John Jakes has put together a partly true story of why General Sherman did not burn down Savannah during the Civil War. It involved the Christmas season. According to history there is some truth to some of it. ( )

During the Christmas season of 1864 the city of Savannah was conquered by General Sherman and the Union Army. The city itself was the gift for Mr. Lincoln. This novel focuses on the plight of Confederate widow Sara Lester and her 12-year-old daughter Hattie. After being forced from their home "Silverglass" by the invading army they fled to Savannah to stay with family friend Mrs. Vastly Rohrschamp. Here they dealt with dwindling supplies of food, thieving soldiers and a nefarious cousin, Judge Drewgood, who wants "Silverglass" for himself. Hattie is an unbelievably defiant child who ran afoul of the General himself on several occasions but, of course, they end up with a grudging admiration for one another by story's end.

I have read quite a few Jakes books in the past but this is my least favorite. Everything just seemed a little too contrived and I did not find the rather large Mrs. Rohrschamp obsessive dwelling on Union soldiers taking 'liberties' with virtuous Southern ladies as humorous as the author did (she obviously was hoping for at least one inappropriate attack on her person). There is a lot of heart in the story though so it wasn't all bad.
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I just decided to pick a book up while at the library. Savannah just grabbed my attention when I read the summary.

Hattie and her Mother Sara are trying to save their family rice plantation in Savannah Georgia in 1864. Sherman brings his army through Atlanta and is heading right to Savannah.

Listening to the story was very entertaining. Hattie has no problem standing up to Sherman. Her mother doesn't care for the cavalrymen because she is a widow because of the war. The romances that do blossom throughout the book are very intriguing. ( )

The story focuses on a 12 year old spitfire of a girl in Savannah, just as Sherman's army has taken over the city. Overall, the book was quite disappointing. While the author might have intended to create a human picture of war and bring humor to a dark period in history, the characters are either sentimental or ludicrous: paper cutouts of a villain trying to steal land from the lovely war widow; an oversized southern bell who wishfully worries about being ravaged by the enemy, and so on. I would not be inclined to try Jakes again. ( )

The trials and tribulations of the citizens in and near Savannah, Georgia during General Sherman's infamous American Civil War march through Georgia. This is a work of historical fiction dealing with one family and their friends, relatives, and acquaintances, and a surprising outcome, told from the viewpoint of a young girl on the threshold of womanhood. ( )