:rofl: I just had to hear that album after seeing your comment, Seidita. Didn't even catch that until you mentioned it but... :rofl:
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Not so happy circumstances for the re-union, but rather better than some I had imagined. Will it be the only one?
It seems that if anything is going to happen Ida has to take the initiative. Sonny seems to be the introvert type. As you say I don’t think Ida yet will measure up to a role in a certain story but people do acquire new talents, don’t they? 
The style of this AAR is definitely charming, very nice dialogues and story.
The style of this AAR is definitely charming, very nice dialogues and story.You don't need cliffhangers to hook me. I'd read this story anyway. Have you ever thought of making a book? By the way, will Thomas survive?
Fb-fb:
stnylan - We shall see Thomas again, if that is what you are wondering. I struggled with how to bring him back into the picture, initially planning to kill him off actually. But I found this to be a better way to incorporate him. In fact, he may or may not play a rather important role later in the story. I havn't decided.
Judge - Very much a compliment from you Mr. Judge. As for Ida, she will be free enough soon if you need an extra.
Wamo - I do appreciate that. But I find cliffhangers to be the best way to end each section since it is serialized. If put into book form, I imagine many of those would need to be re-written.
And speaking of book writing, I have thought of it and actually tried my hand at it. My major problem has always been sticking with it. I usually find that I can write fairly well in one sitting, but when trying to pick back up where I left off has been difficult - getting back into that frame of mind. In many ways, that is part of what I am trying to accomplish here.
Writing this AAR is helping me adjust to returning to a story line, and once finished, this AAR should read very much like a book. But it would need far more work than I am putting into it now in order to accomplish that. Very much a compliment, though. Thank you sir.
And now...Part II of the update follows. As always, thank you all very much for reading, enjoying and commenting!
stnylan - We shall see Thomas again, if that is what you are wondering. I struggled with how to bring him back into the picture, initially planning to kill him off actually. But I found this to be a better way to incorporate him. In fact, he may or may not play a rather important role later in the story. I havn't decided.
Judge - Very much a compliment from you Mr. Judge. As for Ida, she will be free enough soon if you need an extra.
Wamo - I do appreciate that. But I find cliffhangers to be the best way to end each section since it is serialized. If put into book form, I imagine many of those would need to be re-written.
And speaking of book writing, I have thought of it and actually tried my hand at it. My major problem has always been sticking with it. I usually find that I can write fairly well in one sitting, but when trying to pick back up where I left off has been difficult - getting back into that frame of mind. In many ways, that is part of what I am trying to accomplish here.
Writing this AAR is helping me adjust to returning to a story line, and once finished, this AAR should read very much like a book. But it would need far more work than I am putting into it now in order to accomplish that. Very much a compliment, though. Thank you sir.
And now...Part II of the update follows. As always, thank you all very much for reading, enjoying and commenting!
Chapter III (cont.)
* * *
Sonny gathered up whatever medical supplies he could find, making sure to keep an eye on the doctor. He started to leave the room and took one last look at Thomas, lying pitifully in his bed. What has this war brought? He thought to himself. He did not wave to his friend, but left him silently in his misery.
Sonny quickly found himself outside and watched for a moment as many of the former prisoners were led through the yard and out the gates. He looked around and saw a line of Union guards up against a wall, held at gunpoint. He did not wait around to see their fate. He made his way back to where Taylor had set up and found his horse. Loading the supplies into his saddlebags, he mounted and trotted to Taylor’s position.
Taylor sat on his own horse overlooking the down slope of a hill that led to a grouping of trees. Forrest was next to him doing likewise.
“How many are there General,” Forrest questioned.
“It only appears to be a small group of irregulars. But they also have a line of our men.”
Sonny peered down the slope himself and could faintly make out a large grouping of horse and riders and a line of perhaps five men, walking along in single file on the edge of the woods. He was startled when Will rode up beside him.
“It’s gotta be Tanney, kid. Gotta be.”
“D’ya think Will? Could we be that lucky?”
“Luck’s got nothin’ to do with it. This here is fate.”
Sonny did not have time to reply before Forrest had ordered several of his cavalry into a line to prepare for a possible charge. Taylor swung his horse around.
