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John J. Cline
Movies for the Mind through Books and Music
Recipient of the Governor's Award in the Arts for 2012 and recognized as one of Idaho's Top Fifty Authors in 2011, John J. Cline has written several books, the most recent being "Sea Stories & Navy Tales," "The Last Confederate Battle, and a new children's book titled, "Toby and the Wooden Flute." He is currently working on a book that is titled, "Rebuilding American Dreams;" a continuation of the stories told in "The Last Confederate Battle." "Rebuilding American Dreams" should be available by mid-2013. He has also composed music including, "Sunset in the Harbor," "American Bridal Waltz," and "Song of Idaho."

John was the Navy's first designated Physical Security Officer (649X), responsible for military law enforcement, physical security, antiterrorism and emergency management programs at naval facilities throughout the Southwest Region of the United States, the Caribbean, Western Pacific and the Persian Gulf, both at sea and ashore.

He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (140th Session) and numerous antiterrorism, law enforcement and emergency management schools. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Workforce Education and Curriculum Development from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and a Master’s Degree in National Security Studies: Homeland Security and Defense from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. John retired from the Navy in July 1993 as a Lieutenant Commander.

Following his naval service, John was the director of the Idaho Bureau of Disaster Services, where he served the State of Idaho for ten years directing the State’s disaster mitigation and preparedness programs and coordinating the State’s response and recovery operations to overcome the effects of fire, flood, wind, ice and snow emergencies, landslides that isolated towns, and a most bizarre disaster, the escape of lions, tigers and hybrid wolves from a self-styled wild animal park. During his ten years at the bureau, he directed the State’s response and recovery operations for over 50 local disasters, 25 state-declared major emergencies and disasters and four Presidentially-declared disasters, contributing to the overall physical and economic recovery of numerous Idaho communities.

John J. Cline, The Boise Author

Sea Stories & Navy Tales

The Last Confederate Battle

Near midnight, July 6, 1865

Disillusioned by nearly four years of fighting in the War of Northern Aggression, Captain Andrew Jefferson Davis (Andy to family and friends) sat alone in the dark by a small campfire in what had once been his Georgia plantation’s expansive front yard. Uncharacteristically, he was sobbing uncontrollably. During the war, he had seen unbelievable carnage and death, yet tears had never come. It was only after he finally got home that tears flowed. His wife Abigail and their son Toby had been tortured and murdered during Sherman’s march to the sea.

…Even though it had been nearly a year since his family had been raped, tortured, and finally murdered then burned, it was his first trip back home following the end of hostilities and his release from incarceration as a prisoner of war. Officials at the prison had taken delight in telling him the ghastly details of his family’s demise. When he finally got home, he discovered that the stories were horrifyingly true. Not even rage and near starvation could intrude on his sobbing at the campfire. He had lost everything that he valued most—his family and his home. And they had been taken in the vilest way.

But life had not always been so hard. In the early years, the Southern lifestyle had been very kind to Andy and his older brothers, Dwayne and Everett.

idahoauthor.com

Submitted on Tuesday, January 25, 2011