Xanthakos Family Trilogy by Susan F. Craft, Reviewed by Tina Rice

Xanthakos Family Trilogy by Susan F. Craft

 The Chamomile book 1 Xanthakos Family Trilogy by Susan F. Craft

What does a sister do when her brother, Andrew, is captured by the British and placed aboard a notorious prison ship? There is only one answer for Lilyan Cameron, join the Patriot spies and rescue him. Having a plan is one thing, carrying out that plan is another thing all together. Nicholas Xanthakos leads the rescue mission and ultimately captures Lilyan's heart. But Lilyan's struggles and challenges don't stop there. She faces dangers that she never dreamed of and fought for her family in ways she never imagined. I loved her strong character, faith and devotion to her family and friends...even to the point of placing her own life in danger. Nicholas is another character that captured my heart. I loved his strength, moral character, faith and dedication to his beliefs...even if it leads to danger and possibly death. Angus McCallum, a hot tempered Scot and self-appointed guardian to Lilyan and Andrew after their father died, soon became a favorite too. He had a tender heart but didn't want anyone to know it.

The Chamomile is a story that I will long remember. It is filled with historical details of the British-occupied 1870's Charlestown, South Carolina in such a way that I could envision the area as if I was there among them. I got caught up in the lives of the characters, the dangers and challenges they faced which kept me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath and tears at times. There is joy, laughter and love woven through their war-torn lives that gives us a taste of all they faced. A fantastic, gripping story that is well worth staying up late into the night to see what comes next. This is now one of my favorite books.

Susan F. Craft’s novel The Chamomile won the SIBA Okra Pick and is a Christy Award nominee.

Laurel book 2 Xanthakos Family Trilogy by Susan F. Craft

Lilyan and Nicholas (Nikki) Xanthakos are desperately searching for their kidnapped—soon to be one year old—daughter, Laurel. Their search takes them hundreds of miles from their home in the Blue Ridge Mountains, NC of 1783 to Baltimore, MD. They are not alone in their search, good friends search with them and at locations along the way. They do not rely solely on their own strength, their strong faith and trust in God empowers them on their quest. Each clue brings hope and then disappointments, even tragedy. While at Lilyan's old home in Charleston, she is arrested and thrown into prison for the murder of a British officer during the Revolutionary War. Now facing trial and possible hanging, Lilyan digs deeper into her faith for strength...and yes, hope.

This story captured my interest from the first page to the last. I found myself holding my breath at certain times in the story. I really liked the unique blessing/prayer Lilyan and Nikki said together before they began their search for their daughter. Even in prison, God used Lilyan as she witnessed to some of the women there. Their journey was an arduous one, full of unknown dangers, unexpected situations, tragedies, pain, heartbreak, joy, humor, a terrible storm at sea and shipwreck, forgiveness, love and strong faith. There are many of the characters that I enjoyed reading about and hope to see more about them in another book. The life-style of the 1780's was a hard one, calling for hard-working, strong, brave and God fearing people to settle the land, which is clearly shown in this story. Unexpected twists and turns in the story line that kept me guessing to the end. One line really spoke to me, “...one can survive the terrible, unspeakable pain—God will sustain us if we let Him...”  Even though I have not read the first book, Chamomile—yet, I could follow along with the characters. I do plan to read Chamomile soon.

Cassia book 3 Xanthakos Family Trilogy by Susan F. Craft

Cassia is the third book following Lilyan and Nikki Xanthakos' family. April 1799, Lilyan and Nikki have taken their family—sons, Paul and Marion and daughter, Laurel—on a voyage from their South Carolina home. Lilyan hopes this voyage is uneventful, however her hopes were dashed when they were marooned on a deserted island along North Carolina's Outer Banks. Lilyan, Paul and Laurel are captured by pirates and taken to a secret island hideout of the evil Captain Galeo (the Shark). How can she save her children? Will Nikki and Marion find them before it's too late?

