Fields of Pain: Cotton Field to Battlefield by Nigel Seed

Author:Nigel Seed [Seed, Nigel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-11-28T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 37

Invading the North

July 3rd 1863

“You know where we’re going, boss?”

Henry shook his head. “Damned if I know. The orders are to follow the army. I don’t think they know for sure where they’re going. The reb army has crossed into Pennsylvania and General Meade wants to stop ’em. That’s about all I know.”

“We need to water these horses soon, boss, or we’re goin’ to lose them.”

“I know it. I’ll ride ahead a piece and see if I can find us a stream somewhere soon.”

An hour later Henry reappeared over the rise in front of them. He reined in next to Silas on the lead wagon. “Well, I know where we’re going, some place called Gettysburg, Two days ago Buford’s cavalry ran into the rebs and started a fight. Caused a lot of confusion but he held them until Reynolds got there with his infantry. Seems that caused the rebs a deal of trouble.”

“So what then?”

“Then Meade and most of the rest of the army got there and took up positions on the high ground. Ole Bobby Lee, he pushed hard, but our boys held him back the livelong day. Lost a lot of good men, but we held ’em. There’s stories about 20th Maine that would send your curly hair straight. They ran out of ammunition and charged the Texans off the hill at the point of a bayonet. That Colonel Chamberlain of theirs, he’s a pistol and no mistake.”

“But what about today? Where do they want all this ammunition?”

“Word is they want us to drive up behind the lines and the regiments will send folk back to get what they need. Nothing happening just yet, we just need to get there so the boys will be ready for whatever Lee does next.”

“And water for the teams?”

“There’s a stream just over that way. Get there, but don’t wait around. Let the animals drink and then get on up to the top of that ridge. There’ll be well enough people to direct you where they want you.”

With the horses finally watered, the wagons climbed the slope that led them to the top of the ridge. As they crested the rise Silas saw the long ranks of Union troops lined up behind a stone wall straight in front of him. Beyond was a long flat slope that led down to a wooded area. Nothing seemed to be happening and the regimental flags hardly flapped in the morning breeze.

A young corporal trotted across and stopped by the side of the wagon. “You the ammunition wagons?”

“That’s us, sure enough.”

“Right then, pull this one forward and park about a hundred yards behind that regiment there. I’ll send the others where they are needed.”

Silas nodded and drove the horses forward until he was behind the regiment he had been sent to. He heaved on the brake and then got down and pounded the hitching peg into the ground before securing the horses’ harness to it. He climbed back into the driver’s seat to get a better view of what was going on.

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