“I do not think it’s necessary, General. It’s a small band. They do not stand a chance against us. Besides, wait for your scout to return. He will let us know how many they truly are. If there are more, then we shall stand and fight in order to make our journey back unchallenged. But these men could not hold us up for long, I am sure.”
“I agree with ya, General Taylor. But I’ll not be caught at the unready. And I’ve a mind to go down there and free those men myself. Perhaps we had better start a party back with the prisoners. Those men are in no condition to fight.”
“Agreed General.” Taylor barked a few orders and sent a party of mounted infantry to accompany the tired and hungry former prisoners back east towards Bowling Green. Some had found horses, but many of the men had to walk. There had not been as many as Forrest had assumed, but this was still an additional 500 soldiers to bolster Jackson’s army. Of course, that meant more mouths to feed as well. But Forrest and Taylor were more interested in the irregulars.
As they sat waiting on their horses, Sonny grew more anxious. If there were to be a fight, how would he be able to get into it? There was no way to strike his blow at Tanney if he was stuck on the ridge with Taylor. But he was not about to disobey orders, and especially not with Taylor.
Before he could get another thought in, however, they all heard the sound of gunfire from down the slope of the hill. Turning to look, they all witnessed the line of prisoners fall to the ground in front of Tanney and his riders. They had shot them. Were they trying to provoke the Southerners into a fight? If so, they were about to get one.
Forrest cursed as a rider galloped quickly to his side.
“General, sir. I have scouted ten miles to the south and I regret to inform ya that we face a not so small army approaching. I’d say they have maybe 3,000 with them.”
“There is no need to be sorry of that fact, soldier. I relish the thought of comparing our skills with them today,” Forrest said with an air of superiority. “What say ya General Taylor?”
Taylor did not take long to reply, “General Forrest, we are of comparable strength. But only if our combined forces are brought to bear upon them. I should leave the planning up to you, but ya have my men at your ready.”
“Fine,” Forrest replied with a scowl.
Forrest began ordering his best cavalry to make ready for a leading charge as Taylor ordered a double line set up to show an initial volley of fire. He gave the order that the remainder of his forces be split and merged with the rest of Forrest’s cavalry.
After a half hour, the men were set up and Sonny found himself assigned to a mixed group of mounted soldiers and cavalry comprising a right flank. He only had his pistol as a weapon, but if the Forrest plan went off correctly, he would not need more than that. He looked over at Forrest and saw Will at the ready closely behind him. Will would get the first crack at meeting with Tanney, if Tanney was man enough to stand and fight.
Looking back down the slope, he saw they first soldiers of the main Union force beginning to form a line at the edge of the woods. They would not be able to make a charge if they stayed this way. But Forrest was ready.
“Infantry! Prepare for march. We shall go out and meet them if they will not come to us.”
Two lines of infantry began a march down the slope, and as predicted, the Union forces stood their ground. Forrest used his own cavalry attachment to bolster the line in an unorthodox maneuver. Trotting slowly, the sound of Forrest giving the order to make ready and fire was given and a cloud of smoke began to fill the air between the two sides.
The Union side did likewise and given their strength, had the better of the volley. Several of the southern side fell to the ground, now useless to the fight. Forrest had made sure to conceal his flanks so that the Union commander would presume that he was facing a much smaller force. At the instant of the first volley, Forrest ordered his main cavalry to wheel around and charge the line. As they did so, he ordered the remaining infantry to make a head on charge into the center of the Union position.
The Union line began to unravel as they witnessed two separate charges coming towards them. As they began to fall back into the woods, Forrest quickly halted the charges and ordered his own men back.
“Fall back, men! Fall back!”
A soldier beside Sonny asked, “What in hell is Forrest doing? He has them on the run!”
Sonny knew better. He had listened to Taylor and Forrest discuss the plan and this was precisely as Forrest had called it. The Union force saw the Southerners falling back and steadied their line again. They began a forward march out into the open field, with infantry and mounted soldiers behind them.
Forrest wheeled around on his horse, and stood his ground on the midpoint of the slope. He was unflappable and proud on his mount, like a stone statue in the middle of a field.