This is a story full of adventure, suspenseful—tense situations, and evil pirates that keep you on the edge of your seat. I like the way Lilyan and Nikki's strong family love and devotion, along with their strong enduring faith impacts their family and those around them. One thing I love, that has been included in each book, is the unique blessing Lilyan and Nikki have. Lilyan's determination to survive is felt as she prays for guidance and forms plans to escape. There are some humorous parts of the story that had me chuckling—like when Marion said, “I am book-ended by weeping, happy women”. The budding romance is sweet to watch even in the mist of fear and possible death. Susan Craft weaves history throughout the story in great detail making this a fantastic story.

Susan F. Craft’s novel Cassia is a Christy Award nominee.

Reviewer Tina Rice is a lovely new addition to the Colonial Quills blog! She lives in historic Maryland and is an avid reader of Christian fiction. Tina is Beta reader for many Christian fiction authors and is active in social media. You can find her reviews here, monthly, on Colonial Quills blog.

Bluestockings Society, a Mid-1700s Feminist Group

By Susan F. Craft
Author of the Xanthakos Family Trilogy -
The Chamomile, Laurel, and Cassia

        The Bluestockings Society, also known as the Bluestockings Circle, an early example of feminism, was a women’s social and educational movement founded in England in 1750. The founders wanted to provide an informal setting where women could expand their knowledge by conversing freely with other women and men of learning.
        The society’s discussions about education, literature, and art constituted a revolutionary change from traditional, non-intellectual pursuits for women who were expected to master “more feminine” skills of needlework, knitting, and music, while only men attended universities. 

Elizabeth Montagu

        It was considered “unbecoming” for a woman to know Greek or Latin and almost immodest for women to be authors, which explains why female authors of that time wrote under pseudonyms.


        Led by Elizabeth Montagu and Elizabeth Vesey, the society included prominent women of English society, though some males were invited to join the group.

        There are disputes about the society’s origins and name. Some say the name came about from Benjamin Stillingfleet, a popular guest who had given up society and didn’t have clothes suitable for an evening party, which included black stockings, and so he wore more informal daytime wear of blue worsted stockings to the meetings.


Benjamin Stillingfleet

         Many of the Bluestocking women supported each other in intellectual endeavors such as reading, artwork, and writing. Many also published literature. Author Elizabeth Carter (1717–1806) was a Bluestocking Society advocate and member who published essays and poetry and translated works of Greek philosophers.
        Contemporary author Anna Miegon wrote about bluestockings in her Biographical Sketches of Principal Bluestocking Women.
        Much of society scorned and ridiculed the “unfeminine” pursuits. Thomas Rawlandson published this satirical drawing of the group in 1815.

        The group had its admirers, though. In 1786, Hannah More published a poem, Le bas bleu, in defense of the bluestockings. The poem praised the bluestocking assemblies and attempted to show that conversation was more desirable than fashionable pursuits. 

Hannah More

        There’s a scene in my recently released 1790s historical fiction, Cassia, where Lilyan Xanthakos explains slavery to her daughter Laurel. Impressed with her mother’s knowledge, Laurel asks her how she came to know so much.
        “I’m glad you think so, my dear.” Lilyan crossed one ankle over the other and knit her fingers together on her lap. “But to answer your question, my father encouraged me to read. And I’ve done so all my life.”
        “You weren’t fearful of being dubbed a bluestocking?”

 

The Xanthakos Family Trilogy

Cherokee Cooking

Susan F. Craft
Author of the Xanthakos Family Trilogy -
The Chamomile, Laurel, and Cassia


