Savannah, or, A Gift for Mr. Lincoln — John Jakes

Georgia, 1864: Sherman's army marches inexorably from Atlanta to the sea. In its path, the charming old city of Savannah, where the Lester ladies … attractive widowed Sara and her feisty twelve-year-old daughter Hattie … struggle to save the family rice plantation. When Sherman offers the conquered city to President Lincoln as “a Christmas gift,” Hattie and the feared general find themselves on a collision course the will astonish both of them.

In this rousing new tale, “the godfather of the historical novel” tells a story of battlefield danger, wartime romance, and indomitable courage. The rich cast of characters included a corrupt judge who positively exudes Dickensian wickedness; a fast-talking, piano-playing reporter from New York; a pair of thwarted young lovers; a raffish Indiana cavalryman; a valiant former slave who practices bird calls with surprising results; and a whole bagful of rascals, rebels, and real soldiers who marched with Sherman.

Together they bring to life an almost-forgotten moment in the Civil War … a season of simmering hostilities, rising hopes, and empty stockings … perhaps the most strife-torn yet heartwarming Christmas in all of American History.