The Starbuck Chronicles
Encyclopedia
The Starbuck Chronicles are a series of historical fiction
novels by British author Bernard Cornwell
set during the American Civil War
. They follow the exploits of a young Boston
-born Confederate
officer, Nathaniel Starbuck
.
Four novels have been written; the series is still unfinished due to Cornwell's commitment to other projects, however he has stated on many occasions he wishes to return to the character's story.
after the fall of Fort Sumter
, Charleston, South Carolina
when Starbuck is trying to visit his friend Adam Faulconer. Starbuck is saved from an attack by Richmond's patriotic residents (who think he is a Yankee spy) by Faulconer's rich landowner father, Washington Faulconer. Faulconer wishes to raise a regiment to fight the Yankees, Starbuck is appointed one of Faulconer's aides with the rank of second lieutenant. He is there by circumstance not for politics. Starbuck is then tasked with recruiting a tough Mexican-American War veteran, Thomas Truslow who lives in the fictional Faulconer County
, to the regiment, he succeeds only by dedicating the grave of Truslow's wife and officiating in the marriage of his wayward daughter Sally Truslow. Many other events occur between this and the start of the hostilities and the rather pompously named Faulconer Legion marches off to the First Battle of Bull Run
. It is here that Starbuck alienates himself from Faulconer. The next book, Copperhead, follows Starbuck during the period of the Union invasion of the Confederacy by the Army of the Potomac under General McClellan. The third book, Battle Flag, is set in the aftermath of the defeat of McClellan. The fourth book, The Bloody Ground, follows Starbuck as the Confederate army under Robert E. Lee invades the North, culminating in the Battle of Antietam Creek.
A supporting character in the series is Patrick Lassan, the son of Richard Sharpe
, the star of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe
series.
- The main protagonist of the novels, Nate is a young Boston-born Yale
theology
undergraduate who finds himself in Richmond upon the outbreak of the civil war. He is described as tall, handsome and clean shaven with gray eyes and long dark hair.
Washington Faulconer - A wealthy Virginia
land owner who uses his own finances to raise the Faulconer Legion which he also commands. He is described as tall and fair with a square cut beard and blue eyes.
Thomas Truslow - A farmer whose past ventures include fighting in the Mexican-American War and various criminal activities. He is pursued by Washington Faulconer to enter the Legion and is persuaded to by Nate Starbuck. He begins life in the legion as the most respected (feared) sergeant and is elevated to the rank of captain after the battle of Cedar Mountain
. The novels describe him as squat, tough and bearded.
Sally Truslow - The daughter of Thomas Truslow and after the outbreak of war she becomes a whore at Richmond's most exclusive establishments. She is described as not older than 16 in the first novel and of breathtaking beauty.
Adam Faulconer - The son of Washington Faulconer and best friend of Nate Starbuck. He begins as being described as similar in appearance to his father and despite being an officer in the Legion contains a strong pacifist streak. At the end of Copperhead he leaves the Legion and crosses the lines to fight for the Union.
Belvedere Delaney - A lawyer in Richmond who works in some capacity for the Confederate army but also is a spy for the north. He uses his position to empower and enrich himself and has many business interests including Sally's brothel. He is described as rotund and with a perfect set of teeth. He is the half brother of Ethan Ridley the main antagonist in Rebel.
Patrick Lassan - A French Cavalry colonel who begins the story as an observer in George McClellan's
army but crosses the lines with Nate Starbuck and rides with the Confederate cavalry. He is described as tall and dark haired with a scarred face with an eye patch. He is the son of Richard Sharpe
and carries his heavy Napoleonic cavalry sword.
Thaddeus "Pecker" Bird - The Faulconer county school master and brother in law of Washington Faulconer. He is described as tall and thin with a long beard and bobs his head back and forth which has earned him the nickname Pecker. Although firstly thought of as an eccentric fool he gains the respect of the legion with his natural battle leadership abilities.
, the central unit of the Starbuck Chronicles.
and his lack of support. After returning from Richmond he finds recruitment for the Legion is in full swing, and at least 10 companies have been recruited, along with a squadron of cavalry and two crews of artillery. Faulconer is the regiment's first colonel, his senior officers are Major Pelham, a veteran of the Mexican-American War, and Major 'Pecker' Bird, Faulconer's brother-in-law and a schoolmaster
by profession. Major Danson is the Legion's initial surgeon
and the local doctor
. Shortly after the enlistment of Thomas Truslow and his backhills men, Faulconer leads an attack on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
which fails. It was an unfortunate start to the war for Faulconer and, during the attack he shows a distinct lack of military judgement; although Falcouner thinks of himself as a competent soldier and tactician. Faulconer however puts it behind him and prepares for war.
