Faith by Lyn Cote

Author:Lyn Cote
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Christian / Historical, FICTION / Amish & Mennonite, FICTION / Romance / Clean & Wholesome
ISBN: 9781496412324
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Published: 2016-04-01T04:00:00+00:00

With Vicksburg in Union hands, supply boats had begun docking and delivering food, clothing, medicine, newspapers, and letters and packages from home. While Faith read a letter from her mother, Honoree sat near her, fanning away flies and chatting with Ella, who stood near a bubbling, steaming open kettle. Ella had asked if she could do their personal laundry for extra money, so she’d come today and was boiling their whites over the low fire. Faith and Honoree had taken turns helping to carry water so Ella could work more efficiently. Soon all their underthings and bedding would be fresh and ironed. What a lovely feeling that would be.

The drummers still measured out their days, but everyone looked happier than they had in months. Faith, however, fretted over how they could ever get to New Orleans when Port Hudson, the last outpost of Confederate resistance on the Mississippi, still blocked them—along with other concerns.

In war one did not just set out across military lines. Yet she must somehow get to New Orleans, the only place they might find any information about Shiloh’s whereabouts. Faith sighed and continued reading. “Oh!” she exclaimed, holding the letter out like a snake as she came to the final paragraph.

“What is it?” Honoree turned to her.

“I’m afraid . . .” Faith swallowed and then continued. “John has been conscripted, and thy brother Samuel has enlisted.”

Honoree rose and came nearer. “Let me see.”

Faith handed over the letter from her mother, pointing to the part she’d referenced.

Honoree read the passage and stooped to be at Faith’s level. “I didn’t think it would come to that.” Her voice vibrated with concern.

Faith was sick at heart. And now, along with the colonel and Armstrong, her brother and Honoree’s would be thrown into this terrible fiery hurricane of war. She linked hands with Honoree. “God, please protect our brothers,” Faith prayed aloud.

“Your brothers?”

Faith glanced up to see Colonel Knight. He stood nearby, a full cloth bag in hand. “Colonel, yes, my brother has been conscripted, and Honoree’s has enlisted. We’d hoped this war would be over before that happened.”

“Your brother will go to war?” the colonel asked Faith. “I didn’t think Quakers served in the military.”

“My mother writes that John found himself caught between opposing violence and desiring to help preserve the Union. He chose the latter.”

“And my brother turned twenty-one and made his own decision,” Honoree added, picking up their water buckets as if ready to go fetch more.

“Is this John your brother who attended college?” the colonel asked Faith.

Faith nodded. “He began teaching two years ago at a boys’ academy.”

The colonel shook his head as if in sympathy.

“What can we do for thee, Colonel?” Faith asked, folding the letter and slipping it into her apron pocket. She hoped he’d brought some news about Port Hudson.

“I was going to ask you to recommend a laundress.” Dev nodded toward the woman who was tending to theirs. He was a bit surprised to see her helping with the laundry instead of Honoree.

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