James Rada, Jr.

The Civil War has come to the Freeman testing loyalties and love. Can the Fitzgeralds survive it?As the Fitzgerald family struggles to make it through the winter of 1862-1863 after a poor year of boating on the C&O Canal, the Civil War draws ever closer to being fought aboard the Freeman. George Fitzgerald's unexpected return from the battles of the Civil War pits him against David Windover, an ex-Confederate spy, who now works and lives with the Fitzgeralds.
Alice Fitzgerald struggles to hold her family together as a vindictive sheriff and a haughty doctor's wife work to tear them apart. Tony, the street urchin from Cumberland, has found a life aboard the Freeman, but Sheriff Lee Whittaker has other ideas for the ex-thief. Elizabeth is growing older and finding herself torn between the canal and becoming a lady. Together, the Fitzgeralds have met every obstacle, but how will they fare if the divisive forces around them separate them?This new "25th Anniversary Collection" edition of Between Rail and River features, for the first time in print, the short story, "The Race." The book itself has been re-edited and reformatted for an easier read, and historic pictures of the canal have been added throughout the story to create the ultimate way to enjoy the adventures of the Fitzgerald Family.