Numbering the Bones

Title: Numbering the Bones
Author: Ann Rinaldi
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reviewer: Patrick

The story takes place during the Civil War beginning in February 1864. Eulinda is the main character in the story. She is a 13 year old slave and the illegitimate daughter of a plantation owner, Mr. Hampton Kellogg. Mr. Kellogg had a wife named Miz Gertrude. Before she died she accused Eulinda’s younger brother Zeke of stealing her ruby ring. For punishment she sells him and sends him off down south. Eulinda’s other brother, Neddy, ran off and joined the war and is now in a prison camp. Mr. Kellogg has a daughter named Annalee who is also 13 and is friends with Eulinda. Mistis is Mr. Hampton’s new wife and pretends to be sensitive to the needs of the slaves. They all live at Pond Bluff Plantation, Andersonville, Georgia.

There is a war prison in Andersonville where Yankee soldiers are held captive and die of starvation every day. 13,000 will end up dying there by the end of the war. In February 1865 Mr. Hampton gathers the slaves and tells them they are now officially free. Eulinda finds a job at the cemetery at the old prision. Rats are starting to uproot the soldiers graves and they needed help to get the cemetery in order. The story then centers around Eulinda and those who also helped with sorting out the names and dates of those who died in the prison. One clerk named Dorence Atwater kept special records that allowed them to pay respect to all the bones. Eulinda works side by side with Clara Barton, a famous nurse, and they bring honor to the prison cemetery.

My sister recommended this book to me to read. At first I did not like the story because I have not read a lot of historical fiction but as you read you become amazed at what they lived through and what they did at such a young age! I am almost the same age as the main character and have not had to experience such things. Eulinda helped by respecting those who died to make her free. I think it is a great book to read to see how far our country has come for freedom and rights. It is especially true as we are about to elect our 44th president and close to the man who helped free the slaves, Abraham Lincoln’s, birthday!