Chapter One: In the Army Now
A haze of smoke and dust lingered in the air. Figures could be seen running through it. All over, it surrounded a field. The popping of rifles, the thunder from artilleries, and the screams of men falling could be heard for miles.
"Hold your line!" a hoarse voice cried out.
"Step lively boys, step lively!"
"Move! Move!"
Brigades of Union soldiers were ordered to cross the vast field. Many looked as if they just got out of high school.
"This isn't going to cut it. We need more men!" A major general shouted looking through his binoculars. "Bring up the 7th Brigade! I want them to push into the enemy's center and cut their line in half!" he shouted over the bombs exploding.
"Yes sir!"
All over the battlefield, moans of the fallen could be heard along with the sound of bullets slapping frail bodies of moving soldiers.
In the rear of the Union line, a fresh brigade marched up and formed lines of battle. A certain Lieutenant was forming his lines and making sure troops were in the right spot.
"Steady men. Steady." He told the troops.
"Lieutenant!" a sergeant ran up. "Orders from the colonel: prepare for action!"
"Very well. You tell the other officers down the line." Lieutenant Simon Seville ordered.
"Yes, sir." The sergeant ran off.
Simon stood in line, rifle shouldered in one arm, the other hung at his side.
"Heaven, help us." He calmly said to himself.
Then as if on cue, the Colonel spoke out, "85th California!" Simon saw him raise his sword, "Forward!"
"Forward!"
"Forward!
"Forward!" Simon said himself.
"March!"
"March!"
In unison, the whole line began marching in the direction of the enemy. Simon couldn't help but think, "Have we really gone back in time?"he never thought the army had to go back to the 1860's style of running things. Even artillery had to be direct fire. Things got so bad from prices for metal, that they had to cut back on making more advance weapons and made basics ones. I guess making a round shell in cheaper than forging intricate parts to a modern shell.
As they marched, the bullets got worse. Almost every two steps, there was an explosion not far from where you were at. And every second, someone was killed. Simon did what any soldier would do: follow orders. His regiment was part of the brigade that was supposed to cut the enemy lines in half, but now, it was the opposite. Enemy fire from both artillery and infantry were ripping his regiment apart. But still, he marched on.
They marched and marched for what seemed an eternity. Until, a captain shouted, "Hold your line! They're coming!..."
KABOOM!
A shell landed behind Simon and flung him five feet forward. He regained his stance and looked up only to a rifle barrel pointed at him, then…
BANG!
"DAD!..." A cried echoed through the quiet house. A little chipette, only twelve years old, was forced awake by her horrible nightmare. She was breathing very fast, almost hyperventilating. Sweat ran down her face as she looked around to see her room.
"Lilly?" a voice came to comfort the weary child, "What happened?" the lights flicked on.
"Mom…" Lilly ran into the safety of her mother's arms. She let all her tears flow down her cheeks as water in a waterfall. "Mom..." That was all she could get out.
"I know, honey. I know." The mother caressed her daughter's back, knowing what she meant. Even though they were not married, the girl's father was still a close friend. Hell, you can say they were between really close friends and lovers (what do you call that?). The mother, Jeanette, carried the crying girl to her bed, tucked her in and stayed with her for the rest of the night, fearing that the nightmare might return or she may have a nightmare herself. After a while, the crying became sobs, and then the sobs became silence, signaling that she was asleep. But Jeanette wasn't ready to succumb to the tiredness. She lay there, staring at the ceiling, wondering what became of her former boyfriend. Then her eyelids became heavy and she, herself, was fast asleep.
The next morning, the two were still asleep. It was around mid morning when Jeanette woke up and saw the sun high in the sky. But she thought nothing of it. It was another day, another reason to pay attention to the reports coming in from the front lines.
It was three months since Simon left to fight in a war that divided the United States for a second time in history. This war was about citizens not being heard and taken advantage of by the federal government, who placed unlawful taxes on the middle and poor classes, while leaving the richer class to get fat on profits.
Anyway, Jeanette made herself some coffee and sat at the counter looking over the newspaper. The first headline she saw was:
WAR: CIVIL UNREST
As more federal forces enter hostile states, more rebel forces meet them along the Union/Confederate border. In other news, Major General Lovelace was appointed the commanding general of all armed forces in the east, Major General Thomas commands the central forces, and Major General Delores takes command of the west. All three met and agreed that only by moving troops in, will they force the enemy out.
But more and more are leaving the Union to aid their home states in the Confederacy…
"Mom?" Lilly asked coming in.
"Oh, good morning." Jean smiled.
Lilly just had a bowl of cereal since she wasn't in the mood to fix breakfast neither did Jean.
"So…" Jeanette started. "How did you sleep?"
"Mom…" Lilly whined, "Can we please not do this?"
"Well, I'm sorry, but you've been acting like this since…" Jeanette cut herself off.
"Since dad left?" Lilly finished for her.
With Simon…
"Well, this isn't Fort Irwin, but it'll do." Simon said lacing his shoes.
