A new novel by Perry Fox, Lincoln's Double: Friend or Foe, brings a family legend to the page, weaving historical fact into a fictional narrative about a Confederate soldier forced to impersonate President Abraham Lincoln. The book, released in October 2026, is significant because it highlights how personal family history can illuminate the broader human drama of the Civil War, transforming oral tradition into a literary exploration of loyalty, identity, and moral transformation.
The novel is rooted in the true story of Fox's grandfather, Franklin James Benjamin Fox, a 6'5" second lieutenant from Madison, Florida, who bore a striking resemblance to Lincoln. According to the press release, FJB fought in the Virginia Peninsula, was wounded in action, and later served in the artillery. After being captured in 1865, he spent months in the notorious Camp Chase prison in Ohio. These factual details form the foundation for a plot that imagines Frank Fox being plucked from the Confederate ranks, trained to impersonate the president, and forced into an impossible choice after a failed kidnapping plot.
While the kidnapping and secret double are fictional, the novel's grounding in real events gives it a weight that pure invention might lack. It explores how war can transform beliefs and forge unexpected bonds, following Frank's journey from Confederate soldier to President Lincoln's secret body double. The story is a powerful meditation on the moral complexity of the Civil War era, when individuals were often caught between duty, survival, and conscience.
Perry Fox credits his father, Barney, with keeping the family lore alive. "This story started with my father, Barney, telling me about his own father," Fox says. "The image of my grandfather, tall, like Lincoln, and deeply dedicated to his family and faith, stayed with me. I wanted to honor his memory and the experiences of so many soldiers by placing him in a story that captures the moral complexity and human drama of the Civil War."
The announcement matters because it underscores the enduring power of family stories to shape our understanding of history. By building a novel on the skeleton of his grandfather's life, Fox not only pays tribute to a man he never met but also invites readers to consider the personal sacrifices and difficult choices made by ordinary soldiers during a defining period in American history. Lincoln's Double: Friend or Foe is a heartfelt tribute to a legacy of faith, persistence, and honor, and it demonstrates how fiction can bridge the gap between historical record and human experience.
