The town of Ceredo, West Virginia was founded before the Civil War by northern abolitionists. The goal was to make a free labor society in the slaveholding south. Once the Civil War began, the town was the target of Confederate forces in the area. The Fifth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry was formed to protect Ceredo and other loyal cities in the Ohio Valley. This book details the trials and tribulations of the 5th West Virginia Infantry and the statehood movement in the area. Serious Reading.com gives it 4.5/5 stars, saying "'Protectors of the Ohio Valley: The Fifth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry' focuses on the history of Matthew's hometown Ceredo, which was considered as an abolitionist town throughout the colonial years and the fighting battalion posted there. The central plot of this book revolves around the town of Ceredo, created by the northern abolitionists prior to the American civil war. The town of Ceredo was created with the objective of initiating a labor free society in the slavery stricken south region. However, just as the civil war began, the Confederate forces deployed in the area targeted Ceredo. The main highlight of this book is the fifth West Virginia volunteer infantry, created to protect the town of Ceredo and all the other towns of the Ohio valley. This book covers all the prosecutions and ordeals of the fifth West Virginia infantry along with the independent nation's movement in that area. Perry has meticulously researched about all the incidents that took place in the town of Ceredo in order to maintain the authenticity of the book. For a first time writer, Matthew has managed to do a great job scripting all the events and facts related to the infantry along with maintaining reader's interest at the same time. Matthew A. Perry's first writing attempt in the history genre is certainly worth the splurge because the book not only manages to grab the reader's attention but transports them back to the respective era as well.