The Lost Guidon
The Lost Guidon is a historical novel by Mary Noailles Murfree, set in the American Civil War. It tells the story of a young Confederate soldier, Johnnie Gordon, who is sent on a mission to retrieve a lost guidon, a flag that serves as a symbol of a regiment's honor. Johnnie is sent on a dangerous journey through enemy lines, and he must rely on his wits and courage to survive. Along the way, he meets a variety of characters, including a Union soldier who helps him on his mission, a Confederate spy, and a mysterious woman who may be a Confederate spy as well. Johnnie's journey is filled with danger and adventure, and he must make difficult choices in order to complete his mission. In the end, he discovers the truth about the lost guidon and learns the importance of honor and loyalty.
By Mary Noailles Murfree · First published 1911 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance · 6,303 words
First lines
Night came early. It might well seem that day had fled affrighted. The heavy masses of clouds, glooming low, which had gathered thicker and thicker, as if crowding to witness the catastrophe, had finally shaken asunder in the concussions of the air at the discharges of artillery, and now the direful rain, always sequence of the shock of battle, was steadily falling, falling, on the stricken field. Many a soldier who might have survived his wounds would succumb to exposure to the elements during the night, debarred the tardy succor that must needs await his turn. One of the surgeons at their hasty work at the field hospital, under the shelter of the cliffs on the slope, paused to note the presage of doom and death, and to draw a long breath before he adjusted himself anew to the grim duties of the scalpel in his hand. His face was set and haggard, less with a realization of the significance of the scene -- for he was used to its recurrence -- than simply with a physical reflection of horror, as if it were glassed in a mirror. A phenomenon that had earlier caught his attention in the landscape appealed again to his notice, perhaps because the symptom was not in his line.
What this Textopian page supports
The Lost Guidon is listed on Textopian as a novel by Mary Noailles Murfree, dated 1911 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Mary Noailles Murfree
- Date: 1911 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance, Mystery
- Length: 6,303 words
- Structure: 1 section, 88 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Lost Guidon by Mary Noailles Murfree
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Lost Guidon?
- How does this novel by Mary Noailles Murfree fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The Lost Guidon is set in the American Civil War and follows the story of a Confederate soldier, making it a historical fiction novel.
- Adventure — The novel follows the protagonist's journey as he embarks on a quest to find the lost guidon, making it an adventure story.
- Romance — The novel contains a romantic subplot between the protagonist and a woman he meets during his journey, making it a romance novel.
- Mystery — The protagonist must solve the mystery of the lost guidon, making it a mystery novel.
Tags
Fiction · Mountain life · Short stories · US Civil War · battle · came · chaplain · day · dovinger · duval · field · girard