He raised his saber into the air and held it there, completing the picture. His raised arm waited for the Union forces to find a midpoint in the open field, and as they settled into another firing line, perhaps to take a solid shot towards Forrest himself, he lowered the blade and was quickly surrounded by his main cavalry arm.
“Charge!” he yelled and the entire line of cavalry roared with a blood curdling rebel yell. Slowly at first but quickly gaining speed on this short charge, the horses bounded down the slope once again. The Union line got off a quick line of shot before the southern horsemen were on top of them.
Slashing of steel and the firing of guns could be heard and Sonny began to get irritated as he worried that his moment may still elude him. Then he heard the order.
“Men! Make ready for charge!” Taylor shouted to his subordinates who relayed the order to each flank. This was the moment for Forrest’s plan to finally be called into play. A bird, flying overhead, would have seen a melee in the center and a line of mounted riders approaching from two opposite sides. Not for the last time, would Forrest use this pincer movement to great success.
Sonny spurred his horse into action. His gun raised and the ground beneath him becoming more and more difficult to make out, he quickly found himself bowling over Union infantry, stampeded under the foot of the horses. He fired quickly, towards anything in blue that came at him. He tried to look around to spot Tanney, or at least Will.
And then he spied his target. He watched as Tanney single handedly took down two separate Confederates with two quick swings of his blade. He was barking orders to his own mounted men and slashing at any opposing soldier that moved his way.
Sonny looked towards the center and saw Will maneuvering towards Tanney. He too had spotted him and was attempting to move in for the kill. Sonny fell into action. He moved forward and was surprised by a Union soldier who pulled at his waist and quickly took him from his mount. He had just time enough after falling to the ground to roll away from his horse and raise his pistol. One shot was all he needed to kill the main coming at him with a bayonet.
He stood and turned his head left and right. His pistol was now empty and he would need a weapon. He saw a dead cavalryman lying on the ground near him. He elbowed his way through the fierce hand-to-hand combat, throwing punches as he went. He pried the saber from the dead man’s hand and quickly began to slash at opponents.
One, two, then three men found their lives ended as Sonny moved back towards where he had seen his foe. He saw a riderless horse, wandering in the mix, seemingly unable to determine if it should run or stand still. Neighing and raising its front legs, it seemed to be fighting too. Sonny ran to it and grabbed the reins. He jumped into the saddle with a swift and fluid motion and surveyed the landscape now visible to him. Spotting Will with ease, as he had been unable to move from his position, he spurred the horse towards him. A sharp pain dug into his right leg and he looked down to see the tip of a bayonet slice at his leg. He brought the heavy blade down on top of the man who had stabbed him and moved on without a second thought.
Slicing his way towards Will, he finally moved in next to him. He heard Will shout and saw him point, “Over there! He’s moving away!! He’s over there!!”
Sonny turned in the direction that Will was pointing and saw Tanney gathering his riders and moving out of the action. Sonny turned his horse in that direction. As he began to move that way, he heard the sound of a retreat being ordered. Who had called for it? North or South? His question was quickly answered as the remaining men in blue began pulling out of the fight.
Another fierce yell pierced the air as the southerners realized they had won. The fighting did not stop right away and Sonny took the moment to continue towards Tanney. He sliced down on an escaping Union soldier and trampled another as he maneuvered his horse towards his target. He was almost to him when he heard the sound of Forrest ordering his own men to stand their ground and not pursue. He hesitated for a moment. Should he continue on anyway? Tanney was not but twenty feet away from him.
He heard the order again and looked back at Forrest. Another Union soldier ran past him and in anger, Sonny brought the blade down on top of him. He turned again and looked back to Tanney. For one brief moment, their eyes met, and the smile on the brutish man’s face brought Sonny’s blood to a boil. He whipped his horse around and was about to dig his foot into his horse’s side when someone grabbed the reins of his horse.
Sonny lifted the saber and was prepared to strike and then realized it was Will.
“Leave it, Sonny boy. There’ll be another day.”
“I can get to him, Will! Lemme go!”
“Leave it!” Will shouted at him. “You can’t kill him if’n yer dead!”
Sonny lowered the saber and quickly took off back up the hill on his horse. He was furious. He had Tanney right there in front of him and he did not use the chance. He rode back to the top of the hill and was greeted by General Taylor.
