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Bill might be still alive. :p
But Tom seems to be alive. And I assume that in the next chapter he is already strong enough to keep fighting his war? :cool:
 
@ BritishImperial: Certianly, one has to live... but one most die as well (or at least that's how it usually goes)

@ Hardraade: Well, Bill is already in a tough position, dead or alive; it could only get better for him wouldn't you say? ;)

@ Enewald: Tom is alive enough, as for Bill; that I can't say.

To All: I'm not sure how eterntaining this is anymore, not to say I will be giving up, but I would like to know, I feel like it is slowly fading. However, it has grown larger than I had first imagined. Chapter wise, I'm half-way finished with the AAR, that is to say it isn't half-way complete in updates though.

-Thanks, volks.
 
Volksmarshall, you are now the new Character Wow!!

I just finished reading your AAR a few days ago, and I immediately liked it, I shall be reading on from now on. So anyways congrats and keep up the good work. ;)
 
Chapter Five

Tom was slowly getting back to his feet, he slumped quickly down again however. He paused and tried once again, only to fail like the previous time. He looked straight at Jennifer, "Help me to my feet," said Tom to Jennifer in the night. "I must be able to walk."

"Don't," she said frantically as she helped him to his feet, "you should stay here for a bit until you've fully healed." Unknown to Tom, he felt like he was just knocked out nothing more. He didn't recall that that he nearly died being burried alive. "You were nearly dead," she said, "you were being burried alive," she finished as she started to cry.

"Burried alive, are you mad Jennifer? I'm fine, I just can't breath or feel my arms and legs."

"Then you should stay here until you get the blood moving again, and your lungs ready to..."

"Jennifer, I must thank you. But realize I have priorities right now..."

"War isn't as glorious as it seems Tom, realize that. Why should you throw your life away so soon?"

"Why were you a nurse?"

"I had no choice, I was forced to come here by Union officers, they were short on doctors and nurses, Doctor Richardson was with me until the battle started."

"Doctor Richardson, I need to find him then, I could ask him how things are going back home," he said with excitement as he slumped back into the couch, unable to move.

"Tom," Jennifer said quietly, "thnigs have gotten very bad at home."

"What do you mean?"

"Old Evan Harris has taken over as Mayor, and he and his men are stopping anyone from leaving and entering. Only Confederates and his personal possy are allowed in and out of the town. He went after your younger brother Jeb too, I don't know why..."

"That son of a..."

"Calm down Tom, please."

"Isn't the marshal doing anything?"

"He's on his payroll, or he's just to damned a coward to try and stop him. Tom," she paused, "I've always loved you, don't leave so soon. Stay here with me at Clinch Mountain."

~ The old farmer stood at the banks with a net, rope, and his rifle in his hand as Bill came strolling down the river. "Easy now," he said aloud as he tossed the net over Bill, which was attached to the rope. He scored perfect, and slowly brought Bill in, despite the heavy current and rapids all around him. The man however began to struggle, it appeared as if Bill would slip out of the net, and only a few hundred feet down the river was a twenty foot waterfall that would certainly spell doom to him, if he was even alive at this point.

"Come on, don't be shy," he said once again to himself. He pulled him close to a point where he reached over to grab his rifle and used the barrel to lodge through some of the openings in the net and bring him closer to the flooded shorelines. Bill was now at the feet of the farmer as he removed the net and the rope that was tangled and mingled all around him. Soon, he turned Bill over to see his pale white face with water coming out of his mouth. The farmer quickly placed his ear to Bill's mouth, to try and catch any signs of life. He looked hard at the confederate soldier, he carried him quickly to his horse.

"Come on Sally, back to the barn," he said with a heavy kick to the brown horses' side, to which the horse sharpely sped away. The farmer left the rope and net on the riverside as his rifle was attached around him, along with Bill. He looked back at the young confederate, thinking the impossible. "He has to get out of that soaking wet uniform," he said to himself.

After several minutes of riding, over the hills and far away, he finally reached the ridge next to his stables and home. He rushed in with his horse, dismounting quickly and setting Bill on the muddy ground while taking his horse into the stables. "Good girl," he said to his favorite stallion and quickly moved back to Bill, picking him up and running to the door. Opening it he yelled inside, "Sarah! Miles! Come quickly, I have a man; he's barely alive!"
 
Looks like both brothers will be alright, though Bill's future circumstances may depend on who's side that farmer is on. If he's a Unionist, Bill might find himself a prisoner after all.
 
Pre Update responses

@ gaiasabre11: Thank you mein gut freund! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and welcome aboard! Always glad to see and know that some people will *attempt* to read from the beginning, especially in a narrative AAR.

@ Enewald: Thanks, I hope to complete this, sometime... sooner than later though.

@ Hardraade: Thanks, and thanks!

Post Update responses

@ Enewald: Jennifer indeed loves Tom, a good story must have some sort of romance in it some where. Bill is alive, barely (his future will be determined, I already know what will happen, in future updates)

Let's just say Tom has plans on going back to war...

@ Hardraade: Thinking outside the box are we! Bill's future depends on his wounds and the ideals of the farmer as well.
PS: Where has Of Men Great and Small ran off too?

@ Erie_Patriot: Thanks, glad you enjoyed them.
 
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@ Hardraade:
PS: Where has Of Men Great and Small ran off too?

I had put it on hold intending to pick it up at a later time, but I don't think that I'll be continuing it.
 
I had put it on hold intending to pick it up at a later time, but I don't think that I'll be continuing it.

Sorry to hear that, I thought it was rather great.
 
