The wilderness setting for our story has changed little since the soldiers were here. This is the country that naturalist and writer John Muir called the "Range of Light" because of the sublime grandeur of its granite peaks. Today the Sierra Nevada serves as a haven of solitude for its many visitors. Perhaps it was a shelter for these soldiers as well.

Because life at home during this era wasn't easy for an African-American. 10,000 African-Americans were lynched from 1890-1910. What was life like for these men's families? What was the racial climate in America at the time? Where did these lives fit within the context of time?