Duty and Honor: The Second Novel in the Drieborg Chronicles

In the summer of 1862, the United States is gripped by the brutal reality of the Civil War, a conflict far longer and bloodier than anyone anticipated. Michael Drieborg, a young farm boy in rural Michigan, longs to serve the Union cause but is torn between duty to his family and the life he has built on the farm. His fate takes a dramatic turn one Saturday morning when he intervenes to protect a young boy from bullying, only to strike the bully—the son of the town’s influential banker. Arrested and charged with assault, Michael is presented with an impossible choice: go to jail or join the Union cavalry unit being raised nearby.

Against his parents' wishes, Michael leaves behind the only life he has known and answers the call to arms. What begins as the reluctant departure of a naive farm boy soon evolves into a journey of self-discovery, honor, and sacrifice. From the harsh realities of training camp to the political intrigues of Washington, D.C., Michael finds himself entangled in a love affair with a congressman's daughter and thrust into the unimaginable horrors of battle.

Duty and Honor chronicles one young man’s path to becoming a seasoned cavalryman, navigating the complexities of duty, love, and loss amidst the devastating tides of war. As Michael faces the tragedies of battle and the growing weight of leadership, his story becomes one of courage and sacrifice in the face of a nation torn apart.

Dr. Michael J. Deeb is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He completed his undergraduate studies at Aquinas College, earned a Master’s degree from Michigan State University, and received his Doctorate from Wayne State University. With nineteen years of experience as an educator, Dr. Deeb spent the majority of his career teaching American history.