Project Gutenberg 2004-01-01 Public domain in the USA. 209 Alcott, Louisa May 1832 1888 Barnard, A. M. Alcott, Louisa M. (Louisa May) Alcott, L. M. (Louisa May) On Picket Duty, and Other Tales On picket duty -- The king of clubs and the queen of hearts -- The cross on the old church tower -- The death of John. Text file produced by Charles Aldarondo HTML file produced by David Widger "On Picket Duty, and Other Tales" by Louisa May Alcott is a collection of war stories written during the mid-19th century. The opening tale, "On Picket Duty," explores the lives and emotions of soldiers stationed on the frontlines during the American Civil War, focusing on themes of love, camaraderie, and sacrifice. Key characters include Thorn, Phil, Dick, and Flint, each representing different facets of the military experience and personal struggles amidst the horrors of war. At the start of the story, the soldiers are gathered under the moonlight, sharing thoughts and reminiscing about their loved ones back home as they complete their night watch. The conversation reveals their personalities and backgrounds, from Thorn's gruff exterior hiding deeper feelings, to Dick's romantic nature, and Flint's pragmatic humor. As they share tales of their romances and experiences, the emotional weight of their surroundings contrasts with their playful banter, hinting at the underlying tensions of war. This initial interaction sets the stage for a deeper exploration of their lives and relationships throughout the collection, emphasizing the bond formed among comrades during intense times. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 78.8 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Short stories, American PS Text Category: Short Stories Category: American Literature Category: History - American Category: History - Warfare 225075 2025-07-02T12:49:23.689134 text/html 227812 2021-02-26T01:01:01 text/html 161373 2025-07-02T12:49:29.807096 application/epub+zip 161636 2025-07-02T12:49:26.590116 application/epub+zip 149942 2025-07-02T12:49:25.448101 application/epub+zip 295337 2025-07-02T12:49:32.252153 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 281362 2025-07-02T12:49:29.099106 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 247963 2022-09-03T05:07:29.016204 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 194676 2025-07-02T12:49:23.209158 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 194522 2018-03-10T14:07:34 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 192687 2013-04-24T08:18:54 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 192679 2013-04-24T08:18:42 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 22519 2025-07-02T12:49:32.399166 application/rdf+xml 13233 2025-07-02T12:49:25.949164 image/jpeg 3297 2025-07-02T12:49:25.695194 image/jpeg 77957 2018-03-18T06:27:02 application/octet-stream application/zip 77696 2013-04-24T08:19:08 application/octet-stream application/zip 82114 2021-02-26T01:01:04 application/octet-stream application/zip 77675 2013-04-24T08:19:08 application/octet-stream application/zip 157836 2025-07-02T12:49:23.708122 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