The Sowing — Celia Hayes

delsverein: The Sowing is Volume 2 of the Adelsverein Trilogy, following the fortunes of German settlers who came to Texas seeking land and political freedom in the 19th century through the auspices of the Mainzer Adelsverein - a consortium of German nobles who formed a corporation and took up a land grant in the Republic of Texas.

In the fifteen years which have passed since "Vati" Steinmetz and his children came from Germany to Texas, they have prospered. His older daughter Magda has married former Texas Ranger Carl Becker, born him children and helped him build a happy life as a cattle rancher in the beautiful valley of the Guadalupe River. Vati's son-in-law Hansi Richter prospers as a farmer, and his son Johann has returned from years of study in Germany to become a doctor. But his beautiful adopted daughter Rosalie is in love ... with a man who intends to serve in the Confederate Army! Texas has voted for secession and to join with the Confederacy. The German settlers in the Texas Hill Country are opposed to slavery, and to secession; what will happen to them now that they will be seen as enemies in their new homeland?

Ideals, friendship and cruel circumstance clash with the coming of civil war to the Hill Country, bringing Carl Becker and Hansi Richter into mortal danger from the 'hanging band' - a pro-Confederate lynch mob, while Johann and his twin brother Friedrich are drawn into fighting on opposite sides; Johann with the Union Army, Friedrich with the Frontier Regiment.

Adelsverein: The Sowing continues the epic story of how one family became American, through the brutal tragedy of the Civil War!.