three sisters - corn, beans, squash

         Cherokee culture thrived for thousands of years in what is now the southeastern United States. Cherokee is a distinct culture with its own geography, language, social organization, and spiritual beliefs. There are seven Cherokee clans: Bird, Paint, Wild Potato, Wolf, Blue, Deer, and Long Hair. Historically, Cherokee women were the heads of families and households and were economically powerful. The Cherokee language is not only spoken, but also written using 86 letters developed by Sequoyah.
        The Cherokee ate mainly corn and beans and squash, called the three sisters, which they grew in their fields.
        To get the highest yield of beans possible, the vines need tall poles to grow on, which is why they were planted next to the corn. The corn's tall straight stalks were perfect for the climbing vines of the bean plants. In turn, the beans’ roots captured nitrogen from the air and enriched the soil, ideal for the corn which needs nitrogen rich soil to produce a large crop. Squash send out very long, winding vines, have large leaves, and like to stay close to the ground. Planted in between the rows of corn and beans, they acted as an edible ground cover, which not only kept the weeds away, but also provided shade for the corn's shallow roots. They helped keep the ground moist, which helped the beans grow, which helped the corn grow higher, which made for longer bean vines and yields, and so on.
        The three plants play a large part in many Native American myths and legends. The Cherokee believed that, since the plants were special when grown together, they should also be eaten together. They also believed that since they protected each other while growing, they would protect whoever ate them.

wild onions

        The Cherokee also ate deer, birds, squirrels, groundhogs, rabbits, fish, crawdads (crayfish), and turtles. They did not live entirely from farming and got much of their food from gathering foods such as: wild greens, wild onions, polk, mushrooms, ramps, nuts, green cone flower, watercress, huckleberries (blueberries), and blackberries. (Tea made from the huckleberry leaves was used for dysentery.)


Polk, dla-ya-de-i, harvested in May and late April,

required three changes of water when boiling to

reduce the acid. As polk grows older it becomes

poisonous. The berries are said to be poisonous

as well, but Cherokee basket makers used the

berries for a dye.

huckleberries

      

















Watercress with hot bacon grease poured
over  it was served with beans and corn bread.

Before contact with the settlers, Cherokee meals were one-pot stews made over an open fire. After contact, the tribe began to grow fruit like watermelons and peaches and to eat farm animals like chicken, pigs, and cows.
       



        In my Revolutionary War novel, The Chamomile, my heroine travels with a group of Cherokee. One in particular, Golden Fawn, prepares a meal for them. Here’s the excerpt:
        That evening they dined on roasted squirrel and trout along with sweet bread Golden Fawn made from cornmeal mush wrapped in green corn husks and baked next to the glowing coals. Andrew could not seem to get enough of the spongy bread, eating his portion and half of Lilyan’s.


The Xanthakos Family Trilogy spans from 1780-1836 and from the Blue Ridge Mountains, to Charleston, SC, and the NC Outer Banks. (The Chamomile; Laurel; Cassia )



Weathervane - Colonial American Doppler

        Earlier this month, my dear state of South Carolina suffered a terrible weather event that caused torrential, unprecedented rain, flooding, loss of life, and devastation that will take us years to recover from. For days on end, I watched TV weathermen point to maps and describe what the moving arrows and different colors meant. I then watched in horror as that data became rife with meaning in the videos of people climbing out second-story windows of their homes as raging flood waters swept away their vehicles and belongings. Water climbed steadily up and up, finally engulfing their homes. The bravery of trained first responders, as well as ordinary people, played out before us as my husband and I sat in the safety and comfort of our home, unable to help. Fortunately, we live on a hill and suffered no damage. Our only inconvenience was having to boil our water for several weeks. But our hearts were broken upon learning that many people, including dear friends and church members, lost everything and upon seeing the havoc wreaked upon our cities, communities, farms, bridges, dams, and roads.
 

When I began to consider a topic for my Colonial Quills post, I wondered how Colonial Americans forecasted their weather. I came across the fascinating history of weathervanes.

Weathervanes, also called “wind vanes,” are one of the oldest forms of predicting weather. They get their name from the Old English word “fane,” which means flag or banner. They were used as far back as 3,500 years ago in Mesopotamia; by the Chinese in the 2nd century B.C.; by Vikings in the 9th century (bronze depictions of animals and creatures of Norse myth); and by ancient Greeks and Romans on their homes.

Following a papal edict, 9th century Europeans put weathervanes on their church roofs to ward off evil and to proclaim good faith. The edict declared that every church in Christendom must be adorned by a cockerel, a symbol to remind Christians of Peter’s betrayal of Christ: "I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me." (Luke 22:34)

 It follows that the rooster was a popular shape for weathervanes in Colonial America. Colonial craftsmen soon began to branch out with designs that included farm animals such as horses, pigs, cows, sailboats, fish, and whales. Indian figures and eagles were also popular. 

