Spring Will Come

by Ginny Dye

  Moses gazed into her eyes hungrily. Slowly he nodded, the shadow completely disappearing from his eyes. “I was getting so tired,” he murmured, pulling her close again.

  “There’s nothing wrong with getting tired. Fighting evil is always draining. But you’ve got to keep fighting. That’s the only way you’re going to be happy because that’s who God made you to be.” Rose knew. She had wanted to flee the camps after the attack on Annie’s family. She had not thought it possible to deal with their pain, as well as her own anguish. God had taken her one step at a time.

  “I remember something your mama told me,” Moses said. “She told me you can’t ever run from being a leader - cause you’re not going to be happy being anything else.”

  “She was right,” Rose replied fervently. “I believe one day we’ll be together. Until then we both have to be what we have to be.”

  Moses took her in his arms again hungrily. They might only have one night, but it would be a night they would never forget.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Robert rubbed his hand across his bearded face and stared wearily into the night. His whole body ached from fatigue and from the ever-present diarrhea brought on by a steady diet of apples and green corn. Searing heat threatened to sap what remaining energy he had. He raised his hand and gave the order. “Forward - march!”

  Granite pricked his ears forward and stepped out proudly. Robert’s heart ached as he looked down at the once-beautiful Thoroughbred. He still had plenty of spirit, but too little food had turned him into a bony caricature of the impressive horse that had pranced out of Richmond over two months earlier. Robert pulled grass for him when it could be found, but grain rations had run low when the Army of Northern Virginia had left the Confederacy and moved into Maryland. Robert was glad Carrie couldn’t see Granite. It would have broken her heart.

  His face cracked a slight smile. She would have much the same reaction if she could see him, he was sure. It had been weeks since anything resembling a bath had passed his way. His clothes were relatively new, but he never thought he would be thankful to be dressed in Union blues. His own clothes had been torn and ragged when his men had found wagons full of Federal supplies after the Union defeat at Manassas. The supplies had been welcome but had not been enough to clothe and feed his men and horses adequately. Robert had dropped weight steadily till he had quit pulling in his belt and exchanged it for a rope to knot around his waist.

  His face twisted in a grimace as he looked over his men. He had nothing to complain about. He was riding a horse, and he still had boots on his feet. Many of his men were plodding down the dusty roads barefoot. Their clothes, many in rags, hung from them. Handkerchiefs hung in odd positions while soldiers cracked jokes about the new designer fashion that kept them from exposing private areas of their body. There was not a one of them not suffering from diarrhea brought on by their diet and the extreme heat. More and more disappeared each day – he’d given up on taking roll call. He had heard all the excuses.

  “Uh, Mitchie didn’t really figure on fighting on Yankee soil. He figured he’d signed on to protect the South against invasion, not go after the Yankees.”

  “There weren’t nothing left to Marley. He just couldn’t make his beat-up body go another inch.”

  “Well, you see, Sammie got a letter from his wife. She’s having a right rough time feeding the kids, and the littlest one was real sick. He went back to take care of his family. Said he never figured on his family suffering when he came to fight. McClellan’s army went through and wiped out all their crops.”

  Robert knew Lee was losing thousands of worn-out soldiers on a daily basis. He vacillated between rage and understanding. All he knew was that the mighty Army of Northern Virginia was the weakest it had ever been. And they were marching into Northern territory and daring McClellan to come after them again.

  Lee was risking everything in order to win everything. Robert struggled to share the confidence of his commander. He understood what the general was thinking. Lee was not planning on capturing major Northern cities; he knew his army was not equipped to hold them - but the move into Maryland would harass the Northern government and relieve Virginia from fighting for a time. Robert knew the general had more on his mind, however. With a Confederate army in Maryland, the Federals would certainly move away from the fortifications of Washington to attack them. Manassas had been a Southern victory, but the cost had been high - nine thousand Rebel casualties. And though Pope’s army had been pushed back, they had not been destroyed. McClellan was once again amassing a strong army to attack them. The decisive victory Lee had been looking for might finally be won.

  “Hey, Lieutenant, some of the men need a rest.”

  Robert looked down at Hobbs and nodded. They needed to make better time, but the men had almost reached their limit. “Tell them we will rest for one hour. Then we move on.”

  Hobbs nodded and moved away to report. Robert watched him leave with great affection. He and Hobbs had developed an even stronger bond. It was more than his having saved Hobbs’ life. It was more than Hobbs helping Carrie escape the plantation. Robert had developed genuine affection for the boy who had such great love for his country and total loyalty to his lieutenant. Hobbs was a true Rebel.

  Robert swung down from Granite and led him over to a thick bunch of grass off the side of the road. He looped the reins loosely over the saddle horn to give the horse plenty of stretching room to reach the food. Then he slumped down against a tree and watched his men collapse into whatever pockets of shade they could find. They gazed with disgust at the apples they pulled from their haversacks but began devouring them anyway. They would need the strength to keep going.

