Lizzie's War

In late 1860, eight-year-old Lizzie Courtney's idyllic life in the village of Franklin, Tennessee was stirred by rumors of war. Within a few short years, her life descended into chaos. When Tennessee broke from the Union, Lizzie's beloved brother William joined the Confederate army, while his mother and sisters remained loyal to the United States. By early 1862, Union occupation consumed Franklin, bringing with it conflict and hardship-and for some folks, hope. Then on November 30, 1864, the Northern and Southern armies faced off on the fields and roads in and around Franklin, leaving thousands of dead and wounded soldiers behind. Lizzie's life would never be the same, and she would never forget the terrible years of the Civil War.