Stewart Andrew left Ireland for the Pennsylvania Colony with nothing but a few cobbler tools, a tattered Bible, and a dream. Despite many hardships, he and his descendants laid the foundation to make those dreams come true in the New World.

His family’s sons and daughters fought the Revolutionary War against the most powerful army on Earth, and two generations later refused to bow to their perception of a tyrannical Federal government that threatened to take away their newly found freedom during the Civil War. Stewart’s dreams come full circle when his twin great-grandsons, Hiram and Martin, are faced with a heart wrenching dilemma: do they fight against the very country their ancestors established by supporting the Confederacy … or do they defend their families on the horrific home front in North Carolina?

American Spirit tells the fascinating story of these early Americans through touching scenes of love, humor, sad farewells, and faith in God combined with action-packed and detailed descriptions of battles and home front dilemmas. Author Roger Smith shares years of research along with maps, photographs, illustrations, and a detailed bibliography to create both a delightful story based on facts and a historically accurate portrait of a pivotal time in American history. In doing so, he poses an underlying, yet poignant question to the reader: Do the noble virtues our forefathers displayed in meeting the many challenges they faced still exist in American society today?