“If I had known you were such a fighter, I would have assigned you to infantry in the beginning, Corporal.”
Sonny did not say a word. He simply saluted the General and rode past him. He turned his horse once he had reached the apex of the hill and looked back out over the field of battle. Men lay dead in the middle, a graveyard of blue and gray. The retreated Union soldiers had since moved back into the woods and the Confederates were gathering the wounded and moving back towards the camp.
After an hour, they had reformed and began moving back east. Half of the combined force had been killed in the skirmish, but Forrest rode at the lead with a smile of satisfaction on his face. The comparison with the look upon Sonny’s face could not be sharper. He did not say a word. His only thought was a repeating image in his head. That amused and haughty grin upon Tanney’s face. Did he even know what he was grinning about? Did he have any idea that he had escaped vengeance?
Never again, Sonny thought. Never again.
To be continued...
I just had to catch up with your two recent chapters, Coz1. Still, it indeed gave me more to read and I, of course, enjoyed both of the chapters, especially the second one. Anyway, I wonder what Bill Tanney was grinning about? And also, I wonder what Jackson will think about Sonny's actions on the battlefield? Still, it does seem that Sonny has indeed become quite obsessed back there in the fighting.
But still, update soon!
But still, update soon!
coz1 said:
That's a good thing, though. Your readers wouldn't be in the same mindset as you. It allows you to go back and edit what you wrote before. That's one thing I HAD to get over once I started college. I was the same way as you.
JoshWeber said:
Josh - thanks for the comment, but I admit I am flumuxed about what you are referring to. Just curious what you mean. Care to elaborate? I'm curious only because the idea of writing a book has surely been on my mind while writing this, and I would love to use any and all theory I can get towards that end.
Yeah. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I was just saying that it's a good thing that you're not always able to get into the same mindset as the last time you were writing. That way you can go back and edit stuff to, probably, make it more readable. I know that there have been several times when I've gone back and edited something I wrote and I was like "Hmm, I thought I made the connection here, but obviously it was just in my head." if you're in a different mindset you come in fresh and see it the way your readers will probably see it.
Obviously the AAR is a little different, but I still like that my mindset has changed. For instance, your suggestion of a trip to Hawaii in mine wouldn't have been included if I was in the same mindset the whole time. However, I was in a different mood so I was like "that's a great idea" and, to be honest, it's changed the way my AAR is going to turn out. Granted, you have a lot more experience writing AARs than I do (I'm still on my first one) so I'll bow to you on that; but, without knowing how old you are or education level, I probably have more experience writing regular papers. Getting my degrees gave me a LOT of practice on that. :wacko: I hope that doesn't come off rude or arrogant sounding at all because that's not how I meant it. I was just putting my two cents that you could probably make your changed mindset work to your advantage.
Obviously the AAR is a little different, but I still like that my mindset has changed. For instance, your suggestion of a trip to Hawaii in mine wouldn't have been included if I was in the same mindset the whole time. However, I was in a different mood so I was like "that's a great idea" and, to be honest, it's changed the way my AAR is going to turn out. Granted, you have a lot more experience writing AARs than I do (I'm still on my first one) so I'll bow to you on that; but, without knowing how old you are or education level, I probably have more experience writing regular papers. Getting my degrees gave me a LOT of practice on that. :wacko: I hope that doesn't come off rude or arrogant sounding at all because that's not how I meant it. I was just putting my two cents that you could probably make your changed mindset work to your advantage.
I'll tell you another thing that's helped me. I LOVE reader comments in my AAR, but I have my updates collected in a different place without the comments as well. I think I'm going to post a link to it so that people can read it the whole way through without digging through comments. Reading it like that may help you get into the same mindset again if that's what you want.
No, your quite right Josh (and not rude at all. ). My paper writing days are years behind me, but in terms of re-writes, it was always something that was an issue. Much like writing this AAR or any other I've done. In school, I usually wrote them and that was it. C's were a popular grade for me because I just didn't want to revisit them (and worse, because I wrote them like I was giving a speech.).
