Billy Yank

Ch.10: The 63rd New York

The four men pointed their rifles with attached bayonets at us. I studied them. A picket line no doubt. They seemed to be wearing the Union colors.

"Who are you?!" barked the leader, a sergeant that looked mighty familiar.

"You don't remember me Sergeant Roku?" I asked as I took off my cap.

"Aang?" the man asked, he lowered his gun. "No way"

The men lowered their guns as well as they just stared at me in shock.

"My god!" Roku exclaimed. I swung my leg over and jumped off Appa. Roku came up to me and extended his hand. I shook his hand. "We thought we lost you at Antietam"

I nodded.

"Almost did if it wasn't for my friends" I said as I turned my head to look at them.

"Wait till Jet hears about you," Roku said. "He's actually been missing you"

"Jet missed me?" I asked.

"He didn't the first few days, but he and I had a bit of a talk towards the end of October, about his insecurity and he admitted that he missed calling you "Reb Bait" Roku said.

"Sure doesn't sound like him" I said. Roku nodded.

"So who's your friends?" he asked. I turned and looked at my friends. I pointed to Katara.

"That's my friend Katara, and her brother, Sokka" I introduced. Roku shook both their hands. I looked at Roku.

"Well come along then," Roku said. "The boys ought to see you"

"My friends can come too right?" I asked.

"Sure is hell can" said one behind Roku. I grabbed Appa's reins and we walked towards the camp.

"We captured Fredericksburg," Roku told me. "A little town off of the Rappahannock River"

I looked at him.

"We have gotten news that Bobby Lee is headed this way to take it back," Roku continued. "We may see a bloody battle. You hear Lincoln relieved McClellan?"

"No," I said. "Who replaced him?"

"A man named Burnside" Roku answered. "Burnside has been leading this army with an iron fist"

"I've heard some things about Burnside" I said. Roku chuckled slightly.

"So Sergeant Roku," Sokka said as he walked up to us. "How long have you been occupying this town? Fredericksburg?"

"We just got down here a few days ago," Roku said. "The town was already captured at that point"

"Why did you decide to take this town?" Katara asked.

"It's a nice town that could help us build some bridges across the Rappahannock," Roku said as we were near the river. "Crossing the river will help us avoid a flanking attack against Stonewall Jackson's men. We need to get close the Reb's capitol, Richmond as quick as we can without getting in an engagement"

"Didn't we fight Jackson's men at Antietam?" I asked.

"Sure did," a man behind us replied in a gruff tone. "Hopefully we don't get to see him again"

"Jackson has many divisions under his command" Roku warned us. "I do fear we might see him soon"

We arrived at the camp in matter of minutes. I couldn't believe my eyes, I saw our regimental colors as well as our country's. I was back home.

"Lt. James was killed in action at Antietam," Roku said, sincerely. "Sergeant Ryan was left in charge"

"Why not you?" I asked as I looked at him. Roku chuckled slightly.

"What an old man like me?" he asked. "Lead a company, I do not think so"

"You're a brilliant sergeant, sir." I said. "I bet you could lead this old company"

He smiled.

"I've missed your optimism dearly Private Hamilton" Roku said. I smiled. Roku led me to three men gathered around a fire. They were talking daily news and daily rumors. Roku cleared his throat as I stood behind him. The three men got up and saluted.

"As you were" Roku said. I walked from behind him as one boy looked up from his tin cup full of coffee. He nearly dropped it at the sight of me.

"Aang?" he asked. I smiled. "Guys! It's Reb Bait!"

Jet came over to me as he pulled me into a brotherly embrace. He let go of me. The two other men came over, they were Private Bucklin and Corporal Hunters friends of Jet. Jet let go of me.

"We thought we lost you at Antietam" Jet said. "How'd you find us?"

"I met some friends and they decided to join me to find the 63rd" I said.

"Well it's a good time too," Jet said. "I saw you fight hard at Antietam, proves that your Reb Bait too. The Rebs kept coming at ya"

I smiled.

