The Age of Eric Contest
Title: Brothers-in-Arms
Pen Name: beatlechicksteph
Time Period: American Civil War, 1861-1865
Characters: Eric, Godric, Sookie
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, the characters belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball, I'm just taking them back to the Civil War
AN: I came upon inspiration for this story while reading the book, "Best Little Stories from the Civil War" by C. Brian Kelly. In this book, there was a three-paragraph blurb about two brothers who fought on different sides during the Civil War. One was a decorated and active duty soldier for the US who went on to fight for the Confederacy. The other fought in the Mexican American War, and then became a civilian who went on to fight for the US in several of the most memorable battles in the Easter Theater. I have adapted that story and expanded on it, placing Eric and Godric in the roles of these brothers. Please read and enjoy.
Super special thanks to SouthernLady23 for being super quick and super awesome as a beta. She helped me give this story a heart (and good grammar).
New Jersey, April 12, 1861
EPOV
I remember the day the Civil War started perfectly. I was living in New Brunswick, New Jersey, running a business. I had served in the Mexican-American War as a midshipman in the US Navy, and returned after the war ended in 1848 to live as a civilian. I had met my wife, Sookie, shortly after my return, and had settled into civilian life quite nicely. I ran a successful business while Sookie raised our two children. As the country started to disintegrate during the 1860 presidential race, I told Sookie I would stand with my country, no matter what happened. Then our world turned upside down when Abraham Lincoln won the election, and several Southern states seceded from the Union, making war inevitable. I sat down with Sookie and we discussed what it would mean for our family if I were to re-enlist to serve our country when the war broke out. Our discussion was filled with too many 'what ifs,' so we decided to wait and see what happened before making a decision.
As the Southern states began seceding from the Union, I thought of my older brother, Godric. He had graduated from West Point, and had served in the Cavalry in the Western frontier. He was currently stationed at Fort Smith in Arkansas, one of the states that had seceded from the Union. I worried about his safety and prayed he would come to no harm in the coming months.
On April 12, 1861, shots were fired at Fort Sumter, North Carolina, and the Civil War began. I still had not made a decision to re-enlist, and continued live in New Brunswick and with my family and run my business. Then, I received a letter from Godric that would change my life forever.
My Brother Eric,
I am writing to inform you of my decision to resign my commission with the United States Army, and join with the Confederacy. I cannot stand around and watch as the tyrant Lincoln destroys the South. I hope that you, too, as a native Southerner, will see it my way and join me in the Confederate Army. I send my love to your wife and children.
Your Brother,
Godric
I crumpled the letter up and threw it in the fire. I slumped down into my chair.
"Eric, what's wrong?" Sookie asked, kneeling down in front of me.
"My brother has joined the Confederate cause," I said quietly, emotion entering my voice.
Sookie gasped. "How could he? He's a member of the United States Army."
"Apparently he resigned. If father were alive…" I closed my eyes, trying to control my emotions. "My love, I must re-enlist and fight for the Union. It is the only way I can undo what Godric has done and restore honor to my family. Knowing that my brother is out there, fighting against the country I love so much, fills me with dread, and I know he is making a grave mistake. I owe it to father, who gave his life serving our country to do this. Forgive me…"
A tear fell down Sookie's cheek. "You must do what you think is right, darling. I will do my best to keep our family together while you are gone. Just promise me one thing, Eric Northman—promise, you will return to me."
I grabbed Sookie into a tight embrace against my chest. "I promise, my love, that I will return to you and our family."
The next day, I enlisted in the United States army and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 2nd US Cavalry. Before the ink dried on my commission papers, I was off with a photo of Sookie in my breast pocket, and well on my way towards Richmond, VA to join up with General McClellan's army. Throughout the trip I couldn't help but wonder if I'd meet up with Godric there.
Antietam, Maryland, September 17, 1862
The war had been raging on for over a year when the battle at Antietam took place. My unit had joined up with Gen. McClellan's army in Richmond and we fought and lost at Richmond, VA during the Seven Days Battles, the first major battle I had participated in. During the battle, every time I fired my weapon at a man in a gray uniform, I wondered if it was Godric I was shooting at, or even if he was even among the men I was fighting against. I never learned which unit my brother was stationed in, or on what front he was fighting, and my anxiety increased with every skirmish and battle as I wondered if I would come in contact with him. Surely it would only be a matter of time.
