* Review by Kenneth D. Williams, Civil War News *

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This novel is the first installment of a planned series of five works covering the actions of the little-known men of the Marine Corps, both Federal and Confederate.

Written by a retired Navy Commander and co-founder of a U.S. Marine Civil War reenacting unit, the capture of John Brown is a historically accurate fictional accounting of the prewar event in which the Marines played a commanding role. 

Sumner does a remarkable job of fleshing out the historical account of the suppression of John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry by the Marine contingent led by Lt Israel Greene under the leadership of Bvt. Col. Robert E. Lee of the U.S. Army, assisted by Army Lt. J.E.B. Stuart.

The pages are filled with period detail; the dialogue is believable and very enjoyable.

Sumner offers plausible explanations of mysteries such as why the Marines resorted to using a ladder as a battering ram to gain entrance to the Armory engine house and why Lieutenant Greene's sword bent when striking Brown.

Even though this is a work of fiction, Sumner includes a section of photographs of the characters and maps of the Harper's Ferry environs. There is also a roster of the Marine contingent and a biography of the one Marine to be fatally wounded in the fight.

The quality of this novel makes one look forward eagerly to the future installments of the story of the Leathernecks in the Civil War.  So as the pre-"Semper Fi!" Marines would exclaim --"Fortitudine!"--With Courage.