Thirteen Fallen Horses
Speaker: Justin Collmann

Justin Collmann's debut historical fiction novel, Thirteen Fallen Horses, tells the story of Charles Russell Lowell, a cavalry officer in the Union Army, and explores the psychological and emotional toll of war on a young man burdened by family expectations and trauma.

In the spring of 1861, Charlie, a young man haunted by his father's failures and troubled by a lung damaged from consumption, is working a boring administrative job at an ironworks in Western Maryland. When the Civil War breaks out, he becomes an officer in the Union Army and looks forward to a glorious adventure. He fights at the battle of Antietam and distinguishes himself on the field but is shocked by the immense carnage, a total of 23,000 casualties in a single day.

When he returns home to Massachusetts to lead a new regiment, Charlie meets a young woman and falls in love. He balances the strain of command with this new romance and feels conflicted by his desire to stay home and have a family and the continued pressure to serve a role in the war. He experiences a mutiny in which he shoots and kills one of his own soldiers. With his return to the front pending, and haunted by the killing of his own soldier, Charlie faces a decision between his duty to his wife and his desire to serve his country.

"In Thirteen Fallen Horses, Union cavalry officer Charles "Charlie" Lowell is brought to life by Collmann through meticulous research, tremendous empathy, and beautiful prose. This debut novel explores the complexities of war and glory with sensitivity and insightfulness, illuminating both the horrors of the Civil War and the humanity of those who fought it."

- T. Greenwood, author of Two Rivers, Bodies of Water, and Keeping Lucy

Justin Collmann lives in Washington, DC where he enjoys spending time with family, friends, and his cat, Clementine. He loves music and plays the guitar and sings. He has always had a passion for history and been fascinated by the American Civil War since childhood.

Northwest Neighbors Village is a local non-profit dedicated to building a supportive community where older adults are valued and age with dignity. We are delighted to offer these programs for free to our neighbors, and keep you engaged and learning. To learn more about us or to support our efforts to enable older adults to thrive in Northwest, DC, please visit our homepage.

Thank you for your interest in our program!

Our membership dues only account for 1/3 of our budget, and we rely on the support of generous donors to continue to create and share engaging programs with the community. If you enjoy this program, please consider making a donation to Northwest Neighbors Village.