IT HAD BECOME his habit, during their weeks of isolation, that upon rising he immediately went and checked on Lorelei. He would knock gently on her door, enter without waiting for her re-ply, and light the fire in the fireplace before opening the drapes. She would raise herself up on her el-bows, smile warmly at him and wait for him to help her with her morning privy.
There were times, later, during the day that he marveled at having such intimate knowledge of a woman’s body. He never dreamed such a thing was possible. Not even Ruby had allowed him that. The most she’d ever allowed him was to wash her back at bath time, and that was it.
This morning, however, was different. This morning, he’d elected to stay alone in his room and leave …show more content…
But it was that bloody muddy mess at The Battle of Shiloh, on April 6, 1862, that had been his awakening. He’d never seen so many good men die for so little – a river – that would later wash away all traces of their sacrifice.
He and his men, the 3rd Mississippi Battalion had been in the forefront of the charge on the Union troops at Pittsburg Landing.
“FORWARD!” He’d ordered his men. And those brave souls had obeyed, following him to their deaths.
He and his men had been tasked with the ordeal of forcing the Union troops into the swamps of Owl Creek where they would – if things went as planned – become mired in river muck and cut off from reinforcements.
To their credit, the Union Troops had fought hard. And, somehow, during the intensity of the battle the Union troops had had the good fortune of falling back to Grant’s headquarters that were near-by, at Pittsburg Landing instead of the swamps of Owl Creek.
He’d ordered his men on anyway knowing that they outnumbered the Union troops three to one. What he didn’t know was that there were real battery guns and not Quaker guns at Pittsburg Landing. Artillery fire, especially those abominable canister shots (loam and hemp fabric loaded with rusted nails and iron fragments), from the heavy guns had cut his men to
There were times, later, during the day that he marveled at having such intimate knowledge of a woman’s body. He never dreamed such a thing was possible. Not even Ruby had allowed him that. The most she’d ever allowed him was to wash her back at bath time, and that was it.
This morning, however, was different. This morning, he’d elected to stay alone in his room and leave …show more content…
But it was that bloody muddy mess at The Battle of Shiloh, on April 6, 1862, that had been his awakening. He’d never seen so many good men die for so little – a river – that would later wash away all traces of their sacrifice.
He and his men, the 3rd Mississippi Battalion had been in the forefront of the charge on the Union troops at Pittsburg Landing.
“FORWARD!” He’d ordered his men. And those brave souls had obeyed, following him to their deaths.
He and his men had been tasked with the ordeal of forcing the Union troops into the swamps of Owl Creek where they would – if things went as planned – become mired in river muck and cut off from reinforcements.
To their credit, the Union Troops had fought hard. And, somehow, during the intensity of the battle the Union troops had had the good fortune of falling back to Grant’s headquarters that were near-by, at Pittsburg Landing instead of the swamps of Owl Creek.
He’d ordered his men on anyway knowing that they outnumbered the Union troops three to one. What he didn’t know was that there were real battery guns and not Quaker guns at Pittsburg Landing. Artillery fire, especially those abominable canister shots (loam and hemp fabric loaded with rusted nails and iron fragments), from the heavy guns had cut his men to