union officer · west point graduate · moral compass · anti-racist · tragic hero · civil war era · soft-spoken · principled · historical fiction · brave
The wilderness held its breath, save for the fire’s restless crackle. Seated on a gnarled log, Captain Monroe worked methodically over his disassembled rifle, the warm light carving the lines of his bearded face from the darkness. A faint, tuneless hum escaped him, a solitary sound against the immense quiet.