Gettysburg

As he approached, Walter looked up. "John?"

"How are you, Walter?"

"Good to see you're still alive."

"Same for you."

There was an awkward moment and John felt he should withdraw.

"A hard night" Walter finally offered. "How did it go up there?'

"They held the hill. We lost a lot of good men, and now the Yankees are digging in. You can hear them up on that hill moving more men in."

"So that means we attack again come dawn?" John struggled to control the pitch of his voice, offering the words casually, as if discussing a distasteful chore that he simply needed the light of day to accomplish.

Walter sighed. "John, you know I can't discuss that with you."

"I know, Walter. But if my men need to get ready, I'd better see to it"

An approaching horseman, coming from the west, stilled their conversation. John recognized the rider as one of the young couriers on Lee's staff, a cheerful lad still filled with a starry-eyed dream of glory. The boy's mount was exhausted, blowing hard, covered in lathered sweat. The boy reined in before Walter and saluted.

"Sir, I was sent back to tell you that the road is clear all the way down to Fairfield, and that scouts have been posted in that town. A patrol led by Major Hotchkiss is moving toward Emmitsburg but has encountered nothing so far. At least one brigade of Yankees marched through Fairfield early in the evening, just after dark, coming up from Emmitsburg, but turned east toward Gettysburg, moving on the road that comes out near the rocky hill south of town."

"How do you know that?"

"We captured a few stragglers, sir. Third Corps."

"But the road we want is clear?"

"At least to Fairfield, sir. One of the stragglers said there was nothing behind them."

"Did you hear him say that?"

"Yes, sir. But any man that would talk like that I wouldn't trust sir. No honor in a man who would say that to someone on the other side."

One of Taylor's followers snorted disdainfully.

"No honor in any of them bastards."

"Lieutenant Jenson, go tell that to the Yanks still holding the hill," Walter replied softly.

"Did you see General Longstreet on the turnoff to the Fairfield Road?" Taylor asked.

"Yes, sir. I passed the word to one of his staff. They said he was trying to get a few hours' sleep before setting off."

"Jackson would already be moving," Jenson whispered.

Walter turned and looked sharply at his companions. "I will not tolerate that" he replied sharply. "If the general were here, you wouldn't have dared say that"

John watched the interchange. Jenson lowered his head

and muttered an apology. John could see that Walter was exhausted, leaning against his horse for support Hazner approached, bearing two cups of coffee, and with his usual good sense he held one out to Walter, who gratefully took the steaming cup while John took the other one. Such a gesture meant that John could linger for a few more minutes and perhaps find out what was brewing.

The first sip was hot and when it hit his empty stomach, John gagged. He'swallowed down the bile, took a deep breath, then another sip, which settled the rebellion. Walter half drained the cup and set it back on an upright fence post Then he looked up at the courier.

"Good work, Vincent General Lee is asleep. His headquarters is the house across from the seminary. Report there, but don't disturb the general. Like Longstreet he needs some rest too."

"Yes, sir." The boy saluted and tried to urge his mount up to a gallop, but the poor exhausted beast would only give a slow trot as he set off down the road.

Walter looked back at John.

"Emmitsburg, that's off to the south of here, isn't it?" John asked. Walter smiled.

"Just relax, John. It won't affect you for hours. Go back and get some sleep."

Jenson, who was standing behind Walter, turned and, looking back toward the town, stiffened. "Sir, I think that's General Lee approaching."

All turned. John saw Lee, riding alone, coming out of the mist cloaking the road and stopping to take Vincent's report Again, for John, it had a dreamlike quality. The wisps of fog and smoke drifting, the outline of the seminary up on the next hill, light shining from the windows, and beyond, die glow of distant campfires from what must be the Union lines.

Here and there in the surrounding fields, men were standing up, rising like apparitions from out of this place of battle, watching as Lee approached. The world was still, as if the thunder of the previous day must now be paid for with a vow of silence. The only sound was the soft clip-clop of Traveler's hooves.

Walter stepped away from the group as all stiffened to attention. "Sir, I thought you were asleep," Walter said.

"I wanted to check on things and see General Longstreet off."

"We're working on it now, sir. Sir, you really should get a little more rest."

'Time enough later, Walter. Vincent told me the road is open."

"Yes, sir. Scouts are pushing down toward Emmitsburg."

"The way is clear and can't be observed?"

"We were studying that just now, sir," and Walter nodded toward the map still resting against the flank of a horse. "There's some concern about the rocky hill south of Gettysburg." As he spoke Walter drew a line with his finger across the map.

"This ridge here should block that view. That's at Black Horse Tavern, where Hood's division will pass. McLaws is supposed to come down by a different road farther back. As we move through Black Horse, a regiment of skirmishers will deploy along the ridge in front of the tavern to keep back any Yankee cavalry that might come up. With the rain yesterday, dust should be to a minimum."

"Are the men up yet?"

Walter pulled out his watch and opened it, Jenson bringing a lantern over. "It's just about four-thirty, sir? They should be falling in right now."

"Fine, then let's go and see them off."

"Sir, I can attend to that Might I suggest you get some rest sir? I know you haven't had more than two hours' sleep since yesterday morning."

Lee leaned over and put a hand on Walter's shoulder. "Thank you for your concern, Walter, but now is not the time for it. The men must see me; they must understand how. important this day is."

Walter said nothing. The staff began to mount and Walter looked back at John. "Not a word. We don't want wild rumors flying around the camp. You know how men out on a picket line will talk with the other side. Orders will come down soon enough."

'I’ll keep it quiet, Walter."

'Take care of yourself, John."

"You too, Walter."

The cavalcade set off, heading west John watched as they disappeared into the mist. Three times now he had seen Lee in the last five days. And thousands had died across those five days.

"A flanking march, that's it" Hazner whispered, picking up the cup that Walter had left half-empty, draining off what was left

"Looks that way."

Hazner looked back to the east "First light" he announced.

It was hard to tell if the glow on the horizon was from the Union campfires or approaching dawn.

"Things have changed." Hazner sighed. ‘I thought we'd push straight in come dawn."

John said nothing, sipping the last of his coffee, chewing on the grinds.

‘I wonder what would have happened if we had. It's not like the old man to break off an action like this," John whispered.

"We'll never know. No sense dwelling on that. It makes a man crazy wondering. Let's just hope it means we stay alive another day and not wind up like those poor bastards in that barn."