In many ways, the same thing happens when I write, and that ties into writing in book form. I do re-read my posts before putting them up for public consumption, but the idea that the reader does not always see what you expect them to see is very much true.
I admit that I have spent more time re-reading and correcting this work than I have ever done with anything else I have written, be it poetry, fiction, web writing or scholarly work. You are absolutely on target that to make it "just so" one should take the extra second and make sure of that.
And I'm honored that a simple comment from me actually changed the storyline slightly in your Swedish AAR (which you should all be reading if you are not.)
Edit - I've done the same thing Josh. But it does not seem to be as much of an issue with this AAR. I guess I am overcoming some of my writing issues by working on this. Actually, I plan on doing pdfs for each chapter as the story gets longer. Alexandru, where are you??
). My paper writing days are years behind me, but in terms of re-writes, it was always something that was an issue. Much like writing this AAR or any other I've done. In school, I usually wrote them and that was it. C's were a popular grade for me because I just didn't want to revisit them (and worse, because I wrote them like I was giving a speech.). In many ways, the same thing happens when I write, and that ties into writing in book form. I do re-read my posts before putting them up for public consumption, but the idea that the reader does not always see what you expect them to see is very much true.
I admit that I have spent more time re-reading and correcting this work than I have ever done with anything else I have written, be it poetry, fiction, web writing or scholarly work. You are absolutely on target that to make it "just so" one should take the extra second and make sure of that.
And I'm honored that a simple comment from me actually changed the storyline slightly in your Swedish AAR (which you should all be reading if you are not.)
Edit - I've done the same thing Josh. But it does not seem to be as much of an issue with this AAR. I guess I am overcoming some of my writing issues by working on this.
Actually, I plan on doing pdfs for each chapter as the story gets longer. Alexandru, where are you??
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What a performance but it was kind of bitter to read about the Tanney part. Sonny finally having a good chance of slicing him up like a melon. However I am sure there will be more chances for that as well as other entertaining activities Great battle description btw!
Great battle description btw!
Coz, were you thinking of some of Eric the Bloody's terrible doings when you wrote that? Great stuff, and I am very interested in what will happen next.
As for editing, I rarely do it, to be honest. Other than the FC, that is. And I always write my AARs in MS Word first and save it before posting it in the forum. So I have every single installment of every story I've written in Word format. I've not done anything with them, other than burn them onto a CD.
As for editing, I rarely do it, to be honest. Other than the FC, that is. And I always write my AARs in MS Word first and save it before posting it in the forum. So I have every single installment of every story I've written in Word format. I've not done anything with them, other than burn them onto a CD.
Ahh, by slipping away Tanney has only made Sonny's fiery hate burn all the fiercer. Now I truly wonder. 20 years later Bill Taney is still around, and the hate was still all there, but more tightly controlled and used. I will look forward to reading about the intervening stages.
Come to think of it I'll have to re-read the earlier portions soon else I'll forget what's "really" happening, so to speak.
Come to think of it I'll have to re-read the earlier portions soon else I'll forget what's "really" happening, so to speak.
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Ksim3000 - Yes, very obsessed. And I suspect Tanney was simply grinning that he had escaped. He really doesn't realize that Sonny is after him.
Wamo - Thank you sir, as always.
Judge - Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, Sonny was not happy, but he will have others chances...he hopes.
Amric - Actually no, Eric was not on my mind but the actions were somewhat similar. And I do the same - the whole thing starts in a Word document before making it to the forum screen. It's up to 85 pages now.
stnylan - And I am looking forward to writing them. Even though to many, this part of the story is and may be to more exciting part, I am most interested in the later years. That is where the Sonny from the beginning truly comes out. But, it takes time.
I wanted to simply touch base with the readers - I am having a bit of a pickle getting this last part of Chapter III just right. It will end the chapter and take us to Chapter 4 and there are a few things I need to do with it to achieve that. So it may be later in the week before I get it up. Just didn't want to leave anyone hanging. Hopefully it won't take too long and things will just fall into place (yeah, right.)
Thanks again for reading and commenting all!!
Ksim3000 - Yes, very obsessed. And I suspect Tanney was simply grinning that he had escaped. He really doesn't realize that Sonny is after him.
