The Face of Heaven

by Murray Pura

  “I thought,” she laughed, “you’d be too hot and tired to come looking for me.”

  “I am. Libby found you.”

  “How are your men holding up?”

  “Very well. But let’s just say I thank our God this place has decent water.”

  Lyndel kissed him and then stroked Libby’s flank. “The poor dear must have needed fresh water as badly as the boys.”

  “She did.”

  “How is my brother?”

  “Levi’s fine. When I left him he was washing his face and hair.”

  “Ah. My clean and tidy brother.”

  Nathaniel ran his thumb gently over her eyebrows. “Tell me. Is everything all right between the two of you?”

  “Why shouldn’t it be?”

  “Nicolson offered Levi his horse so he could ride with me to find you and Levi said no. That’s not what he would have done a month ago.”

  Lyndel looked down. “It’s something I have to fix.”

  “I can’t stay long. Will you ride back with me?”

  “Oh, no, I can’t—”

  “The men have blisters. You would be helping us out if you took care of a few.”

  “They’ll set up a station here for the regiment and the brigade—”

  “Lyndy.” He kissed her blue eyes. “I need an excuse to have my wife around. And I want her around. Another day and we’ll be off again and marching as rapidly as we can. As far as your brother goes, bear in mind an engagement could come at any time. Washington is just to the east of us and Lee’s forces are only a matter of miles to the west. We’re racing to head him off. Eventually we’re going to collide.”

  “All right.” She made her pixie face without being aware of it. “I’m not dressed for riding, though. I’ll need to sit sidesaddle.”

  “Sidesaddle with my arm around you.”

  “How is the cut on your arm?”

  “Right as rain.”

  “Let me get a few bandages and instruments.”

  The sky was crimson as they rode into the 19th Indiana’s camp. The first person she saw was her brother, standing and talking with, of all people, the commander of the First Corps, General Reynolds, surrounded by his retinue of officers.

  As she dismounted the general moved along to see how other units were faring. Levi was smiling as he watched him go. He turned and was surprised by Lyndel’s presence and lost some of his good humor, but not all of it.

  “I didn’t know he was born in Lancaster,” he said to Nathaniel. “Isn’t that something? And he didn’t know he had Pennsylvanians in his Indiana regiment thanks to the good Amish of Elkhart County.”

  Lyndel stood before him. “You don’t have to pretend I’m not here.”

  “I see you.”

  “Can we go someplace and talk?”

  “Here’s fine.”

  “All right.” She didn’t approach him. “I take after Father more than Mother, you know that. I have some of his good points and some of his bad. My temper is my own—and my discomfort with this war and the position it’s put us in. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to make peace with our parents. But I would like to make peace with you. You are my brother. I love you. I’m proud you have the courage to make such a sacrifice and bear arms, a sacrifice that includes losing your relationship with our father and mother and relatives, possibly for all time.

  “I don’t like the war. I don’t like the grieving it brings to families in Louisiana and Mississippi and Massachusetts. But I’m grateful that it put Moses Gunnison in uniform and gave him a chance to finally fight for his freedom. I’m grateful that my brother isn’t afraid to fight for that same liberty for others who will never know his name. I don’t want you to love war or worship the army and I don’t think that’s what you want to do. You’re eager to get your hands on the plow and complete the task. I misunderstood and lashed out at you as Father might, but the words were my own. Perhaps you don’t wish to be reconciled. If not, I’ll see to those in your company who have particularly difficult blisters and be on my way. But I’ll continue to pray for you, my brother. And…I am sorry.”

  She waited a moment but Levi didn’t respond. Turning away she removed the bandages and medical instruments from the saddlebags on Nathaniel’s mare and walked toward Ham and Jones and Plesko, who were sitting on a patch of grass about a hundred feet away.

  “Nurse.”

  Lyndel stopped and looked at Levi. “What is it?”

  Levi dropped down and pulled his boots off. “No one in the Army of the Potomac has blisters like I do. I could use your help here. If you don’t mind.”

  Lyndel came slowly to her brother. “I don’t mind.”

