"Love and Valor"

is a tremendously moving American story told through actual Civil War letters between Captain Jacob and Emeline Ritner. Their letters tell the story of a Union captain from Iowa and his wife, who maintained a family and farm during the war. The devotion they shared to each other, patriotism, loneliness, and anguish shines through with each word in this heart wrenching correspondence.

Originally published in 2000, this update after 20 years includes additional stories and many pictures that Jacob and Emeline's great great grandson, Charles Larimer, has collected since the initial publication.