Copperhead Moon

Battle-scarred from Gettysburg, a Union veteran returns to the Pennsylvania backwoods to wage a new war against treacherous Copperhead sympathizers, only to find his heart ensnared by a woman dangerously close to the enemy.

• Untold Civil War History: Leveraging the "war behind the lines," this narrative explores the volatile political climate of Pennsylvania's backwoods, where "Copperhead" sympathizers and Union loyalists clashed in a localized conflict as dangerous as any battlefield.
• High-Stakes Espionage and Intrigue: The plot follows Union veteran Cole Jons as he uncovers a sophisticated conspiracy involving the Knights of the Golden Circle, Confederate scouts, and high-ranking political figures aiming to destabilize the North.
• Visceral, Gritty Realism: From the brutal "rough house" fights in grimy river-town hotels to the tense, atmospheric hideouts in the Appalachian wilderness, the story delivers an unflinching look at the physical and psychological toll of civil unrest.
• Compelling Forbidden Romance: At the heart of the conflict is the friction between Cole and Christine Granly, a woman tied to his enemies, creating a "Romeo and Juliet" dynamic set against the backdrop of national fracture and local betrayal.
• Action-Driven Narrative Arc: The story transitions seamlessly from military drama to a classic western-style pursuit, featuring horse thieves, sadistic cavalrymen, and a protagonist pushed to the edge as he seeks both justice and redemption.

Returning from the blood-soaked fields of Gettysburg, Union veteran Cole Jons finds that his service to the North is far from over. Instead of the peace he seeks in his native Pennsylvania hills, he is thrust into a shadow war against the Copperheads—a treacherous movement of Northern rebel sympathizers determined to dismantle the Union from within.

Cole’s journey begins in the aftermath of a clandestine mission gone wrong, leading him through a gauntlet of military interrogation, narrow escapes from burning "Castles" of the Knights of the Golden Circle, and brutal confrontations in grimy river-town hotels. As he navigates this landscape of civil unrest, he discovers a sophisticated conspiracy involving high-ranking political figures and confederate scouts aimed at destabilizing the North during Lee's potential invasions.

At the heart of the narrative is Cole’s struggle for justice against those who beggared him, specifically the influential Senator Granly, whose political reach extends into every facet of the backwoods timber industry. Cole must leverage his military experience to ferret out a network of deserters, horse thieves, and spies, all while grappling with the realization that the man who ruined him may be the mastermind behind the local insurrection.

Amidst this atmosphere of paranoia and betrayal, Cole finds his heart ensnared by Christine Granly—a woman whose beauty and independence are matched only by her dangerous proximity to his enemies. Their "Romeo and Juliet" dynamic adds a layer of personal tension to the national fracture, as Cole must decide if his loyalty to the Union outweighs his burgeoning feelings for a woman tied to the very forces he is sworn to defeat.

Copperhead Moon is a visceral, action-driven exploration of a lesser-known facet of American history. From the "Horse Thieves’ Heavens" hidden in deep ravines to the tense, atmospheric hideouts of the Appalachian wilderness, the story provides an unflinching look at the physical and psychological toll of a country divided against itself.

Herbert Elisha "Bert" Stover, of Livonia, Pennsylvania, was a well-known area historian. Born at his homestead at the top of the mountain between Loganton and Livonia January 15, 1888, he was the son of Adam & Jessie (DeLong) Stover. He was married (June 9, 1917) to the former Elva Kyler who died in 1955. They had two daughters, Ann Stover McFate of English Center and Marjorie Murray of Williamsport; two grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Beginning at the age of 17, Mr. Stover was a school teacher. He taught in the schools of Brush Valley and schools of Huntingdon, Austin and Philipsburg. He also taught at Lock Haven State College and was the principal of the Lock Haven High School. Mr. Stover was the supervising principal of the Lewisburg School System for 25 years before his retirement in 1953. He was a graduate of Lock Haven State College and received his master's degree in Education from Bucknell University at Lewisburg. He also took several courses at PSU. After his retirement Mr. Stover did some graduate teaching at Bucknell. In the 1920s, he wrote short stories for many magazines across the country but was rejected nearly all the time. His short story "My Lesson" was accepted by True Confessions magazine in February 1929, but then the stock market crashed and the Great Depression followed. During World War II, Stover compiled a schoolbook titled History of Pennsylvania which was published in 1944 and circulated across the Commonwealth. This was followed by several historical novels that gained national acclaim, the most famous of which was Song of the Susquehanna (1949). Mr. Stover was a member of the Great Island Presbyterian Church in Lock Haven and an elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Lewisburg. He is buried at Dunnstown Cemetery.