  She squatted by him to examine his toes. “You do have some pretty big ones, it’s true. I’m going to lance them and wipe them with alcohol and wrap them. You’re going to have to stay off your feet for as long as you can.”

  “The way we’ve been marching that may only be another fifteen minutes.”

  “Even so, that will help.”

  Her head drew close to his as she brought a large needle to bear. He smiled at her. “Go easy on me, Ginger. I have a healthy dose of Papa and Mama’s stubbornness too. I could have come to you at any time to make things right between us. I’m sorry I didn’t. I love you.”

  Tears slipped down her cheeks. “Oh, this is no good. Now I can’t see properly. Why do you have to be such a gentleman? It’s one of Nathaniel’s greatest faults too.”

  “Come here, sister.”

  Levi held her in his arms. Nathaniel smiled and then laughed.

  “Is this funny?” asked Levi.

  “What’s funny is our company.”

  Levi glanced over his shoulder. All the men in the company had their boots and socks off and their bare feet were sticking out in front of them, ready for Lyndel’s examination and ministrations. Levi couldn’t stop from laughing either.

  “What is it?” demanded Lyndel, pulling free. “Can’t a sister have a good cry in her brother’s arms anymore?”

  “It seems there’s nothing like a redheaded nurse,” replied Levi. “You’ll keep the Army of the Potomac on the march single-handed.”

  The troops stayed where they were through the night and the next day. But word soon came that Lee’s Second Corps, commanded by Richard Ewell, had crossed the Potomac at Williamsport on Monday the 15th and were heading north into Pennsylvania.

  Monday was the day the Iron Brigade and other units had arrived in Centreville. Once the Union soldiers received the news, they filled their canteens and got as much rest as they could, aware their fast march would begin again in the morning. Wednesday the 17th was like fire, and men dropped by the roadside as they were pushed north under the fierce sun. Morganne and Lyndel lifted the heads of the fallen soldiers and put canteens to their lips.

  Day after day, through heat or rainstorm, the regiments were hurried toward Maryland and Pennsylvania. On June 25th they crossed the Potomac at Edwards Ferry at the same time as the rest of Lee’s army was crossing at Sharpsburg and the Antietam battlefield. They passed through towns and villages where crowds cheered and young women tossed bouquets of flowers and schoolchildren gazed in awe at the men in tall black hats. On the 27th the Iron Brigade reached South Mountain and made camp. This time Ham showed Groom where the brigade had fought and received its name.

  The stone wall they had charged was still there. War and weather hadn’t broken it down. But the wooden boards that marked the Union dead were barely readable and the graves overgrown with tall grass. Ham walked Groom over the slope the 19th Indiana had run up, with balls kicking up mud or snapping past their heads.

  “We put a knot in General Lee’s plans that day,” Ham said. “We kept him from Pennsylvania.”

  “But this time he is in Pennsylvania, Corporal.”

  “And Pennsylvania’s as far as he gets. You’ll be part of stopping him. It could be a fight as memorable as South Mountain, Private.”

  He caught Groom’s l
ook of dismay at the soldiers’ graves that had nearly been blotted out.

  “Never mind,” Ham said. He turned toward the weathered boards. “We remember you. Your comrades in arms always remember you.”

  On the 28th they marched through another ecstatic flag-waving crowd in Frederick and camped there overnight. The news came to them that Hooker had resigned due to a dispute with the General-in-Chief in Washington and that George Meade now commanded the Army of the Potomac. The 29th took the Union troops through heavy rain to Emmitsburg.

  On the last day of June, the 19th Indiana became the first infantry in the Army of the Potomac to cross the state line into Pennsylvania. There the long march ended—the Iron Brigade bivouacked at Marsh Creek while the 19th were sent ahead to picket the road north. Most of the Indiana troops encamped at the village of Green Mount but four companies were sent farther ahead to keep watch for Rebel forces. One of them was Nathaniel’s.

  “The farmers say the secesh are all around us,” Ham muttered as he checked his Springfield for the fourth time to make sure it was loaded. “Lee’s got his whole army up here and ours is still back in Maryland.”

