My Brother's Battle by Meredith Allard

Author:Meredith Allard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical fiction, civil war, slavery, literary fiction, american civil war, war fiction, civil war battles, the civil war, fiction and literature, american civil war fiction, civil war books, civil war stories

Benjamin donned his new uniform with pride. He wore his blue kepi with its black visor slouching forward, which gave him a slightly off-centered look. His blue fatigue jacket had the blue trimming and his hat the brass bugle insignia of his infantry position, though he wore dark-blue trousers instead of light-blue like the soldiers in other Union infantry regiments, the dark-blue trousers a fashion statement from the men of the 20th Maine. When he and Noah found their way to each other again after they were properly attired, they passed their remaining time together meandering the town where they first noticed Matthew Brady’s photography studio, then another studio that advertised: Fotos To Send To Your Mother—too pitchers for too dollars. Benjamin pulled an unwilling Noah across the street and paid one dollar for one picture with the last of their money, the last of their ties to the Manor, he thought. The young soldiers were shown to the room where the gray-haired photographer took some time preparing the awkward camera and the light-sensitive, silver-coated plates.

Benjamin and Noah allowed themselves to be distracted by the daguerreotypes on the unpainted walls, photographs of men and women, children and grandparents. Few smiled, most were straight-eyed and contemplative, the repressed emotions engrained into the grainy dark and light photographs, tintype fossils for later generations. When it was their turn in front of the camera, Benjamin and Noah stood with the ivory shade pulled down behind them because the photographer said it would offset their blue uniforms best. He knew, he said, since he photographed many recruits before they left for the Virginia Theater. On the surface it appeared these young men had little enough in common, one young black man with a dignified, quiet presence, one young white man whose eyes apologized for something he didn’t do. That day the camera captured something not apparent to casual viewing. Both young men looked into the camera without smiling, their eyes betraying their mixed emotions—their joy and their fear at reaching their destination, their hope and their concern for the future. They seemed ageless and wise, as if they were both very young and very old. Benjamin instructed the photographer to mail the picture to Honeysuckle Manor, and then they left, wondering whether the photograph would ever arrive at its southern destination, or if they would ever see the Manor again for themselves.

Back at headquarters, Benjamin and Noah found a waiting wagon filled to capacity with blue-clad, newly escaped men impatient to contribute to the cause of their freedom. The two friends turned toward each other, then turned away. Finally, Benjamin said again, “I didn't think they'd split us up.”

“Then you weren't thinking.”

They looked at everything but each other: the darkening sky, the impatient bay horses at the head of the wagon, the black soldiers handsome in their crisp blue uniforms, a young lieutenant speaking with another officer. Benjamin struggled to think of something wonderful to say, something from one of the many books he read.

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