One day Mariah comes face to face with a Confederate general wanting access to the mansion. General Nathan Bedford Forrest wants the mansion for the impending battle, and the wounded afterwards. From the second story, he surveys the neighboring property destined to be the Frankland battlefield. His presence draws Carrie McGavock out of her grief and self-pity. The battle takes place and Carrie becomes the saving grace of the wounded, dying and dead. She works to save those she can and attempts to protect the graves of those who didn't survive. Carrie takes up the cause against the neighbor wanting to plow up the dead soldiers buried in his field. It's a cause for the history books.

The Widow of the South is a blend of fiction and true historical accounts, an engaging read full of powerful battle scenes and emotional accounts. Carrie is far from the perfect heroine. Her sanity is at one time in question when she beats a man for falling in love with her. Mariah is the stronger of the two women. Readers will appreciate her view of the story. This is one of the fascinating things about this novel -- the various views narrated by the main characters.

The audio book version is performed by Tom Wopat, Becky Ann Baker, David Chandler, and Jonathan Davis. Each breathes life into their character, intensifying the writer's scenes of grief, fear and passion. CD five has an interview with the author, who shares the historical facts behind the novel and the beginnings of a museum, which represents her and the fallen in the cemetery. It's a touching listen worth passing on.