Captain Levi Graybill

 I’m now writing the last half of my fourth Civil War novel. Being a Texan, all four books center on two specific Confederate regiments—the 6^th Texas Infantry in the first book, Whittled Away, and the 5^th Texas Infantry in the McBee “Honor” trilogy. In this last McBee book-in-progress, Defiant Honor, for the first time, I’m also focusing on a specific historical Union regiment—the 22^nd US Colored Troop Regiment. I wrote a blog post about the 22^nd USCT last year, but here’s a review and a little more.  

In real life on September 29, 1864, the 22^nd USCT charged the earthworks held by the 5^th Texas during Grant’s siege of Richmond, the Confederacy’s capital city. The attack was the penultimate (next to the last) battle of the war for the 5^th Texas.

As a novelist, I could not have created a better “opposition force” for Defiant Honor’s climatic near-final battle. Sometimes history fills the bill quite nicely. Just as the 5^th Texas was one of the elite regiments in Lee’s Confederate army, the 22^nd USCT became one of the most well-known regiments of African-American soldiers in Grant’s Union army.

Both regiments had literally covered themselves in glory in earlier battles, so that when they met on the earthworks that crossed New Market Road south of Richmond, it really was a confrontation between two heavy-weight champs.

Happily, I found a complete roster of the 22^nd USCT regiment online. I picked one company in the regiment to bring to life, because I needed a company for the book’s villain, murderer and turn-coat Adam Samuelson, to be assigned as a junior lieutenant.

 Because I liked the name of one captain on the roster more than the other nine captains’ names, I chose Company E, led by Captain Levi Graybill.  Then I identified half a dozen enlisted men in Company E, whose historical fates were described in the roster, and made them book characters. Two brothers named Canon die of disease as the real Canon brothers did, others are killed in battle, some live through the war.

Then, unexpectedly, I found a period daguerreotype portrait of the three officers of Company E. In the photo below, there sits the real Captain Graybill, flanked by his two lieutenants. Look at the fellow on the left. He was a lieutenant I’ll leave unnamed, because I think he is a spitting image of my fictional character, Adam Samuelson. The big sweeping hat brim of a Virginia cavalier, his long hair offsetting a tiny trimmed chin beard and heavy mustache. He fits the Adam Samuelson character I’ve sculpted through three books. Another puzzle piece falls into place.

And since I’ve drawn your attention to three men in uniforms, just for fun, here’s an image my wife took yesterday of grandson Jackson and me in our unintended “uniform of the day.” I especially like our crocs. His light up, but mine don't.