army, however Major Pelham suffers a heart attack
and dies before the Legion leaves, a great blow to the men as Pelham was a popular leader. The Legion then marched to Roskill railhead, They bundle on to a train to Manassas
and are assigned to Colonel Nathan Evans
' brigade. Faulconer does not trust Evans' military judgement and seeks out General P.G.T. Beauregard to be moved closer to where he believes the action will be (on the Confederate right). Nathaniel Starbuck, whom Faulconer has dismissed and sent back to the Union lines, has discovered the advancing Union
troops under David Hunter
and Samuel P. Heintzelman
. He informs Evans of their positions and the Legion, under the command of Major Bird, marches to repel the Federal attack. The regiment fights the advancing Union troops well, but Faulconer and his aide Ethan Ridley return and Faulconer is disgusted by both Bird and Starbuck's insubordination. In the renewed Union attack Captain Adam Faulconer is wounded and the Legion collapses, Faulconer tries to rally them but is himself wounded. In the panic Truslow and Bird save the colours. Faulconer claims that Starbuck killed Ethan Ridley, but this is put down to delirium, his claims are true however.
After the battle an embittered and wounded Faulconer is promoted to brigadier general and Major Bird takes command of the Legion.
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
novels by British author Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell OBE is an English author of historical novels. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe which were adapted into a series of Sharpe television films.-Biography:...
set during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. They follow the exploits of a young Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
-born Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
officer, Nathaniel Starbuck
Nathaniel Starbuck
Nathaniel Starbuck is a fictional Confederate Army officer, Copperhead, and the main character in Bernard Cornwell's Starbuck Chronicles.- Life before the books :...
.
Four novels have been written; the series is still unfinished due to Cornwell's commitment to other projects, however he has stated on many occasions he wishes to return to the character's story.
- Rebel (1993)
- Copperhead (1994)
- Battle Flag (1995)
- The Bloody Ground (1996)
Plot overview
Rebel begins in Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
after the fall of Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter.- Construction :...
, Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
when Starbuck is trying to visit his friend Adam Faulconer. Starbuck is saved from an attack by Richmond's patriotic residents (who think he is a Yankee spy) by Faulconer's rich landowner father, Washington Faulconer. Faulconer wishes to raise a regiment to fight the Yankees, Starbuck is appointed one of Faulconer's aides with the rank of second lieutenant. He is there by circumstance not for politics. Starbuck is then tasked with recruiting a tough Mexican-American War veteran, Thomas Truslow who lives in the fictional Faulconer County
Faulconer County
Faulconer County A fictional county in the state of Virginia, a setting in the Starbuck Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell set during the American Civil War....
, to the regiment, he succeeds only by dedicating the grave of Truslow's wife and officiating in the marriage of his wayward daughter Sally Truslow. Many other events occur between this and the start of the hostilities and the rather pompously named Faulconer Legion marches off to the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
. It is here that Starbuck alienates himself from Faulconer. The next book, Copperhead, follows Starbuck during the period of the Union invasion of the Confederacy by the Army of the Potomac under General McClellan. The third book, Battle Flag, is set in the aftermath of the defeat of McClellan. The fourth book, The Bloody Ground, follows Starbuck as the Confederate army under Robert E. Lee invades the North, culminating in the Battle of Antietam Creek.
A supporting character in the series is Patrick Lassan, the son of Richard Sharpe
Richard Sharpe (fictional character)
Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. The stories formed the basis for an ITV television series wherein the eponymous character was played by Sean Bean....
, the star of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe
Richard Sharpe (fictional character)
Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. The stories formed the basis for an ITV television series wherein the eponymous character was played by Sean Bean....
series.
Major characters
Nathaniel "Nate" StarbuckNathaniel Starbuck
Nathaniel Starbuck is a fictional Confederate Army officer, Copperhead, and the main character in Bernard Cornwell's Starbuck Chronicles.- Life before the books :...
- The main protagonist of the novels, Nate is a young Boston-born Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
undergraduate who finds himself in Richmond upon the outbreak of the civil war. He is described as tall, handsome and clean shaven with gray eyes and long dark hair.
Washington Faulconer - A wealthy Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
land owner who uses his own finances to raise the Faulconer Legion which he also commands. He is described as tall and fair with a square cut beard and blue eyes.
Thomas Truslow - A farmer whose past ventures include fighting in the Mexican-American War and various criminal activities. He is pursued by Washington Faulconer to enter the Legion and is persuaded to by Nate Starbuck. He begins life in the legion as the most respected (feared) sergeant and is elevated to the rank of captain after the battle of Cedar Mountain
Battle of Cedar Mountain
The Battle of Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter's Mountain or Cedar Run, took place on August 9, 1862, in Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks attacked Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Thomas J...
. The novels describe him as squat, tough and bearded.