  The Army of Northern Virginia was not much to look at, yet Robert knew it was something special to meet. They might not have food and clothing, but they still had their muskets and ammunition. Some of the old muskets had even been replaced with new smooth-bored rifles confiscated from Federal supply wagons. The men knew how to use them. Extreme hardship had swept away everyone but the truly dedicated men who could stand anything. But how much more could they really stand?

  As the sun sank lower in the sky, Robert went over the battle plan in his mind. He still marveled that someone of his rank would be privy to the general’s confidence. Lee was marching his army north, headed for the sheltering rampart of South Mountain. He would take advantage of its covering to split his army, sending Jackson first south to destroy the army at Harper’s Ferry then trusting him to march back north fast enough to join Lee in battle against McClellan. It was a risky move but Robert knew Lee was counting on McClellan’s slowness to make such a daring move successful. They had left Frederick that morning. Smith Mountain was their day’s objective. Secrecy and invisibility were paramount if they were to succeed.

  Robert stood and stretched. “Prepare to march!” he called. All around him soldiers struggled to their feet, but there was no word of complaint – they were the Army of Northern Virginia.

  “Forward - march!”

  “Reporting for duty, Captain!”

  Captain Jones glanced up from what he was reading then put it down, his face splitting in a wide smile. “Moses! It’s good to see you again.”

  “It’s good to see you, sir.”

  “I trust your mission went well.”

  “Yes, sir. My sister is at the contraband camp at Fort Monroe. Thank you.”

  “Excellent!” Captain Jones paused. “The score is a little more even.”

  “The score never needed evening,” Moses protested. “I’m just glad my sister is free.”

  Captain Jones nodded then turned back to what he was reading. “I’ve just been informed of something very interesting.”

  Moses had never seen his captain’s eyes sparkle with such excitement. He stood quietly, knowing it was not his place to question. Captain Jones was obviously absorbed in what he was reading. He turned to leave. He would receive orders when the captain had time.

&nbs
p; “Lee hasn’t got a chance!” Captain Jones chuckled. “You’re a spy, Moses. You should appreciate this.” He stared again at the note in his hand. “Seems Lee lost something rather valuable. His army was in Frederick just this morning. One of our soldiers was inspecting the area his men had been when he spotted a cigar. Of course, he picked it up then noticed something wrapped around it.” He grinned. “Guess what it was.”

  Moses entered into the game. “A love letter to his wife?” he asked, knowing he was wrong.

  Captain Jones doubled over in laughter. “That would be highly entertaining, but hardly the reason for his destruction.” He sobered. “No, it seems the general, or most likely one of his officers, left behind a copy of the orders concerning his battle plan.”

  Moses sucked his breath in sharply, taken by surprise.

  Captain Jones slapped his leg in delight. “Our men took it straight to McClellan. One of his aides was able to identify the writing as belonging to Lee.” He stood up and began to pace around the tent. “Do you know what this means, Moses? McClellan knows every move Lee is going to make. That should make even him move forward with confidence. I predict Lee will be smashed soon. He will be lucky if he even has an army to take out of Maryland.”

  Moses heart pounded with excitement. How he wished he could be in the swarm of soldiers who would destroy Lee. He was grateful for any part in the army, but his desire to be on the frontlines was growing.

  Captain Jones stopped his pacing. “Join our unit, Moses. We leave tomorrow to attack one of the passes through South Mountain. We are going to catch Lee in his game!” He paused. “You won’t be in the battle, but you’ll be in the group of scouts who will determine their defense.” He paused again then walked over and placed his hand on Moses’ shoulder. “I believe someday soon there will be black soldiers in our army. It’s men like you who are going to make it happen.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Moses turned and left the tent, his head high.

  Robert knew it was going to be a long night. Things weren’t going the way Lee had planned. That had been obvious when McClellan sent his army forward to smash through the Smith Mountain rampart in two different places. No one knew what had caused the cautious Union general to act so out of character. If McClellan had been just a little more aggressive, he could have destroyed the Army of Northern Virginia. It was only McClellan’s normal hesitation – his delay in sweeping forward - that had kept Lee from retreating back to Virginia. In the meantime, Jackson had captured Harper’s Ferry - along with eleven thousand Union prisoners and hordes of supplies. Instead of retreating, Lee had ordered his army to concentrate at a little town called Sharpsburg.

  “I ain’t feeling so good about this, Lieutenant.” Hobbs’ voice was quiet, his face pinched with strain.

  Robert turned to him, trying to hide his own uneasiness. “Why not, Hobbs?” He already knew the answer.

  “Well, I know we’re in a pretty strong place up here on this high ground overlooking that muddy creek down there...”

  “But we’re not exactly invulnerable.”

  “Yeah,” Hobbs muttered. “The way I figure it, the Yankees got a lot more men than we do. Not to mention they probably all have shoes and are eating decent meals.” He paused. “Not that I’m saying we can’t beat them soft Yankees,” he said fiercely, “but...”

