Project Gutenberg 2005-01-04 Public domain in the USA. 112 Optic, Oliver 1822 1897 Adams, William T. (William Taylor) Adams, William Taylor The Soldier Boy; or, Tom Somers in the Army: A Story of the Great Rebellion Produced by Bill Tozier, Barbara Tozier and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. "The Soldier Boy; or, Tom Somers in the Army: A Story of the Great Rebellion" by Oliver Optic is a historical novel written during the mid-19th century, set amidst the American Civil War. The narrative follows young Tom Somers, a sixteen-year-old boy filled with patriotic fervor, as he aspires to join the Union Army in response to the escalating conflict after the attack on Fort Sumter. The preface indicates that the story is a mix of personal adventure and a reflection on patriotism, depicting not only Tom's youthful enthusiasm but also the broader sentiments and societal implications of the time. The opening of the book introduces Tom Somers as he reacts to the news of the Fort Sumter surrender, which incites a passionate desire to enlist in the military. This eagerness quickly leads to a confrontation with a young neighbor, Fred Pemberton, who expresses treasonous views siding with the South. The intense dialogue illustrates the dividing sentiments present in their town of Pinchbrook, while Tom’s fervor culminates in physical altercations, drawing the attention of local citizens. Through a series of stirring family discussions and the eventual decision to enlist, both Tom's character and the context of the era are vividly painted, establishing the emotional stakes as he prepares to leave home for war, reflecting the tension of a nation divided. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 79.1 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Juvenile fiction PZ Text US Civil War Children's Fiction Category: Historical Novels Category: Adventure Category: American Literature 455720 2025-07-06T10:22:52.924985 text/html 448757 2024-10-28T21:37:54 text/html 255868 2025-07-06T10:23:01.964955 application/epub+zip 261185 2025-07-06T10:22:56.342976 application/epub+zip 233986 2025-07-06T10:22:55.068992 application/epub+zip 570780 2025-07-06T10:23:06.223914 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 544106 2025-07-06T10:23:01.106957 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 455149 2022-09-07T17:18:53.030378 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 422515 2023-09-07T04:14:05.152649 text/plain 402575 2024-10-28T21:37:54 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 17454 2025-07-06T10:23:06.353879 application/rdf+xml 23465 2025-07-06T10:22:55.573930 image/jpeg 4567 2025-07-06T10:22:55.321925 image/jpeg 248832 2025-07-06T10:22:52.959941 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia More titles under Ashton, Warren T.