The fact my brother was fighting on the side of the enemy deterred my fighting spirit slightly. I worried I would accidentally kill or injure him during a battle, and his death would be on my conscience. In the year I had been away from home, I kept in constant contact with Sookie, as much as I could, and she hadn't heard from Godric either. My heart ached as I thought of Sookie. In the years we had courted and been married, this was the most we had been apart. As I wrote her letters, I tried to shield her from the realities I was facing. I didn't want her to worry more than she needed to, so I didn't tell her my unit lost more men to disease than it did in the actual battles, nor did I tell her how close to death I had been during the few battles I had engaged in.
Today, McClellan was ordering us to be on the offensive. Our numbers were larger than Lee's, so that gave us an advantage. The country, and our president, were both eager for the war to be over. The battle at Antietam Creek would be decisive, and would hopefully crush Lee's inferior army. I was under the leadership of Major General Joseph Hooker, and he had plans to attack at dawn. As dawn approached, I kneeled down to say the same prayer I did before every battle. I prayed I would live through the fight and I would not come face to face with Godric. I did not know what I would do if that were to happen, would I fire at him as if he were the enemy, or would I let him go? I hoped to never find out.
At dawn, Maj. Gen. Hooker led us on an attack down the Hagerstown Turnpike. Our offensive outnumbered the defense, but the Confederate Army had a very strong hold on their position. My cavalry unit emerged from the woods into a cornfield, and we participated in heavy artillery combat against a Confederate cavalry. Every shot I fired from my carbine towards the Confederate troops, I prayed it wouldn't hit my brother. Once I ran out of ammunition in my carbine, I pulled out my saber and led a charge into the Confederate troops. I slashed at the enemy, making sure I got a good look at each man's face before sending him to meet his maker. However, no matter how many men I took out that day, or the fact that our numbers were greater; we still were not making much headway in the battle. Finally, Hooker called back our troops after fighting for two hours and our battle ended in a bloody stalemate. The cornfield was littered with the bodies of the twenty-five hundred Union casualties, and I hung my head in shame for the part I had played in that. All the death had been a waste, as we had not achieved our objective, and were back to where we had started that morning.
By the end of the day, Antietam was not the decisive battle everyone had anticipated—especially those on the Union front. The chances of ending the war quickly had sure taken a turn for the worse, as even though they were outnumbered, the Confederate Army was able to maintain their defensive position while McClellan's army retreated. If things continued in this way, the Union would surely stand to lose.
Five days later, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, putting an end to slavery and upping the stakes in the war.
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 1-3, 1863
Following the battle of Antietam, I was commissioned as Colonel of the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry, and then rose to command the brigade. I had fought in a few major battles, and fell ill after leading my troops in the Battle of Chancellorsville in May. As I lay in bed recuperating from my illness, I thought of Sookie, and hoped she was well. I pulled her picture out of my pocket and stared at her beautiful face. The mail system was unreliable, so I hadn't heard from her in a while. I knew the war hadn't reached as far north as New Jersey, and I prayed it would remain that way. My thoughts suddenly centered on the last letter I had received from her.
My Dear Eric,
The business is continuing to do well, despite the war, so please don't worry about us—we want for nothing. Keep your focus on the war, my love, and on your promise to come back to me in one piece and alive. If anything were to happen to you, I don't think I would be able to survive. I have not heard anything from Godric, nor from your mother, but I fear it's getting harder to deliver mail from the South through the blockades. The children send their love, and wish for their daddy to come back to them soon. I feel the same. You are the world to me, Eric. Please return to me safely.
All my love,
Sookie
I refolded Sookie's letter and put it back in my pocket. I worried about my mother who remained in Florida. I hoped she was unaffected by the war and safe. I thought again of Godric, fighting in the Confederate army, somewhere, and worried as to why I had not heard from him since he sent the letter informing me he had joined the Confederate cause. Maybe Sookie had a point; perhaps he was unable to get letters through the blockade.