"Yeah, just give us cheap guns and ammo, we're only fighting to save the country." Another lieutenant was joking around causing Simon and the others to laugh. Now, Simon's barracks weren't like other bases. He had to share a whole hall with the other officers.
It's been three months, and all the soldiers ever did was drill and drill. Many believed they weren't going to see any action, that, they were thankful for.
But like Simon, there was a good amount of troops just waiting to make a difference, or at least kill some rebs.
"So, you guys think we'll ever see the outside of these fences?" a major asked.
""Are you kidding, the day we get sent out is the day we…"
Then the alarm rang. But this wasn't just any old alarm. It was THE alarm.
"LETS GO! Fall in!" the brigade commander burst through the doors.
Simon got his gun and ran outside to form his battalion. All around men were running while trying to put their boots on and fix their shirts. Simon used his rifle and formed the men in a straight line. With what will he had left he sucked in his gut and prepared for what was coming next.
"Soldiers, Commanding General Delores orders: General Williams is being engaged at Quartzsite, Arizona. Now we are ordered to move with haste to his assistance. The 90th and 23rd California are already enroot, but are traveling by foot. We are the only brigade with access to motor transports. So get the lead of your pants, pack into the transports and move out!"
At this all the men rushed to their assigned vehicle. It didn't take long due to the fact that they drilled this over and over. When the last transport was filled, a total of 50, they moved out, and some looked out to see the base with no more than ten men guarding it. The rate they were driving, they could be in New York by tomorrow. But with great haste, a massive fuel source is needed. And that was something limited to them.
Back with Lilly, she was still in her pj's watching something on TV since it was Sunday. But the show seemed to lose the spark that caught her interest, so she went channel surfing. Channel after channel, nothing seemed to be on. Until she got to the news…
"Earlier today, a convoy of what appeared to be around 50 transports passed through here carrying mainly infantry. Spectators reported that they were going too fast to even see the drivers face. Now where ever those boys are heading, God go with them."
She quickly changed it and just watched whatever she had it on.
On the convoy…
It had been about two hours already and they had just passed Indio heading east on I-10 (honestly, I had to look at a map for this chapter), still going at a very fast pace. Then one private broke the silence.
"So lieutenant, what's your story?" a soldier from another regiment asked.
"It's a long one. Don't have time for it." Simon said with a straight face. Now, when a man says that, it's a sign to drop the subject.
They drove and drove until, guess what, they ran out of gas. Yes, they didn't have enough stored and they ran out, all the transports.
"Alright boys, we're walking."
They piled out with ease but found they were close to their target area. At the front of the column, the colonel looked through his binoculars and took out a map.
"It about another two hours from here on foot. We have to move with haste. There's no telling how much damage has been done. Sergeant, call the officers here!"
"Yes, sir."
In the rear of the column…
"Alright boys, pack lightly, it's a long way to Quartzsite." Simon walked through his ranks observing what the men were packing on their backs. "Leave that soldier. It'll only slow us down." He pointed to an empty gas can.
"But, sir. What if we come across a gas station or something?"
"Private, I like your enthusiasm, but we're not coming back for the rides. We're only heading one way." Simon pointed east. "No time to come back."
Then the sergeant came up to Simon out of breath, "Sir." He saluted. "Colonel Powers…(pant)…wants the…(pant)…officers up front."
"Acknowledged." Simon saluted back and ran off to the front of the column.
A few minutes later…
"We are about two hours from Quartzsite, if we march with haste and without stopping, we'll be there in one." Col. Powers informed his staff. "Scouts report no sign of the enemy from here to border. So lets get moving. Major Morrels, your regiment will lead the column. We stop for no reason. The longer we straggle, the more grounds the Rebs gain."
They dispersed and Maj. Morrels walked up to Simon, "Seville, you ready for a fight?"
"I've been waiting for one since we got to base."
Morrels just smirked, "Form battalions!"
Simon formed with his regiment at the front and waited for the commands.
"Battalion, shoulder!...Arm!"
"Shoulder arm! Shoulder arm!" officers shouted down the line.
"Left face!"
"Left face! Left face!"
"Forward!...March!"
"March! March!"
And like that, they were marching 'old school' style, way old school; columns of four, and giving commands vocally. Well, no one had a plan for this.
About an hour passed and the line was moving at a good pace, you could say. Then Maj. Morrels, saw a sign.
'Welcome to Arizona, the Grand Canyon State.'
"Alright boys, we're almost there. At the quick step! March!"
Then in an instant, the men began jogging. Some already exhausted, but had no choice.
About twenty minutes later, they came on the outskirts of their target town: Quartzsite, Arizona. They could hear guns going off and explosions. Smoke and dust can be seen from their position.
"Alright men. Load!"
"Load! Load!"
The only sound that could be heard was carbine magazines being loaded.
Simon overheard one private…
"Lord, help us."
A/N: Hey guys and gals. Sorry for the MAJOR delay. School is a real #$%&. So here it is, oh and I'm planning on finishing up my other stories, although I am stuck on a few. If you read any, and have ideas, let me know. Maybe they'll show up in them. So once again, sorry for the wait. And plz review.