"So who's your friends?" he asked. Katara and Sokka walked up to us. Katara seemed to admire my friend.

"Jet, this is Katara and Sokka" I said. "They're residents of Sharpsburg"

Jet seemed to admire Katara's beauty.

"Well welcome to our regiment" Jet said as he looked at Katara, who bowed her head and looked away embarrassed. I felt myself frown a bit as Sokka came up to Jet.

"So Jet," Sokka said. "How long have you've been fighting?"

"Ever since the Summer of '61" Jet said. "Right before Reb Bait came along"

I smiled.

That night, Jet and I were around the fire with Bucklin and Hunters as I told about our journey. Jet seemed impressed when I told him the story of the three Rebs that came at us and how I killed off two and made the other one run. Jet asked Katara and Sokka, (mainly Katara) a lot of questions. I began to feel a bit of jealousy in my heart.

"So Reb Bait," Jet said to me. "Looks like we might have another brawl with the Rebs, you think you're ready to face 'em"

"Got to get me some rounds first" I said. "I'm fresh out"

"I'm sure General Meagher will give you some," Jet assured.

"So Jet," Katara asked. "Where are you from?"

"I'm from Albany, New York" Jet said. That night, Jet and I caught up. We shared many laughs and many jokes. We joined along with the other men and sang a few tunes as the temperature continued to drop. Katara and Sokka were so interested in our lifestyle around the campfires. I began to consider Jet a brother, he seemed to actually open up to me and he was actually a really nice guy once you got to know him. He wasn't very gruff or insecure as he was the night before Antietam.

Roku managed to get me a tent, that I ended up sharing with Sokka and Katara. It was going to be our tent after we would leave this place.

I laid down on my bedroll as Katara was right in the middle of Sokka and I. She was going on and on about Jet, much to my dismay.

"He's so amazing," Katara said.

"He sure is a nice lad" I added. She smiled. "He was my tent mate before Antietam."

She nodded.

"Well good night" I said as I turned over, onto my side.

"Good night," Katara said as she blew out the candle. The tent was as dark as the night. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

I woke up to the noisy bugler. The notes rang out in my ears as I heard Katara and Sokka groan.

"Dammit," I cussed. Back to soldier life. I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Katara looked at me. "It's the bugler call,"

I quickly slipped on my hat, pouch and grabbed my rifle and walked out of the tent. Jet ran up to me.

"Hey Reb Bait!" he called. He stopped right in front of me.

"Mornin' Jet" I greeted.

"You hear we're fightin' today?" Jet asked me.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Rebs dug themselves in north from Fredericksburg, we're going to attack and take the ridge" Jet told me with enthusiasm.

'Great my first day back, and I'll already see hell' I thought.

"Well that sure is something" I said.

"Yep," Jet said. "We're also getting' more rounds distributed. About 50 rounds today"

I nodded.

"I'll see you at the front line Reb Bait" Jet said. I nodded as he ran off. Katara came out of the tent and watched Jet leave.

"What was that about?" she asked. I looked at her.

"Our position for the day" I said. "We're striking the Reb army"

Katara's eyes widened.

"Aang, you just got back" she said as she put a hand on my shoulder.

"I was thinking the same thing," I said. "But soldiers never get breaks. So I better get myself ready"

"We'll go with you" Sokka said.

"No," I said as I looked at them. "This is a soldier's fight"

"Aang what if you die out there?" Sokka asked.

"This is why I joined!" I told them. "This is why I came back!"

Katara didn't say anything.

"This is something I need to do alone," I told them. I looked at Katara, who seemed to be crying. I put my hand underneath her chin. "Don't you worry, I'll be sure to return"

"Private Hamilton are you coming?!" came Roku's voice.

"I'm coming!" I shouted over my shoulder. He nodded as he walked away. I stared into Katara's eyes and she threw her arms around me, she hugged me so close and dearly as she sobbed into my shoulder. "You better get used to this, I'll be called off to battle a lot more while you're here"

"Please return Aang" she begged, sobbing into my shoulder.

"I will" I said. She let go as I made my way to the forward line.

To be continued.