I took one more look at Sookie's picture, and was about to return it to my pocket as a nurse came to check on me.
"Is that your wife?" the nurse asked, gesturing towards the picture.
I smiled. "It is."
"She's beautiful. I bet you miss her a lot."
I gazed longingly at the picture. "More than you know," I replied quietly before returning it to my pocket, and allowing the nurse to tend to me.
As soon as I was well, I rode to join the troops in Pennsylvania. I was to meet up with Brig. Gen. Gregg's division at some place called Gettysburg. General Lee's troops had been having numerous successes, driving the Union forces back, and invading further and further North. The fact the Confederate troops were now in Pennsylvania unnerved me, as that was awfully close to New Jersey and my Sookie. I rode hard and joined up with Gregg's division just as the battle was going underway. During the first two days of battle, I had it pretty easy, we held our positions on East Cavalry Field and tried to maintain the Union's stronghold on Cemetery Hill.
The morning of July 3, the Confederate cavalry, led by Major General Jeb Stuart, led an attack on the Union cavalry. We fought defensively in a lengthy battle, and I fought harder than I ever had. I quickly ran out of ammo, pulled my saber out and fought in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. As I was fighting against a Confederate soldier, I realized there was a weak link in the enemies' flank. I quickly signaled to some of my men to follow me, and I rode around the left side of the flank, slashing my saber at anyone who I came in contact with. My men along with Brig. Gen. Custer's men, were able to cut through the Confederate's flank and begin to weaken the troops.
Just as I stabbed my saber into one of Stuart's men, I caught a flash of gray out of the corner of my left eye. I turned to see what it was, and I swear, I saw my brother, Godric. He was just standing there, the battle raging around him. I opened my mouth to say something, but because of my distraction, I was caught off guard and was struck by something on my side. I fell off my horse, hitting the ground hard. I turned my head to try and catch a glimpse of Godric, but he was no longer there. Then everything went black.
GPOV
Pea Ridge, Arkansas, March 7-8, 1862
I was the oldest son, so it was expected of me to follow in my father's footsteps. He was a military man, therefore, I was to be a military man. As soon as I was of age, I joined the Army and was commissioned to West Point. While I was attending classes the Mexican-American war was being fought. My younger brother, Eric, went off and did his duty to our country, fighting in the Navy during the war, but by the time I had graduated from West Point, the war was over. Eric had returned a changed man. He moved from our native Florida up to New Jersey, and became a Yankee businessman. He found and married a pretty girl and lived as a civilian. I, however, was not that lucky nor did I get any of those privileges. I was commissioned to the West to fight pissed off Indians in the United States Cavalry. I was stationed in western Arkansas when the Southern states began to secede in 1861. I knew where my loyalties were, and I knew that as a native Southerner if a war were to break out, I would fight on the side of the South. I resigned my post with the US army, and wrote my brother a letter. Shortly after I posted the letter, the war began.
A week later, I received a letter of my own, and what I read broke my heart.
Dear Godric,
I am afraid I cannot support the Confederacy and its cause. I love my country and respect our father's memory too much to ever fight against it. Knowing that my own blood is fighting for the Confederacy, especially after our father gave his life for the United States and bade us follow in his footsteps, breaks my heart. I have joined the Union Army, to uphold family's honor and our father's good name. I pray we will not meet in battle.
Your Brother,
Eric.
I crumpled the letter. He did not state which division or what front he would be fighting in. I knew there was a great chance we would meet on the fields of battle. I made a vow that if I were to face Eric in battle I would not back down. In my eyes, he was the traitor to our family, not I. I fell on one knee and prayed to God I would not have to face him during the war, for the sake of leaving his family without a father.
Shortly after, I was commissioned as a Colonel of the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Brigade, and fought my first battle in August of 1861 at the Battle of Wilson's Creek. I was so enthused, I ended up leading my men from the front, and straight into the fight. This was a mistake, and I was reprimanded for ignoring my leadership duties and for my carelessness, but I was eager to fight, and ignored the warnings I had been given. This was the one thing I longed for as I sat in all of those boring classes at West Point—actual combat.