  “You’d feel a lot better if the Potomac wasn’t right at our back door,” Robert finished. He had already thought what Hobbs was thinking. If McClellan was to break through their defenses, there was only one ford for a crossing. If a quick Confederate retreat was necessary, Lee’s army would simply be destroyed.

  “Yeah,” Hobbs muttered. He managed a weak grin. “Maybe the general thinks we’ll fight harder if defeat just ain’t an option.”

  Robert managed to return his smile. He had been struggling with his doubts all day. Of course, he could not voice them to any of his men. On the face of it, Lee had every reason to depart quietly without a fight. Robert knew the general well. Lee was choosing to stay when he did not have to stay - choosing to fight when he did not have to fight. Since he was not out of his mind, the only conceivable reason for staying was that he believed they could win. Robert had been trying all day to develop the same confidence, but it continued to elude him. There was a deep unrest in his heart. Something in him warned of tragedy. He had made every effort to shrug it off, but it clung to him like a pesky mosquito, biting at every positive thought he tried to dredge up.

  Robert turned to look out over the muddy creek in the distance. He knew it was called Antietam. He was surprised anyone would bother to name such a tiny thing. Open, rolling fields panned out as far as the eye could see, with the exception of a corn field almost directly in front of their position. The corn was mature, standing taller than any man. Towering over the whole serene landscape were mountains, the same blue as their sister Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Robert never ceased to be amazed that such vicious fighting could take place in such beautiful locations.

  “What’s that white building in the distance, Lieutenant?” This question came from another of his men who had walked up to join him and Hobbs.

  Robert shrugged. “All I know about this place is that they call themselves Dunkers.”

  “I know about them,” the man volunteered. “My daddy lived around here before he came South a lot of years back. He told me Dunkers is another name for German Baptists. That building must be their church.”

  “German Baptists......” Robert probed his mind for something he remembered Matthew telling him years before. Suddenly he had it. “Dunkers are a pacifist Christian sect.” He grimaced. They might not have wanted to fight, but there was no way to stop the fight from coming to them. Robert knew their little community would never be the same after what was coming.

  “You think we can take them, Lieutenant?”

  Robert shoved down all his doubts and turned to the knot of men who had gathered to hear the answer to Hobbs’ question. He deserved to be shot if he allowed these brave soldiers, who had already endured so much, to go into battle without full confidence. “Those Yankees don’t stand a chance,” he said with a broad grin. “Thankfully, one Rebel is as good as two Yankees. I figure the odds are about even!”

  A cheer rose around him as determination replaced doubt on the men’s faces.

  “Those Yankees are finally going to give up!” one man crowed. “They’ve got to get tired of losing soon.”

  “Yeah! They’ll think twice before they come to the South to bother us again.”

  “I just want to beat their pants off of ‘em and get back where I can eat something besides apples and corn,” one soldier called plaintively.

  Robert watched them wander off with a smile. They were good men. As soon as they were out of sight, his smile disappeared. He was worried. He could play whatever game he wanted to, but the truth was that this would be their hardest battle yet. He looked out over the ridge where he could see a veritable ocean of bluecoats. It didn’t look like McClellan was in a hurry to attack. That gave him a small measure of relief. At least some of Jackson’s army would have time to join them before morning.

  Morning rolled in with a heavy blanket of fog. Robert and his men stood ready all day, but still McClellan’s guns remained silent. More of Lee’s army reached the field. Robert took some relief in the strengthening Confederate force even though he knew they were still seriously outnumbered.

  At sundown there was sound of a brief clash off to the left, but Robert wasn’t alarmed. It was simply not in McClellan’s nature to start a serious fight at night. He continued to wait and watch, his men bringing him reports of even more men pouring in for the fight. Robert bantered with them, building their hope while his own dwindled.

  Night finally claimed the field for another day. A drizzling rain offered welcome relief from the heat. A queer silence fell over the field. It seemed as if the whole world was holding its breath, waiting in dread for another day of slaughter and death. If
it were possible, the dark clouds that had already claimed the country, settled even lower over the battlefield of Antietam, infusing men’s hearts, filling them with deadly determination and a cold fear.

  Robert lay on his back and stared up at the drifting clouds; his head rested on his haversack, his rifle close at hand. Why could he not escape the feelings of gloom invading his heart and mind? He had been in plenty of hard battles already. Each one had been entered with a certain amount of fear, but never the feelings assailing him now. Unbidden, his mind floated to Carrie. It seemed somehow sacrilegious to see her beauty in such a place. Yet, it was her face that gave him his only glimmer of hope - her ready laugh and loving smile that gave him the determination to fight. He had to make it through this battle. He had to go home.

  A slight smile played on his lips as he allowed himself to lose himself in the memories. She was such an incredible woman – full of goodness, courage and integrity. He could hardly believe she had agreed to be his wife. The knowledge of her waiting for him filled him with wonder. She was his bright light in the darkness.

  Hobbs materialized beside him. He sat down and at first seemed to be content just to sit there. After a long while he spoke. “I know you’re trying to make the boys feel better, but you’re not too sure about this, are you?” His voice was almost a whisper.