  “Don’t be getting cold feet, Corporal,” chided Captain Hanson as he walked his horse past. “The Iron Brigade’s enough to keep Lee at bay for a few hours.”

  “With a bit of work, sir.”

  “Yes, indeed. That’s why you wear the black hat.”

  The falling sun silhouetted the landscape to the north and west in deep purples and golds.

  “What you reckon that hill is, Lieutenant?” Jones asked Nathaniel.

  “Don’t know,” Nathaniel replied.

  “Round Top.” It was Sam Williams, commander of the 19th, behind them. “You can’t quite see it from here, but west of it is Little Round Top. There are several ridges and promontories beyond that.”

  Nathaniel and the men near him came to attention. “Good evening, Colonel.”

  “Stand easy, boys. I had a look over the map of the area with Generals Meredith and Reynolds a little while ago. Though I doubt Lee will choose to engage us here. My guess is we’ll march farther north before there’s a clash. After all, his troops have bypassed Washington and Baltimore. Seems like it’s Harrisburg and Philadelphia he’s after.”

  “Yes, sir,” responded Nathaniel. “But you never know what Lee’s thinking.”

  “Right you are, Lieutenant. We’ll see what the morning brings. My hunch is we’ll have breakfast in the town of Gettysburg just ahead here and then move straight on for Harrisburg as quick as we can. Either that or swing east for Lancaster and Philadelphia.” He looked at Nathaniel. “I understand Lancaster County is your first home, Lieutenant King, just as it is for General Reynolds.”

  “Yes, sir, it is.”

  “I expect you’d rather not see it laid waste. A fight for you and the sooner the better, eh?”

  “Harrisburg would suit me, Colonel. Or right here, for that matter. Anywhere but home.”

  “I understand. I’d feel exactly the same way. I was born in Virginia but I farmed in Selma, Indiana, and I’d sure hate to see the war spread west and scorch the land.”

  “Halloo the pickets! Don’t shoot! We’re unarmed—but we have plenty of wings!”

  There was sniggering and laughter and somebody cried, “Whoops! I dropped one!”

  Sam Williams snapped his head around. “Who in thunder is that?”

  “They’re wearing black hats, Colonel,” his aide said.

  “That’s my—that’s Sergeant Keim, sir,” Nathaniel spoke up.

  Williams frowned and slapped his gloves against his leg. “It looks like they’ve been foraging. And we’re in a state loyal to the Union.”

  “Not so. Not so, whoever you are. The young ladies of Green Mount gave all this to us. Have some, will you? Our platoon can’t possibly eat it all—pies, chicken, turkey, fresh biscuits, bread, butter. Why, I have five canteens full of cold milk—” Levi stopped when he saw the gold epaulets on Williams’ shoulders. He almost dropped the five sacks of food he was carrying as he attempted to come to attention and salute. Plesko and Nip and Groom did let theirs fall. Behind them two more men were approaching the picket line and singing a hymn in German.

  Nathaniel was afraid to look at Williams. But then the colonel’s voice came easy and not without a stroke of humor. “Looks like Pennsylvania’s fallen in love with the Hoosiers, Sergeant. I don’t want to rob you, but my aide and I could do with a cherry pie if you have one handy. And I’ll gladly exchange my canteen of spring water for one of fresh milk.”

  “Yes, sir. Happy to help you out, sir.”

  Levi fumbled with his sacks but Plesko stepped forward with a pie and canteen.

  “This cherry pie was given to us by a girl as pretty as the sunset over your shoulder, Colonel. Eat heartily and thank God.”

  Williams laughed. “Why, I intend to. I think Tom here and I better dig in before we get back to headquarters and make our report. Otherwise General Reynolds will sniff it out and demand a lion’s share. Johnny is a great one for the pies and biscuits.”

  “Yes, sir. And please keep your canteen. This one’s on the house.” Plesko smiled quietly as he handed the canteen of milk to Williams. “The Union forever.”

  “Hurrah.”

  Williams and his aide sat on the ground and dove into the pie while Levi handed out cooked chickens and turkey legs. Nip and Joshua held armfuls of bread and oranges. Nathaniel helped himself to a loaf and asked who had the butter and jam. It was meant as a joke but Groom quickly brought out both.