I moved up the ranks and fought in several skirmishes, always looking at the face of the men I was killing, making sure it wasn't the face of my brother. I prayed everyday I would not come in contact with Eric, and everyday my prayers were answered. I received a letter from Eric's wife, Sookie, begging me to tell her what division I was fighting in so she could inform Eric, but she left out what division he was fighting in, so I never answered.
On March 7, 1862, a battle broke out in Pea Ridge, Arkansas. I was commanding a brigade in a division commanded by Brig. Gen. Ben McCulloch when he was shot down by Union fire. In a panic, I was selected to command the troops in his place. I leapt onto my horse, pulled out my saber and led an advance on the Union army. I began fighting hand-to-hand combat, as I always did, in the front of my men. I made sure I looked in the face of every man I was slashing with my saber. If I killed my brother, I wanted to make sure I was aware of it. We had been fighting for about fifteen minutes when I caught sight of a Union soldier with features that looked eerily like my brother's. I did a double take, and took a closer look. It wasn't Eric; in fact when I looked at him more closely, he didn't look much like Eric at all. In my moment of distraction, I did not see the Eric doppelganger pull out his carbine and take aim at me. I felt the bullet impact my chest and throw me from my horse. As I lay on the ground, clutching my bleeding chest, I thought it funny I would be killed by a man who looked similar to my brother, and what a pity I should die after only being in command for fifteen minutes. With the battle still raging around me, and breathing becoming more difficult, I prayed Eric would survive this war and make it back to his family. Then I succumbed to the darkness.
EPOV
Third Winchester, Virginia, September 19, 1864
I recovered from the wounds I sustained from my fall during Gettysburg and was put on desk duty in Washington, D.C. for over a year. Sookie rushed down to see me when she received word of my injuries. It was wonderful to see her and hold her in my arms, but it was short-lived. She returned to New Jersey after a week, and we continued our letter writing campaign. The war was lasting longer than anyone anticipated, but after Gettysburg, the Union started having an advantage. They had pushed General Lee's army back south, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief as the war moved further away from my family. In addition to the advances in the eastern theater, General Sherman's army in the west was making advancements as well.
After spending over a year in DC healing from my injuries, I was commissioned to return to the Army of the Potomac under General Sheridan. By September 1864, we were deep in the Shenandoah campaign and pushing the Confederates back even farther.
It was September 19, and the Third Battle of the Winchester. It had been three years since I had heard anything from Godric. I continued to pray he was doing well, and hoped we would be reunited when this war finally came to an end, as coming close to death caused me to look past our differences. I then led my men into battle and ensured the Union successfully pushed the Confederate forces back. I had run out of ammunition early, so I had to resort to using my saber. The casualties were numerous, but we were confident victory would be ours, as we had received reports the Confederates were running low on supplies. I was just about to strike an enemy soldier when I felt a sharp pain in my right leg. I screamed in pain and fell from my horse.
Once I hit the ground, I inspected my injury, and noticed that a bullet had hit me in my thigh. I was losing blood quickly. I tore the sleeve off my uniform and tried to apply pressure to the wound, but it was fruitless. I tied off a tourniquet, and lay back on the grass. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my weathered picture of Sookie. As I looked at my wife, who I may never see again, tears began to flow down my cheek.
"I'm sorry, my love," I choked out as the battle raged around me. "I won't be able to keep that promise, after all."
The pain in my leg was unbearable; I closed me eyes and clutched Sookie's picture to my chest.
"It's not your time yet, Eric," a familiar voice spoke from beside me.
I opened my eyes, and saw my brother's face looking down at me. "Godric! Are you fighting in Lee's army now?"
"No, I am not," he replied.
"Then what are you doing here?" I asked, feeling weaker and weaker from the blood loss.
"I am here to watch over you. To make sure you fulfill your promise to your wife."
"What? How is that possible? I don't understand." The world was becoming fuzzier. I was losing too much blood.
"I'm dead, Eric. I'm here to atone for a promise I made to myself when I was alive. Now I am here to make sure you can fulfill the promise you made to your wife," Godric said, as my vision blurred.
