Ernst - A Memory of Muskets

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A Memory of Muskets: A Chloe Ellefson Mystery 2016 by Kathleen Ernst.

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Any unauthorized usage of the text without express written permission of the publisher is a violation of the authors copyright and is illegal and punishable by law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

First e-book edition 2016

E-book ISBN: 9780738749068

Cover design by Kevin R. Brown Cover illustrations by Charlie Griak (and)
iStockphoto.com/20791980/Ekaterina Romanova

Editing by Nicole Nugent
Map created by Llewellyn art department Photos on pages 381385:
#1, 2, 69 Wisconsin Veterans Museum;
#3 North Wood County Historical Society, Wisconsin;
#45 Library of Congress Midnight Ink is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Ernst, Kathleen, author.

Title: A memory of muskets : a Chloe Ellefson mystery / Kathleen Ernst.

Description: First edition. | Woodbury, Minnesota : Midnight Ink, [2016] |

Series: A Chloe Ellefson mystery ; 7

Identifiers: LCCN 2016008350 | ISBN 9780738745152 (softcover) Subjects: LCSH: Women museum curatorsFiction. |

MurderInvestigationFiction. | Old World Wisconsin (Museum)Fiction. |

GSAFD: Mystery fiction.

Classification: LCC PS3605.R77 M46 2016 | DDC 813/.6
dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016008350

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D EDICATION

For Sergeant Gwen Bruckner, Eagle Police Department

with thanks for your help, advice, and friendship;

and for my reenacting friends

with thanks for good memories;

and in honor of the immigrants

who sacrificed so much to reach the New World,

only to confront civil war.

A UTHORS N OTE

Old World Wisconsin is a real historic site in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. I had the pleasure and privilege of working there in the 1980sjust as my protagonist Chloe Ellefson does. My responsibilities included coordinating the sites annual Civil War event; I also was a Civil War reenactor myself. The 9th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in this story is modeled on the reenactors I knew who participated with respect for those they represented, and who worked hard to create and interpret accurate impressions. The 100th Wisconsin Regiment is complete fabrication, and the plot of A Memory of Muskets is completely fictional.

Milwaukees German Fest has been celebrating German culture and heritage since 1981. Pommersche Tanzdeel Freistadt was organized in 1977, in western Ozaukee County, Wisconsinsite of the oldest German settlement in the state. The group preserves folk culture by performing songs and dances from the Pomeranian region.

What is now called the Wisconsin Veterans Museum was known in 1983 as the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Museum. I used the contemporary name to minimize confusion.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail was established in 1980, but visionaries had been working toward that goal for decades, adding sections year by year as resources permitted. Today the 1,200-mile trail is managed by the National Park Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Ice Age Trail Alliance.

To learn more, visit:

Old World Wisconsin
http://oldworldwisconsin.wisconsinhistory.org German Fest
http://germanfest.com Pommersche Tanzdeel Freistadt
http://www.ptfusa.org State Historical Society of Wisconsin
(now the Wisconsin Historical Society)
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org Wisconsin Veterans Museum
http://www.wisvetsmuseum.com The Kettle Moraine State ForestSouthern Unit
http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/kms/ The Ice Age National Scenic Trail:
http://www.nps.gov/iatr/index.htm and
http://www.iceagetrail.org Youll find photographs of some of the artifacts mentioned in the story on pages 381-385.

You can also find many more photographs, maps, and other resources on my website, www.kathleenernst.com.

C AST OF C HARACTERS

Contemporary Timeline (1983), Old World Wisconsin Chloe Ellefsoncurator of collections Byron Cookecurator of interpretation Ralph Pettydirector

Alyssa Greerinterpreter Jenny and Lee Hawkinsinterpreters Belinda LansingChloes intern Kyle Fassbenderinterpreter; member,
9th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment Marv Tenallysecurity guard

Contemporary Timeline (1983), Village of Eagle, Wisconsin Roelke McKennaofficer, Police Department Maggie Geddingsresident

Denise MillerEMT Adam BolithoEMT Chief Naborskichief, Police Department Marieclerk, Police Department Skeet Deardorffofficer, Police Department Contemporary Timeline (1983), others LibbyRoelkes cousin Justin and DierdreLibbys kids Gunter Diederichfounder, 9th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment Steven Siggelkowmember, 9th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment Gerald and Marjorie Ostermannfounders,
100th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment Mac OstermannGerald and Marjories son Lon Goreskodetective, Waukesha County Marge Bandacekdeputy sheriff, Waukesha County Dobry Banikpolice officer, Milwaukee Police Department Sergeant McKulskihead of security, German Fest Fayecurator of iconography, State Historical Society of Wisconsin Richarddirector, Wisconsin Veterans Museum Frank Ackerreenactor from Missouri Historical Timeline (18611864, 1879) Rosina Lauterbachimmigrant from Pomerania, Prussia Leopold Zuehlsdorffimmigrant and Free Thinker Klaus Roelkeimmigrant farmer Adolf and Lottie SperberRosinas friends Franz SperberAdolfs brother Muehlenbergsneighbors

I WANT A FIGHT, Ralph Petty said.

Chloe started to protest but remembered just in time that this was not her meeting, not her show. She closed her mouth and tried to look thoughtful.

Byron shifted in his chair. We have some new ideas.

The historic site director waved one fingerevidently brushing aside pesky new ideas with his whole hand would require too much effortand peered over his half-glasses at Byron. It was a practiced gesture intended, Chloe was certain, to convey a literal sense of looking down upon ignorant minions. In this case the unworthy were Byron Cooke, Old World Wisconsins curator of interpretation, and Chloe Ellefson, curator of collections. Not just a fight. I want a battle.

Byrons developed some exciting alternatives, she said. I think

Miss Ellefson, why are you here? Petty demanded irritably, stroking the tidy beard hed probably grown to balance his retreating hairline. This is an interpretive matter.

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