Chapter Five

The storms overhead were slowly becoming less violent than earlier moments; outside the tree's stopped shaking violently in the rain and the glass didn't implode when the rain stroke it dead center. Jennifer covered Tom with a small blanket that was left in the house, as he shivered tremendously. He slowly took back control of his breathing and gained control of his extremities as he sat up on the couch, rather than lying down. He smiled as she covered him in the cloth and took one last match and lit the small and old candle to his side on the table. Jennifer then sat down next to Tom, who in shock, began to unravel a bit, talking uncontrollably to her, as she tried to calm him down.

He coughed, sneezed, and spoke rapidly as his chest inflated and deflated with large gasps of air. He looked at the window, where he saw a small shadow appear and quickly vanish. He looked nervous as he moved his eyes in all directions looking for something. He then reached down into his belt pocket, where he was amazed to find his knife still in place. He pulled it out to Jennifer's despair. She moved quickly away and stood up, looking at Tom with some sense of fear in her eyes.

"Sssh," he said to her, "there's someone else here," he said as he handed her the knife. "Guard the en... (cough) guard the en... (cough) guard the entrance," he mumbled out as he slowly began to lie down once again.

Jennifer had fear in her eyes, she slowly moved to the door; standing to the side where the door wouldn't smack her in the head if the door was opened. She looked at Tom, only to see a shadow through the window to her left. She began to panic heavily, breath heavily. Tom tried to calm her from his spot on the couch. Tom quickly rolled off the couch and crawled over to the space between the couch and the corner of the log cabin. He held his pointing finger in front of his lips, urging Jennifer to stay calm. Once more the shadow appeared and vanished from the last window in the front of the cabin.

Outside in the rain, and ragged old man by the looks of it, with long silver hair and an out fashioned scruffy beard stood. He cocked back his pistol, which he was holding in his hand; breathing deeply. The man walked back, about thirty or so feet from the cabin and in the rain, rushed forward; hitting the door with his full force and budging the door a bit. He looked up to see small pieces of the hinges ready to budge, on his feet now; he moved back and stroke the door with his mud-plastered boots. He slowly walked into the room, the rain behind him and nothing but a table and couch in front of him. He strangely looked at the lit candle on the side table beside the couch and moved forward, his gun in his hand.

Jennifer, behind him, moved from her spot in the room; unknown to the man walking towards the couch. She slid the blade of the knife to the man's throat, stopping him in his tracks. He just as quickly dropped his gun to the floor and turned over; his faced stained with blood and fell to the floor. Jennifer screamed, to of which Tom actually pulled himself up and walked to her; as she pointed at the fallen man.

~ Miles Lawrence, the farmer's son was the first to aid his father in the doorway as he carried Bill into his house. His wife, hands filled with towels and rags also appeared as the farmer placed Bill down on the kitchen table.

"Hun, what is goin' on?" the wife asked.

"Just help me, I think he's a confederate; he's almost dead I think."

"Look pa, he's been shot clear through the shoulder," commented his son who was looking at Bill's blood stains and wound.

"Listen up son; I need you to get me tools from me shed."

"Alright pa," his son obeyed without asking twice as he placed on his heavy coat and slipped out the door and into the mud and rain to retrieve his father's tools.

"Listen up boy, if you can hear me it isn't too late at the moment."

Bill stood silent and motionless on the table. His near pale-white face was an ominace sight to see.

"He's dead," said his wife.

"No, he's just knocked out; he still has a slight pulse." He moved over to him and began pressing down on his chest extremely hard. After several minutes, and as Miles returned with his father's tools; Bill coughed up and fountain of water into the air and spun over to his side and vomited even more water and some vegetation out of his mouth. He gasped heavily for air and reached up, his eyes still blind from the experience that had befallen him.

"Stay calm," said the farmer, I need to remove the bullet from your back. He nodded to his son and wife he held him over, Bill being very delusional and delirious at this time. The farmer moved in with scissors and tweezers in his hand and mouth, placing the scissors in the wound and opening them wide to hold the wound open, while his son with his spare hand ensured the wound wouldn't force the scissors to move together and close the wound. With his hand he felt for the bullet among the pile of blood and bones, finding the bullet lodged slightly in his shoulder blade. He took the tweezers from his mouth and took a firm hold on the bullet, slowly but surely pulling it out from his shoulder and bone. His son then removed the scissors and the wound slowly closed.

Bill was knocked out once again as this was happening. The farmer placed a needle in her hand and some string, "Stitch him up a bit, won't ya?"
 
Jennifer and Tom could be in a bit of a pickle depending on the identity of the man she killed. Her reaction seems to indicate that she knows the dead man. Of course, it may just be that she's upset about having killed someone.

Bill's not out of the wood yet, but it's good to see that he's getting good care. In his weakened state his fate very much remains in the hands of these strangers who have as yet unrevealed loyalties.
 
Things have certainly gotten interesting since the end of the battle. Hopefully for Bill's sake he can have a healthy recovery as I would presume a farmer in Tennessee would be loyal to the Rebels, but who knows? :p
 
@ Hardraade: Neither of them or out of the woods yet, but the man in the home has an important role for Tom; you'll see in that in the next update which will also cover the two commanders during the battle. As for Bill, he is a worse position because he spent so much time in the icy waters and while the family seems to care, they are no doctors.

@ Enewald: The guest, well he was just looking for a nice place to stay. :p For Tom and Bill, their time is being on a countdown, especially Bill.

@ Eire_Patriot: Bill is indeed, but even some Southern people wanted to stay with the Union, maybe this family is one of them? :eek:

@ gaiasabre11: LOL! That is my type of 'Confederate' Kitty! I wouldn't want to be seen by that thing, if I saw it I might accidently go in my pants :p
 
Chapter Five

NathanielBanks.png

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.

Johnston.jpg

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."
 
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Well, if there's no more glory to be win, the only thing that keeps one fighting is that they might win. Just keep fighting so that you can claim to be the winner. :p