Colonial American farmers and sailors used weathervanes and almanacs to help predict weather. It may sound archaic, and mistakes were made, but weathervanes helped with agricultural production and fishing, and so, were a valued contribution to the success of our country.

To commemorate the Revolutionary War, George Washington commissioned a weathervane of a “Dove of Peace” to put on his home at Mount Vernon. When it arrived in August 1787, Washington was in Philadelphia and was concerned about its installation. He wrote to his secretary/nephew, "Great pains...must be taken to fix the points truly; otherwise they will deceive rather than direct - (if they vary from the North, South, East, and West) - one way of doing this may be by my Compass being placed in a direct North line on the ground at some distance from the House."

Dove of Peace weathervane on the cupola

of Mount Vernon.

Thomas Jefferson designed a weathervane so he could read it from inside his home in Monticello.

At his blacksmith's shop, Paul Revere had a weathervane in the shape of a codfish.

How weathervanes work:

Weathervanes must be attached on the highest point of a structure, away from tall buildings, balanced on their rotating axis. Wind blows against a weathervane spinning it, and the end with the least surface area turns into the wind, indicating the wind’s direction.

Here's a montage of some interesting weathervane designs.

Susan F. Craft is the author of the Xanthakos Family Trilogy - The Chamomile, Laurel, and Cassia - inspirational romantic suspense that spans from 1780-1836 and from the Blue Ridge Mountains, to Charleston, SC, and to the NC Outer Banks.

Cockades - Political Lapel Pins and Military Rank Badges

By Susan F. Craft
Author, Xanthakos Family Trilogy

       
        Cockades, handcrafted ribbon rosettes, served as the political lapel pins of yesteryear. People wore them to identify themselves with their political stance, to declare their loyalty, to support their troops, and to show patriotism.

        At the time of the Revolutionary War, men pinned cockades on the side of their tricornes or cocked hats or on their lapels. Women also wore them on their hats or in their hair. 


George Washington wears a cockade.

        During the American Revolution, the Continental Army initially wore cockades of various colors as a form of rank insignia.
        In July 23, 1775, General George Washington wrote: “As the Continental Army has unfortunately no uniforms, and consequently many inconveniences must arise from not being able to distinguish the commissioned officers from the privates, it is desired that some badge of distinction be immediately provided; for instance that the field officers may have red or pink colored cockades in their hats, the captains yellow or buff, and the subalterns green.”


Brigadier General Francis Marion

          After a time, the Continental Army reverted to wearing the black cockade they inherited from the British. Later, when France became an ally of the United States, soldiers pinned the white cockade of the French Ancien Régime onto their old black cockade; the French reciprocally pinned the black cockade onto their white cockade, as a mark of the French-American alliance. These cockades became known as the "Union Cockade."
        By the time of the War of 1812, however, Americans had reverted to black cockades.
        A fantastic step-by-step demonstration of "How to Make an 18c Cockade" can be found on the blog, American Duchess, Historical Costuming at http://americanduchess.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-make-18th-c-cockades.html
        According to some historians, on April 19, 1775, when colonial militias confronted British troops at Concord’s North Bridge, they marched to the tune of “The White Cockade.” This was a traditional Scottish tune that celebrated the attempt by Bonnie Prince Charlie to reclaim the British throne for the House of Stuart. Colonists were familiar with this “rebellious” tune as a country dance and a fife and drum piece. You can hear this tune by going to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me_LOrsFLsE

Susan F. Craft is the author of the Xanthakos Family Trilogy, a series of inspirational historical suspense novels including:
The Chamomile

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1941103685/

Laurel

http://www.amazon.com/dp/194110391X/

and Cassia

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1941103731/

 

.

