Tragedies is a nonfiction account of the life of Colonel George B. Boomer, a little-known bridge builder and combat veteran who served in the Civil War of the United States. He was the son of a Baptist minister from Sutton, Massachusetts, who struggled with his Christian faith while searching for God's plan for his life. While his formal education was limited by a youthful disability of the eyes, he became a self-taught master bridge builder who learned to speak multiple languages while living in the state of Missouri. However, he is most known for his skills as a military commander who received compliments from Ulysses S. Grant.

Colonel Boomer was the commander of the Twenty-Sixth Missouri Regiment, and he served in the western theater of the war. He was actively involved in Pope's campaign against Island Number Ten, and he suffered severe wounds at the Battle of Iuka, Mississippi. His greatest military accomplishment occurred during the pivotal battle of Champion's Hill, and it is likely that the actions of his brigade were largely responsible for the Union victory.

Boomer endured tragedies in his civilian life and his life in the military at the hands ambitious political figures who brought him great grief. However, he would ultimately find his life's meaning in a peach orchard just outside Vicksburg, Mississippi. His selfless actions saved the lives of many of the men under his command. His veteran sacrifice for his country needs to be remembered.