Trooper Hansel — R. William Rogers

Set around the battlefields of Lexington, Missouri, this is the mostly-true story of Willard ‘Bud' Hansel and Zeke ‘Junebug' Jamison. It depicts the grim realities of the downright hatred and vengeance that shaped the lives of those who fought the Civil War.

With the 1st Illinois Cavalry having nearly been wiped out on an obscure hillside somewhere near Lake Of The Ozarks, in Missouri, Bud regains consciousness amid the protection of the branches of a fallen tree. As the far-away sounds of battle continue farther down the hillside he wonders what fate has befallen his best friend, Junebug.

With Junebug having been taken prisoner by a rag-tag squad of Rebs it is up to Bud to free him. He manages to get it done, but not before his friend suffers ruthless abuse at the hands of one of the Rebs in particular, a low-life no-account named Akers.

With the battle lines having been drawn, Bud and Junebug set out to find Akers and get their payback. However, their mission in life gets seriously sidetracked when they are taken prisoner at William Jacks Ferry.

This fact-filled historical story is packed with abuse, vengeance, the high-risks of spying on the enemy, and the levity that having a devoted friend can bring to the otherwise unthinkable hardships and chaos that was the Civil War.