Doctrine of Signatures - Early Medicine

Susan F. Craft

        The doctrine of signatures refers to the concept that “nature marks each growth according to its curative benefit.” In other words, herbs and plants that resemble various parts of the body can be used to treat ailments of those parts of the body.
        The concept was developed in the early 1500s by Paracelsus and was followed throughout centuries and around the world until the late 1700s when scholars realized that there was no scientific evidence that plant shapes and colors helped in the discovery of medical uses of plants.
        There was a theological justification for the doctrine, as stated by botanists like William Coles who lived until the late 1600s. He said that God would have wanted to show men what plants would be useful for them. He supposed that God had made “herbes for the use of men, and hath given them particular Signatures, whereby a man may read ... the use of them.” Coles's The Art of Simpling and Adam in Eden, stated that walnuts were good for curing head ailments because in his opinion, "they Have the perfect Signatures of the Head." He also wrote, "The little holes whereof the leaves of Saint Johns wort are full, do resemble all the pores of the skin and therefore it is profitable for all hurts and wounds that can happen thereunto."
        Many colonial women who created their own “medicine kits” to care for their families and friends brought the idea of the doctrine of signatures with them when they travelled from Europe to the colonies.
        The concept of signatures is reflected in the common names of some plants whose shapes and colors reminded herbalists of the parts of the body where they were thought to do good, as for instance:

Eyebright used for eye infections

Lungwort for pulmonary infections

Toothwort for dental problems

Carrots for the eyes

Mushrooms for the ears

Walnuts for the brain

Beans for the kidneys

       







        Lilyan, the main character in my The Xanthakos Family Trilogy, is not only a portrait and mural artist she is a healer who cares for her family and friends with medicines from her kit that she has assembled over the years.

        For a chance to win a copy of Cassia, the third book in the trilogy, can you guess what the tomato was used for according to the doctrine of signatures? I will select a winner from among the people responding to this question.

Susan F. Craft is the author of the historical romantic suspense series, The Xanthakos Family Trilogy. Cassia, the last book in this series, will be released September 14, 2015.

Pirates and Their Weapons

Susan F. Craft
Author, The Xanthakos Family Trilogy

        I'm sharing some of the history about pirate weapons I found while researching for my novel, Cassia, which takes place in the NC Outer Banks and along the Atlantic Coast in 1799.
        Contrary to what we have seen in movies, for real fighting pirate captains big floppy boots, belts with huge buckles, and long swords would have been nuisances. Instead of long swords, they used curved cutlasses that wouldn’t interfere with their mobility in climbing tangled ropes and boarding other ships.

        They wanted to be able to shoot often, so they carried multiple smaller pistols. The infamous pirate, Blackbeard, was known to carry as many as eight pistols attached to his clothing with fabric hooks.

Two images of Blackbeard



   Long distance weapons, though rare, included six-foot spears called boarding spikes. Boarding axes were used to cut netting strung to make it harder to board. These axes were also used to break down doors once the pirates were aboard.

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        Here’s another weapon that’s yucky, but interesting—caltrop.

        In the 1700s, pirates would sometimes toss caltrops onto the decks of the ships they wanted to capture. These diabolical little antipersonnel weapons remind me of current-day jacks from the game Ball and Jacks (well, sort of). About an inch tall, they were fashioned out of iron or steel with four barbed-wire like points, constructed in such a way that, no matter how they landed, one point was always sticking up.

        The reason behind this weapon? Eighteenth century sailors went barefoot, mostly for comfort, but also because it made it easier to climb up into the sail rigging. So, if you stepped on a caltrop, it was mighty painful and would delay you from fighting back as pirates boarded your ship.
        Barbaric -- you think?

Susan F. Craft is the author of The Xanthakos Family Trilogy, historic romantic suspense: The Chamomile (Revolutionary War and winner of the SIBA Okra Pick, re-released in April 2015); Laurel (post-Revolutionary War, released in January 2015); and Cassia (1799-1836) to be released September 2015--publisher is Heritage Beacon imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. 

Women Pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Read

By Susan F. Craft

(In honor of my novel, Cassia, which will be released by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, Heritage Beacon, this coming September, I plan to write my blogs for the rest of the year about PIRATES. Argh!!!)

