House of Mirrors by Nola Nash

Author:Nola Nash [Nash, Nola]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nola Nash

The Five Bloodiest Hours

Behind the rise of Winstead Hill, marching orders were being passed along the brigades. Scouts had reported back with the details of the massive Union entrenchment that cut off any advance to the river. Hood had been advised to wait on reinforcements or reroute the troops around the town. The general refused to hear any opposition to his plan to lay siege to Schofield’s army. Weak reasons were given that the alternatives would only serve to give the Union time to advance on Nashville and the troops that waited to rendezvous with them there. No, Hood would face his old friend at Carter House.

The commanding officers weren’t the only ones who knew of the scouting reports. Confidentiality wasn’t easily kept in the open space of a battlefield. In the ranks, men spoke in hushed tones about the brazen insanity that seemed to have consumed Hood to make him think a head-on attack of three layers of battlements was his best strategy. It wasn’t a plan for victory. It was a death sentence.

Toward the rear of the troops, a chaplain sat on his field pack and held a small bible open in his hands. The worn and cracked leather cover had seen many battles, but none like what awaited the men on the other side of the hill. Pages bore the dust of the road and rugged campsites. Those pages fluttered in the breeze as the cleric closed his eyes in prayer. For long moments he sat still. Only his mouth moved as he spoke words kept between him and his god.

Opening his eyes, he saw a ragged line of men approaching. In their eyes was the fear of the condemned. On their shoulders they bore the weight of their cause. In their hands they each held something precious. One by one they sought the solace of the chaplain and asked for prayers of protection and forgiveness of sins should they die. The cleric spoke words he hoped would bring them peace in death if not safety in battle. As each rose to return to their ranks, the soldiers held out watches, photos, letters, lockets, and other trinkets asking that the chaplain ensure their return home should the soldier not survive the fight to carry them home himself. To a man, the chaplain refused, not out of hardness of heart, but because he would not make a promise he could not keep as he would be marching alongside them into the onslaught.

As the last of the men went back to his brigade, the chaplain stood and looked up into the clear blue heavens completely at a loss for words.

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