I'll try to lay out the history of the problem is as brief form as possible:

-About 6 months ago, once in a while, the truck wouldn't start. This was sometimes on a cold start, other times immediately after a shut down. I was able to push start it a couple of times. Each time, the dash lights would light up, but it wouldn't start. Almost as if the clutch pedal wasn't depressed.

-Last fall, I didn't drive the truck for a couple of weeks, and when I came back the battery was dead. I tried to push start it on a hill. No luck, it woudln't start. I jumped it, and got it started, but it took FOREVER to jump it. I ran the truck for an hour, and when I was done, it started up weakly. The next day, it was totally dead again.

-Thinking the battery was dead, I tried jumping it again. Nothing. So I replaced the battery (which was only about 3 years old). Put the new battery in, dash lights come on, turn the key and get one of two sounds:
1. A very faint "click"
2. A rapid fire ratchet sound, as if you held onto a socket and spun the socket handle around.

-At the suggestion of someone on the board, I assumed the new battery wasn't fully charged. I borrowed the neigbor's jump starter battery. I hooked it up and still got the same sounds as ususal.

-Thinking the starter was shot, I pulled it out yesterday. I took it into Autozone. They tested it, and it was fine. The starter gear extended and it sounded normal.

-I cleaned the battery termials, and replaced the wire termials. I scrubbed all the termial connections with a wire brush. When I checked the electrical system, I had no connection. No dash lights, nothing.

So, before I climb under the truck in the snow again to put the starter back in, does anyone have any idea of what I should look at here?

Oh, just to add other known issues with the truck, just in case:
The 2.8 is about dead. The rings are shot. It still runs, and runs strong.
The clutch is getting old, but it doesn't slip
The clutch slave cylinder is pretty torn up, but hasn't caused any problems.