       

 

        Anne Bonney, born in the late 1660s in County Cork, Ireland, was the illegitimate daughter of William Cormac, a lawyer, and his housemaid. The family immigrated to a plantation in Charleston, SC, where she grew up and eventually eloped with James Bonney, who took her to a pirates’ lair in the Bahamas.
        She left Bonney in 1718 to become the mistress of Captain John “Calico Jack” Rackham. She claimed that Bonney had turned informant in order to receive the king’s pardon offered by Bahamian Governor Woodes Rogers. She sailed with the captain on his sloop Vanity and, dressed as a man, soon became an infamous pirate. She had a child by Rackman and retired from piracy long enough to deliver the baby. She left her infant son with friends in Cuba and returned to piracy.
        Mary Read, born about 1690 in Plymouth, England, was the illegitimate daughter of a woman whose seaman husband left on a long voyage and was never heard from again. When their money ran out, Mary’s mother took her to London to ask her mother-in-law for help.
        The woman didn’t like girls, so Mary’s mother dressed Mary as a boy and made her pretend to be her son. Mary masqueraded as a boy for many years, even after the woman died. After working as a footboy to a French woman, she enlisted as a male in a foot regiment in Flanders and later in a horse regiment, serving with distinction.
        Giving up her double life, she fell in love with and married a fellow soldier, and they became innkeepers of the Three Horseshoes in Holland. Her husband died young, and when Mary’s finances dwindled, she reverted back to men’s clothing and went to sea on a Dutch merchant ship. English pirates commandeered the ship that eventually was overtaken by Captain Rackman.
        Anne and Mary discovered each other’s cross-dressing secret and became close friends. Mary fought in a duel to protect her fiancé, killing her opponent. They became known as ruthless and bloodthirsty “fierce hell cats,” with violent tempers.
        In late October 1720, Rackman's ship was attached by a British Navy sloop. The drunken male pirates quickly hid below deck, leaving Anne and Mary to defend their ship, but they were soon overwhelmed, and the entire crew was captured and taken to Jamaica for trial.

        Captain Jack and the male members of his crew were tried on November 16, 1720, and sentenced to hang. Anne and Mary were tried one week after Rackham’s death and were also found guilty. But at their sentencing, when asked by the judge if they had anything to say, they replied, “Mi’lord, we plead our bellies.” Both were pregnant.
        British law forbade killing an unborn child, so their sentences were temporarily stayed.
        Some say Mary died of a fever in prison before the birth of her child. Other reports say she escaped.
        There is no record of Anne’s execution. Some reports say her wealthy father bought her release after the birth of her child, and she settled down to a quiet family life on a small Caribbean island. Others believe she lived out her life in the south of England as a tavern owner and entertained the locals with tales of her exploits.



Susan F. Craft is the author of a SIBA award-winning Revolutionary War suspense, The Chamomile, and its sequel Laurel. The third novel in this trilogy, Cassia, will be released this September. 

Memorial Day, A Time to Honor and Remember

        In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, NY, the birthplace of Memorial Day.
        They did this because on May 5, 1866, the town held a service honoring veterans who had fought in the Civil War.

In a General Order in Washington DC, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan said, The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.
        We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose, among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion."
        What can aid more to assure this result than by cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their death a tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the Nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of free and undivided republic.

        Other towns, including Macon and Columbus, GA, Richmond, VA, Boalsburg PA, and Carbondale, IL, claimed to have had earlier ceremonies, but their events were considered informal and not community wide.

        For example, on April 25, 1866, a group of women in Columbus, MS, decorated the graves of Confederate soldiers killed at the Battle of Shiloh. When they saw that nearby graves of Union soldiers had fallen into neglect, the women put flowers on their graves as well.
        Memorial Day, once called Decoration Day, ceremonies were held on May 30 throughout the US, and the Army and Navy adopted regulations on how to properly observe the day at their facilities.
        At the end of World War I, the observance was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday to be observed on the last Monday in May.
        The passing of “The National Moment of Remembrance Act” by Congress in December 2000 encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.
        Let us pause today to honor and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

 

 

Susan F. Craft is the author of a Revolutionary War suspense, The Chamomile, and its sequel, Laurel. A third book in the trilogy, Cassia, will be released September 2015.