Johnny loves his uncle and his master's mule, but he hates being a slave. So when he's asked to join the Union army, he accepts. Being a soldier is hard work, and Johnny wonders if he made the right choice. But when the army needs him, Johnny knows it's up to him to come to the rescue!

With simple but engaging text, paintings, and an illuminating author's note telling the true account of a young slave who joins the Union Army, this tale of a real person's role in the Civil War is ideal for beginning readers and burgeoning history buffs. Full color.