Wamo - Thank you sir, as always.
Judge - Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, Sonny was not happy, but he will have others chances...he hopes.
Amric - Actually no, Eric was not on my mind but the actions were somewhat similar. And I do the same - the whole thing starts in a Word document before making it to the forum screen. It's up to 85 pages now.
stnylan - And I am looking forward to writing them. Even though to many, this part of the story is and may be to more exciting part, I am most interested in the later years. That is where the Sonny from the beginning truly comes out. But, it takes time.
I wanted to simply touch base with the readers - I am having a bit of a pickle getting this last part of Chapter III just right. It will end the chapter and take us to Chapter 4 and there are a few things I need to do with it to achieve that. So it may be later in the week before I get it up. Just didn't want to leave anyone hanging. Hopefully it won't take too long and things will just fall into place (yeah, right.)
Thanks again for reading and commenting all!!
Chapter III (cont.)
* * *
The trip back from Camp Butler had been slow and unsteady. Those made to walk found it hard to keep up, especially as they were undernourished and winter was setting in harshly. Still, they kept moving.
General Forrest had sent scouts to make sure if they were followed or not, and they had returned with an answer the General did not want to hear. Yes, they were following and they were gaining ground as well.
Sonny did not pay attention to any of this. He had not been able to erase the image of Tanney from his mind, accompanied by the image of Thomas lying helpless in his hospital bed without a left arm. Sonny thought of his parents in the final moments and what they must have felt. And he thought of the sight of his brother falling to the ground when shot outside of Memphis.
Will had not dared to speak to him throughout the trip. He sensed that Sonny was coming to terms with himself about something and could feel the coldness from his cousin.
After nearly two weeks of riding, they had crossed the Ohio River once more and found themselves close to Bowling Green again. But as they got closer, the sound of artillery fire was distinct in the air. Arriving into the town, they were immediately greeted with the news that Memphis had fallen in early December and now Sheridan had sent Union General Pope north with a large force of troops.
They had met in battle not a week before the return of Taylor and Forrest’s men and it had resulted in a stalemate, for the moment. Now Pope had the southern side of the town and outlying area under siege. He had pushed Jackson’s defenses to within three miles of the town itself and was fast closing in.
Taylor and Forrest had quickly gone to meet with General Jackson, while Sonny simply rode past them, without a care for what was happening. Will let him go. Sonny would find Dinny eventually and his brother would talk to him.
The camp was just barely out of the town itself. And everyone had begun preparations for Christmas, now only a few days away. But the sudden interruption of this Christian spirit had reduced both the town and the decorations to so much rubble. Sonny finally reached the hitch and tied up his horse. He got down from his saddle, and upon turning around, was greeted by his brother.
“Well, what happened? Did ya get him?”
Sonny didn’t say a word and walked past his brother with a scowl on his face. He didn’t know where he was going exactly, but he knew he did not want to talk to Dinny. Dinny persisted. Catching up with his brother, he swung him around,
“What’s the matter with ya? Figured you’d be more excited after all that?”
“Excited 'bout what?” Sonny quickly answered.
“You been talkin’ ‘bout wantin’ to get into battle for months now. Well, now ya gone and done it. What happened?”
“People died. I kilt ‘em. And Tanney is still out there somewhere. That all you wanted to know?”
Sonny began walking away again and Dinny caught up once more.
“What in hell is your problem brother? I know that battle ain’t purty, but it looks like you came out just fine. Sometimes you just got to look past the killin’ and remember what you’s fightin’ fer.”
“What? What are we fightin’ fer? Hell if I know anymore.”
“I spect killin’ Tanney’s one of the reasons.”
“And I failed at that. Got anythin’ else?”
“How ‘bout fer yer country? Ain’t that there a reason?”
“My country? Well…Thomas…he went and fought for his country and look where it got him. Blown half to bits.”
“You saw Thomas Bowers?”
“Yeah, and he ain’t doin’ so well.”
Dinny bowed his head for a moment. He shook it in disgust or dismay, or maybe both. He looked back at his younger brother and figured he’d see tears. Instead, he saw rage coming from Sonny’s eyes.
