Chapter Five
Major General Nathaniel Prentice Banks, although well-respected by most of his men, the general was not that inspiring in battle, usually leading from the rear and the main culpret for the Union disaster at Clinch Mountain. Although conducting a splendid, organized retreat out of Tennessee back to Kentucky, of his army of 41,000 men that entered the battle; 8,600 were killed, another 11,321 were captured or missing and 5,000 were wounded for a total of 24,921 casualties. But he was still respected in Washington for his political roots in New England because he had/could raise nearly any army with full support despite his short comings in battle.
Lieutenant General Albert Sydney Johnston led the main portion of the Confederate Army of the Tennessee at Clinch Mountain, although critically wounded he realized the great victory he had won over the Union Army before he died three days later. Of his 26,000 men that entered the battle; 4,900 were killed, 5,172 wounded and 46 captured or missing for a total of 10,118 casualties; 8,800 of which occured at the Battle of the 'Butcher's Nest' the majority coming from Major General Braxton Bragg's men. Before dying he was rumored to have said, "I've yet so much to do for my country. Please God, do not take me after the greatest accomplishment of my life."
~ Tom watched as the man on the floor turned over, his face somewhat recognizable as the bloodied soldier was clear to be a Federal screamed out in terror, "Help me."
Tom ran over now, getting back to his normal self, "Major he cried. Major Longhorne, wait!"
The Union major, one of Tom's former officer's during the battle was crippled on the floor, first by a bullet to the thigh, then when to the shoulder and now a slit on the throat. Tom commanded Jennifer to find something to stop the bleeding on his throat and help him bring him to the couch so he could rest. The major was slowly fading by this time, he looked at Tom but didn't know the young soldier much at all but as a face that seemed recognizable as if he'd seen it once or twice before while drilling.
"Son," he said, "tell me if you're a Union soldier," he asked gently.
"Yes," Tom answered as he and Jennifer placed him on the couch and Jennifer tore a part of her gown off to use a torniquet to stop the bleeding on his neck.
"Those dam'd rebels," he cried in pain as he was lie in the couch, "they don't know what they've done."
"Take it easy major, just take it easy."
"Son," he said once more, "I'm a military man, you don't need to lie to me and say I'm fine when I know I'm going to die. But can you do me a favor son?"
"Anything," Tom replied.
"My wife and children, they live in the small town of Burnettwood Kentucky, please tell them I love them all and I died serving my country well," he finished as he started looking directly to the sky.
"I will," said Tom with a tear in his eye and a firm grip on the major's hand. By and by, it didn't take long before the major gave his last breath, but left with him vital equipment for both Tom and Jennifer: a pistol, sabor, and canteen.
Jennifer looked at Tom, Tom looking like the devil with fury in his eyes, "This war has ammounted to nothing!" he screamed. Jennifer took a step back and tried to say something to him, "I thought this would be something of honor!" he said with an outburst, "but it is far from that!"
"Tom!" Jennifer said in hopes to calm him down.
"What is this war worth?" he said aloud, "I thought war was honorable, that it would be glorious to die fight and die for your country, I've not had that feeling yet. If anything it is that opposite, there's no glory in seeing friends and family men being killed because their officer's tell them to go to their deaths. I think their is nothing glorious now, to die for my country," he said and fell to the ground. In this instance Tom grew up past his many years. At one point he was more of an old boy, now he was true adult but sobbed in his arms and cried out "Bill."