Rumors of Glory — Peter M. Wright

Joshua David Cole runs away from his father's farm to join the Union Army eager to fight in America's Civil War. He is wounded in battle and captured by the Confederate Army and imprisoned in a notorious military prison. In time, he escapes and walks north hoping to rejoin his regiment. En route, while sick and weak from prison abuse, he stumbles into a southern plantation depleted by war where a young southern woman lives with one remaining slave. Joshua stays for a few weeks recuperating and falls in love with Savannah Johnston. When he leaves he promises her that he will return after the war.

During his journey north, he camps with a Confederate deserter and confesses his love for Savannah. After arriving back north and rejoining his regiment, a replacement colonel declares Joshua a deserter and a trial is held. The knife in Joshua's back arrives when the deserter, now in the custody of Joshua's regiment, testifies at the trial relating the story of Joshua's weeks at the Johnston plantation and blatantly embellishing his testimony hoping to gain favor with his captors, putting Joshua's hopes in jeopardy.