“Sonny, I know this ain’t been easy fer ya. Ain’t been easy on any of us. But you can’t let that image stick with ya. Ya got to put it out of yer head, ya understand?”
“I can’t put it out, Din. Can’t put any of it out. I see Da, hangin’ there. I see Ma lyin’ on the floor with a gun in her hand. I see Margaret and Nellie holdin’ each other like they could protect each other…protect…hmph! Maybe if you wasn’t off fightin’ fer your country you might have been there to protect ‘em.”
Dinny balled up his fist and knocked Sonny flat on the ground. He didn’t think twice about it. He jumped on top of him and hit him again. Sonny pushed him off and got up again. He saw Dinny coming at him and he fought back. All the anger inside him came out with each blow that he landed. But Dinny was not a coward and he gave as good as he got.
They fought with each other, fist flying after fist, rolling around on the ground like two schoolyard fighters. They might not have stopped had it not been for the General Jackson breaking them up. He pushed them away from one another as the other soldiers, who had gathered around, held them off of each other.
“What is this? I’d prefer if you soldiers could save this for the enemy. We are friends of one another, are we not? Must we use our fists to solve our problems at a time like this? Can ya not see that the town is under fire? I am ashamed of both of ya. Sergeant, carry on with your duties. And you, Corporal. Come with me.”
Sonny did not take his eyes off of Dinny as he walked away. He saw the anger now apparent in his brother, but he suddenly realized that for the first time, he had been able to hold his own. Dinny couldn’t lick him anymore. And this was the only thing that made him feel better about the comment that he knew was out of line. He turned away and followed Jackson to his command tent.
As they entered, Jackson went straight for his chair next to a table filled with maps. He brushed his hands over them in an angry gesture, sweeping them to a heap on the floor. He sat and exhaled deeply, as if he was releasing month’s worth of tension. He looked at Sonny but did not say a word.
Sonny looked back at him at first, waiting for his reprimand, but when it did not come right away he turned his eyes to the floor. This was when Jackson spoke up.
“What do ya mean setting such an example in front of my soldiers? How dare ya think that was any sort of way for one of my men to act towards his fellow man? What were ya thinkin’ Corporal?”
When Sonny did not speak up right away, Jackson hollered, “Answer me, soldier?! I demand that ya tell me what was goin’ through your mind!”
“Sir, I…”
“And don’t give me excuses, Corporal. I’ll see ya lose that rank but fast!”
“I said somethin’ to my brother…somethin’...out of line. I deserved it.”
Jackson’s demeanor changed. He calmed a bit and looked Sonny up and down.
“Well, I’d say you got what was comin’ to ya. I dare not ask what the words were that ya spoke so indecently to your brother, but you will apologize to him. And when we have removed ourselves from this current engagement, you will be reprimanded further. Is that clear, Corporal?”
“Sir. Yes, sir,” Sonny answered, ashamed that he had let Jackson down.
“And I understand your little vendetta has come into play? General Taylor tells me ya fought bravely and fiercely, but I wonder if not also recklessly. I see that ya sustained a few scares from the skirmish.”
“Bill Tanney was there, General. I felt it would be justified to act on him while we was fightin’ the rest of ‘em.”
“I’ll not have ya killed, Corporal Gamble. Not while I am around. I cannot explain to ya why I find myself taken to carin’ for ya, but I have no children of my own. And you without parents, God rest their souls…I feel it is my duty. And as long as it is, I shall see ya safe. Is that clear?”
“General, sir…I preciate that. I truly do. But I ain’t a boy no more. I can’t say as I’m real excited about the war, but I can’t sit on the side and watch others get kilt. My parents died, maybe cause of this war, maybe not. But they’s dead now and I got to do somethin’ with my life other than mourn for ‘em.”
“You are of course correct, soldier.”
Jackson thought on it for a moment. He reached down and picked up the maps from the floor, placing them gently on the table once more. He reached into to his hip pocket and removed a small black book, his personal bible. After reflecting on it for a moment more, he spoke again.
“If ya feel so strongly about it, Corporal, then we shall see that you may fight. But only with proper action and not this wildness ya show in chasin’ after some demon. The man’s time will come someday, either by your hand or the hand of another. Do your duty to me and your country, Corporal Gamble, and you shall find your own salvation without his death.”