  “This looks like the Fourth of July,” said Ham, one eye on the road as he bit into a drumstick.

  Nip wiped off a milk mustache. “It will be in a few days.”

  “I’m used to seeing fireworks.”

  Nip smiled as he worked on a cookie. “This is better than fireworks.”

  Williams pulled out his pocket watch. A round moon, almost full, had risen over the fields and lit the watch’s face like a lamp. “We’d better get cracking, Tom. Reynolds will be wondering why we took so long to inspect the picket line.”

  The two climbed onto their horses. Williams saluted Nathaniel’s platoon. “You soldiers are the farthest advance of the Army of the Potomac. March or fight, good luck and God bless tomorrow.”

  They returned the salute. “Thank you, sir.”

  After Williams and his aide had ridden off in the moonlight, the platoon continued to eat and drink. It took a while before they had had enough. Even then no one wanted to sleep. The moon had stroked the land in white.

  “Almost like a field of snow,” murmured Jones.

  “It is,” agreed Nathaniel. “Who’s that coming toward us way up the road?”

  “Captain Hanson and Lieutenant Nicolson, sir. They were reconnoitering a mile or two on foot. The captain wanted to get an idea how far it was to that next town.”

  “I thought they’d ridden into Green Mount.”

  “No, sir.”

  “I hope we have something left for them.”

  “Still plenty to go around, sir.”

  The platoon continued to gaze at the moonlit fields.

  “Beautiful farmland,” Levi said.

  “What’s that hill over there?” asked Joshua. “It sure sticks out.”

  “Round Top,” Ham told him.

  “It’s morning now,” Nathaniel said, returning his watch to his pocket. “Good morning, men.”

  “Good morning, sir.”

  25

  Nathaniel opened his eyes. His watch said 3:30. A light drizzle had wet his uniform and hands and face. Nip was asleep beside him. He sat up. Groom was standing a few yards away with his bayonet fixed, watching the road in the last shimmer of light as the moon set in a bank of clouds to the west. Nathaniel craned his neck and spotted Levi walking softly through the grass with his musket a hundred feet beyond Groom.

  Nathaniel lay back and pulled the small Bible from the pocket of his frock coat. Lyndel had borrowed it
a few days before and underlined several verses in Psalm 91, which he now turned to.

  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee…For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways…Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under thy feet.

  Nathaniel read the verses twice and prayed a moment: So, Lord, a thousand men may read this today in both armies but they cannot all survive. How do we know when these verses are simply an encouragement to keep our faith strong and when they are directly and personally meant for us?

  He stood up. Groom saluted and he returned the salute.

  “I’m heading down toward Green Mount, Private,” he said quietly. “I’m going to check on the rest of our company.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Nathaniel rubbed Libby’s neck, untethered the mare, and drew her behind him as he walked along the road, letting her stop now and then to crop grass in the ditch. When he returned from his tour of the company’s picket line most of the men were getting up and Hanson had appeared to brew his Tippecanoe coffee. The flames of the small fire were painting Levi’s face orange as he stirred something in a pot and balanced a frying pan on his knee.

  “What’s that you’re making?” Nathaniel asked as he came up, Libby brushing her head vigorously against his back.

  “A pretty little lass with eyes as green as grass,” Levi sang. “I have the ingredients I need to make proper Pennsylvania pancakes, Pfannkuchen, and the green-eyed Green Mount girl gave me a pound of butter and a jar of maple syrup too. What better way to welcome the boys to the Commonwealth of William Penn than to serve up hot Pfannkuchen?”

  Nathaniel smiled. “Does the young lady have a name?”

  “A name and an address. And Green Mount is not so far from Lancaster County, is it?”

  “Not so far.”

  In less than an hour the platoon was squatting on the grass eating pancakes dripping in maple syrup and butter from their mess kits and taking fast swallows of Hanson’s coffee. The sun made its way up over the long green fields, breaking apart the clouds and stripping the gray sky down to a raw blue.