Sally Truslow - The daughter of Thomas Truslow and after the outbreak of war she becomes a whore at Richmond's most exclusive establishments. She is described as not older than 16 in the first novel and of breathtaking beauty.
Adam Faulconer - The son of Washington Faulconer and best friend of Nate Starbuck. He begins as being described as similar in appearance to his father and despite being an officer in the Legion contains a strong pacifist streak. At the end of Copperhead he leaves the Legion and crosses the lines to fight for the Union.
Belvedere Delaney - A lawyer in Richmond who works in some capacity for the Confederate army but also is a spy for the north. He uses his position to empower and enrich himself and has many business interests including Sally's brothel. He is described as rotund and with a perfect set of teeth. He is the half brother of Ethan Ridley the main antagonist in Rebel.
Patrick Lassan - A French Cavalry colonel who begins the story as an observer in George McClellan's
George McClellan
George B. McClellan was an American Civil War military leader, Presidential candidate and Governor of New Jersey.George McClellan may also refer to:*George McClellan , American physician who founded medical schools...
army but crosses the lines with Nate Starbuck and rides with the Confederate cavalry. He is described as tall and dark haired with a scarred face with an eye patch. He is the son of Richard Sharpe
Richard Sharpe
Richard Sharpe may refer to:*Richard Sharpe *Richard Sharpe *Richard Sharpe , Professor of Diplomatic at the University of Oxford*Richard Sharpe , English football player...
and carries his heavy Napoleonic cavalry sword.
Thaddeus "Pecker" Bird - The Faulconer county school master and brother in law of Washington Faulconer. He is described as tall and thin with a long beard and bobs his head back and forth which has earned him the nickname Pecker. Although firstly thought of as an eccentric fool he gains the respect of the legion with his natural battle leadership abilities.
Faulconer Legion
The Faulconer Legion is a fictional regiment of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Confederate ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
, the central unit of the Starbuck Chronicles.
Formation
Shortly after the beginning of the war, Washington Faulconer was determined to set up a regiment free of state government control because he was unimpressed by Robert E. LeeRobert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
and his lack of support. After returning from Richmond he finds recruitment for the Legion is in full swing, and at least 10 companies have been recruited, along with a squadron of cavalry and two crews of artillery. Faulconer is the regiment's first colonel, his senior officers are Major Pelham, a veteran of the Mexican-American War, and Major 'Pecker' Bird, Faulconer's brother-in-law and a schoolmaster
Schoolmaster
A schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere.The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
by profession. Major Danson is the Legion's initial surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
and the local doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. Shortly after the enlistment of Thomas Truslow and his backhills men, Faulconer leads an attack on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
which fails. It was an unfortunate start to the war for Faulconer and, during the attack he shows a distinct lack of military judgement; although Falcouner thinks of himself as a competent soldier and tactician. Faulconer however puts it behind him and prepares for war.
First Battle of Manassas
On the Fourth of July the fully equipped Legion marched to Seven Springs to be sworn into the ConfederateConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
army, however Major Pelham suffers a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and dies before the Legion leaves, a great blow to the men as Pelham was a popular leader. The Legion then marched to Roskill railhead, They bundle on to a train to Manassas
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
and are assigned to Colonel Nathan Evans
Nathan Evans
Nathan Evans may refer to:*Nathan Evans , American politician*Nathan George Evans , American soldier...
' brigade. Faulconer does not trust Evans' military judgement and seeks out General P.G.T. Beauregard to be moved closer to where he believes the action will be (on the Confederate right). Nathaniel Starbuck, whom Faulconer has dismissed and sent back to the Union lines, has discovered the advancing Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
troops under David Hunter
David Hunter
David Hunter was a Union general in the American Civil War. He achieved fame by his unauthorized 1862 order emancipating slaves in three Southern states and as the president of the military commission trying the conspirators involved with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.-Early...
and Samuel P. Heintzelman
Samuel P. Heintzelman
Samuel Peter Heintzelman was a United States Army General. He served in the Seminole War, the Mexican-American War, the Yuma War, the Cortina Troubles, and the American Civil War, rising to the command of a corps....
. He informs Evans of their positions and the Legion, under the command of Major Bird, marches to repel the Federal attack. The regiment fights the advancing Union troops well, but Faulconer and his aide Ethan Ridley return and Faulconer is disgusted by both Bird and Starbuck's insubordination. In the renewed Union attack Captain Adam Faulconer is wounded and the Legion collapses, Faulconer tries to rally them but is himself wounded. In the panic Truslow and Bird save the colours. Faulconer claims that Starbuck killed Ethan Ridley, but this is put down to delirium, his claims are true however.
After the battle an embittered and wounded Faulconer is promoted to brigadier general and Major Bird takes command of the Legion.