Sonny nodded and stood still waiting for Jackson to relieve him.
“Perhaps it would do ya well to check on the family Snow. I have not been able to myself since this mess started and I do worry about them, especially their lovely daughter. You are dismissed, Corporal. But you will think about what I have said to ya.”
“Yes, sir,” Sonny said as he saluted and then left the tent.
He felt a certain sense of relief. The meeting with Jackson had knocked some sense back into him and he could see more clearly that it was not his actions that had been reckless, but his mindset. The General was right. Sonny realized he had to figure out his own path in this war, in this life.
He was still confused, but perhaps a visit with Ida would help to lift his spirits. He would talk with Dinny later. Dinny would need a chance to cool down too before the apology. He set off towards the Snow house on the eastern part of the city.
As he walked, he thought of Ida’s pretty dark hair. It was as straight as could be, and parted just to the left. She wore a bow in the back, and it had matched her dress that evening. He could not remember seeing anyone that ever looked prettier, except for maybe his own mother. Perhaps Kitty Bowers, but she had been older. Ida Snow was closer to Sonny’s age. And she seemed more innocent. Not touched by such worldly things. He wanted to feel that innocence himself. Perhaps she would help him.
As he got closer to the house, he saw smoke rising into the air. People were rushing around with buckets of water and were tossing it on the flaming embers of where the house once stood. It had taken shellfire and had crumbled under the heavy weight of such massed firepower.
Sonny ran to a Captain barking orders.
“What’s happened, sir?”
The Captain answered without looking at him, “It’s been hit, can’t ya see? Damn shot came down just as they were sittin’ down to supper. Not a survivor among ‘em. General Jackson been talkin’ about pullin’ out. Looks like we’re gonna have to now if they’s targeting civilians.”
Sonny stood in shock.
“What do ya mean, no survivors? What about…” and then he stopped himself. Two corporals were pulling a body from the rubble and Sonny could clearly see a blue bow brightly shining among the gray and sooty mess. The body they were carrying was Ida Snow.
He ran to them and watched as they lay her on a blanket. He knelt down beside her and brushed the grime and dirt from her face. She looked peaceful enough, but Sonny’s heart began to ache. He instinctively began thinking of all the other dead bodies he had seen now. His mother and father, his nieces and aunt and uncle. His grandfather. The men that he had killed already in battle. What was the number? Seven? Ten?
He looked back down at her. He wanted to cry but no tears came. He felt his face grow tight with anger, blood rushing to his brain. His eyes began to glaze over and he had to struggle to clear them. He focused again on Ida, but this time her hair wasn’t straight or black. It was a mess of brown and red curls. She looked older all of the sudden and her dark skin turned pale, but a healthy pale with redness in her cheeks. Her bosom had filled out and her dress seemed simpler. In fact, she wasn’t covered in dirt anymore, but was as clean as could be except…
* * *
“CORRINA!!” Sonny shouted as he opened his eyes. He looked up at the ceiling and had to struggle to focus. He lifted his head filling with pain as he did so. He looked over the room and saw Doc Foster sitting in his chair, his head back, asleep. He tried to crane his neck to see out the window and realized that it was night. Pain shot through his shoulder and leg.
He had been dreaming. He wasn’t in the middle of the war anymore. He was in Wyoming Territory and had been shot. The memory of it was hazy, as was his vision still. And the faces in his mind were not clear, but he knew who they were – Tanney, Will, Jackson and Taylor…Thomas and Dinny.
And then suddenly the face of Ida Snow came back to him and this was as clear as a bell. He saw her, as she had been that one night at dinner, innocent and lovely and full of questions and charm. And as he thought about her, one lone tear fell from his eye.
To be continued in Chapter IV
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Very powerful and very well done, coz. You really surprised me when you pulled Sonny back to Wyoming at the end of the last update. Just keep going with this fine tale.
My God! When I started reading the part of Ida being dead my heart almost stopped beating. I was thrilled to find out it was only a dream puh. Wonder if Blow..eh I mean Snow is so innocent as Sonny tends to believe? Agree with jwolf, this was a powerful update (almost too powerful at least when reading early in the morning)