story.

Book Description:
"The Tree of Appomattox" concludes the series of connected romances dealing with the Civil War, begun in "The Guns of Bull Run," and continued successively through "The Guns of Shiloh," "The Scouts of Stonewall," "The Sword of Antietam," "The Star of Gettysburg," "The Rock of Chickamauga" and "The Shades of the Wilderness" to the present volume. It has been completed at the expense of vast labor, and the author has striven at all times to be correct, wherever facts are involved. So far, at least, no historic detail has been challenged by critic or reader.

More than half a century has passed since the Civil War's close. Not many of the actors in it are left. It was one of the most tremendous upheavals in the life of any nation, and it was the greatest of all struggles, until the World War began, but scarcely any trace of partisan rancor or bitterness is left. So, it has become easier to write of it with a sense of fairness and detachment, and the lapse of time has made the perspective clear and sharp.

However lacking he may be in other respects, the author perhaps had an advantage in being born, and having grown up in a border state, where sentiment was about equally divided concerning the Civil War. He was surrounded during his early youth by men who fought on one side or the other, and their stories of camp, march and battle were almost a part of the air he breathed. So he hopes that this circumstance has aided him to give a truthful color to the picture of the mighty combat, waged for four such long and terrible years.