I shook my head, tears streaming from my eyes. "But how…"
"Shhh," Godric interrupted. "You must rest now. The medic is coming."
Before I could say anymore, Godric disappeared from my vision, and I succumbed to the darkness threatening to surround me.
New Brunswick, New Jersey, May 1865
I'm not really sure about what I saw that day on the battlefield in Virginia. I woke up in a hospital and was told I had been unconscious, from the blood loss, for several weeks. My leg had been so damaged from the bullet wound it had to be amputated. When I finally awoke and saw Sookie by my side and my right leg missing, I couldn't contain my emotions and wept. Sookie clutched me to her and cried right along with me. I never told her about what I saw as I lay at death's door at Third Winchester. I decided I had hallucinated the whole thing due to the traumatic experience of being shot.
I remained in the hospital through the end of October, when I was released to return to New Jersey, a decorated soldier and civilian. As I returned to my home and my business, I read in the papers about General Sherman's March to the Sea. The war was quickly turning in the Union's favor.
On April 9, 1865, General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, ending the war. Sookie and I celebrated along with the rest of the country. Almost five years after it had started, the war was finally over, and the country was finally reunited.
On April 14, 1865, President Lincoln was assassinated, ending the celebration of the conclusion of the war.
One month after the president's assassination, things were finally returning back to normal as the country slowly pieced itself back together. By then the mail had finally caught up, and I received a letter from my mother, dated March of 1862. I opened it and motioned for Sookie to sit next to me as we read it together.
Eric, My son,
I hate that I have to deliver this news in a letter, but due to the war blockades impeding any travel, I cannot deliver it in person. Your brother, Godric, was killed in battle on March 7, 1862. His body is buried near Pea Ridge in Arkansas. Please keep yourself safe as this war rages on.
Your Mother
I sat in shock. I was vaguely aware of Sookie's quiet sobs next to me, as I fell deep in thought. My brother had died in 1862. All those years of wondering if one of the men I was fighting was my brother were unnecessary because he had been killed so early in the war. All those years imagining I was fighting on opposite sides of war against my brother were all for naught. God had answered my prayers. Then, a thought made my blood run cold. My vision in Virginia as I lay injured on the battlefield was not a hallucination at all. The letter fluttered to the ground, and I could hear Sookie asking me what was wrong. I ignored her, still deep in my thoughts. I thought back to what Godric's apparition had said to me, wondering what was the promise he was atoning for.
"Sookie, there's something I have to tell you."
"Eric, you're scaring me. What…what is it?"
"No, my love. This is nothing to be afraid of."
My wife smiled weakly at me, biting her lower lip, as she often did when she worried.
I smiled and softly brushed her lips with mine. "I have to tell you about Godric and how he came back from death to make sure that I came home to you and our children."
She gasped and embraced me. I stroked her hair as we held on tightly to one another and I told her my story. As unbelievable as it was, I would forever be grateful for the gift my brother had bestowed on me as well as for having seen him one final time.
When I finished, my wife looked up into my eyes. I held my breath, wondering if she believed anything I told her. "May his soul be at peace," she whispered.
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, my love," I responded as I kissed her forehead reverently. "I'm sure my brother's soul is now truly at peace…"
FIN
AN: If you would like to read more about the people and topics mentioned in this story, feel free to follow these links.
John Baille McIntosh (aka Eric) http:/en(DOT)wikipedia(DOT)org/wiki/John_Baillie_McIntosh
James McQueen McIntosh (aka Godric) http:/en(DOT)wikipedia(DOT)org/wiki/James_McQueen_McIntosh
Battle of Antietam
http:/en(DOT)wikipedia(DOT)org/wiki/Battle_of_Antietam
Battle of Gettysburg http:/en(DOT)wikipedia(DOT)org/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg
Carbine http:/en(DOT)wikipedia(DOT)org/wiki/Carbine
"Each His Own Pathway." Best Little Stories from the Civil War. C. Brian Kelly
I also hold a Bachelor's degree in history with a concentration on the Civil War, so I added lots of other cool info I thought you might enjoy. So what do you say? Return the favor and tell me your thoughts on the story—I'd really enjoy that!
Thank you for reading and reviewing! * hugs *