Summary

During the summer of 1861, there are political speeches and events, accompanied by brass bands, throughout southern Illinois. As much to distract themselves as to learn news of the war, people drive from town to town, attending speech after speech.

The Creightons learn of the first battle of Bull Run, a Union defeat that forces people to consider that the war might not be ended so easily or quickly as they had hoped.

Jethro’s brother, Tom, and cousin, Eb, decided to join the war effort as soon as they can, while another brother, John, and his teacher, Shadrach, decide to wait until mid-winter.

Tom and Eb leave in late summer, at a time when the Creightons are receiving more news of Union defeats, including one at Wilson’s Creek, not so far away.

Jethro’s brother, Bill, speaks to him about his internal conflict, hating slavery but also hating the way that the South has been treated by the North.

After a disagreement that escalates to physical violence, Bill is beaten by his brother, John, and leaves to fight for the South.

An intriguing aspect about Across Five Aprils is that the novel tries to depict the war for what it very likely was to a child who was living through it, although not yet entirely understanding it.

The author discusses historical figures not as they probably were, but as they were likely perceived by the people who placed their hopes in them. Public opinion is volatile, and swings back and forth throughout the book.

The war becomes complicated for Jethro when his brothers quarrel over it, and particularly when he learns that Bill has gone off to fight for the South. He wants the North to win, but he wants his brothers on both sides to be safe.

He has watched two brothers and a cousin go off to war, and knows that another will be off soon, along with his teacher, Shadrach.