Chapter 10: Damn Sickles
Now, you may be wondering why I titled a chapter 'Damn Sickles'. No, it's not because I hate cutting grass with a scythe, silly. It's because I really don't like General Sickles. I don't know why. Read on, and tell me if it's just me, or is he an ass. And I made a slight clerical error in chaptering the previous two chapters as chapter 9…oh well, it's of little consequence, I guess. Well, read on and review if you please.
Dib and Tak walked alongside General Hancock as he rode at a slow pace along the low ridge. Men and cannons lined the small stone wall, but the cannons were unmanned, and the soldiers were resting, eating and talking in small groups. Across a field of maybe a mile, they could see men on horseback, cannon, and flags. Dib was in awe. They were so close. How could two armies that want to destroy each other utterly be so close. So close and looming, and yet Hancock and the soldiers were acting calm and orderly, some men even playing cards and others were laughing. Up ahead was a cemetery, the white stones bright in the morning sun.
"Lads," Hancock said, breaking Dib out of his reverie. "General Meade approaches." Meade rode up on a brown horse, a no-nonsense look on his face. Hancock saluted, and Dib and Tak did the same. Meade saluted back.
"General Hancock," Meade said politely. "How is your corps?"
"Very well, General." Hancock replied. "Is there anything you need, sir?" Meade thought for a moment.
"Have you seen General Sickles this morning?" Meade asked.
"I'm afraid I haven't, sir." Hancock said.
"He has informed me that he is unsure of where to place his men."
"Well sir, has he not been placed by you, sir?" Hancock asked. From Hancock's face, Tak could see that he was slightly annoyed. "I was under the impression…"
"I told him to position the Third Corps to the left of your line." Meade explained. "He sent a lad up a few minutes ago, asking me to come look over the terrain, that he thought it prudent to move forward of the entire army. I refuse to acquiesce to any more of his addlebrained theories." Hancock smiled.
"At least he's not the commander of this army, sir." He said. Meade smiled back, then looked over Hancock's shoulder.
"Here he comes." Meade grumbled.
"Then I shall take my leave general." Hancock said saluting. Meade saluted back.
"Oh, general. May I have a loan of one of your orderlies? Mine are all off, and I need a messenger for a while." Hancock looked at Dib and Tak.
"It may be a bit unorthodox, sir," Hancock began, "But this young lady simply will not stay out of battle, it seems, so I have made her and her companion here my messengers. Would you like the young lady, sir? I was going to send the lad to Colonel Vincent's brigade this morning." Meade looked at Tak a moment.
"I suppose that would be fine. Thank you, Hancock." Hancock nodded. Tak looked up at him.
"Go with General Meade for a bit, private. Don't worry, I'll see that you two are back together before this evening."
"Yes sir." Tak stated, saluting.
"Tak…" Dib said. Tak turned to him. He had a look of concern on his face. Tak could almost perceive something else, underlying the worry. "Just…be careful, okay?"
"I'll see you later…" Tak replied, staring into his eyes. "Don't worry about me, Dib. I can take care of myself. Just…don't get blown up or something." Hancock smiled. General Sickles came to a stop beside the group.
"General Meade!" He said, almost angry. He saluted. "A word please, sir. In private, sir." Hancock turned his horse, and started off, leaving Tak with Meade. Dib couldn't take his eyes off of Tak as he walked beside Hancock. He wanted to say more. He wanted to tell her how he felt, and cursed himself for not being able to.
"Come now, Private Dib…" Hancock said. "Let us find Colonel Vincent." Dib looked back one last time at Tak, and closed his eyes.
"Please," Dib whispered. "Just let her make it through okay."
"Sir…" General Sickles said to Meade. "You must come at once and look to the terrain in front of my position." Tak had only known Sickles a minute, and already she didn't really like him. He was an average built man with a large brown moustache. He wasn't that hideous physically, but he had a cocky air that Tak could sense in his body language. The way he spoke to General Meade bordered on disrespect.
"Why do you find the ground in front of you so important, general?" Meade asked.
"Sir, the position you ordered me to hold is a weak position. It's undefendable. Ahead of me is a high spot. I should move my Corps to that spot. I could hold it against the devil if I had to."
"Oh," Said General Meade nonchalantly. "Generals are always apt to look for the attack to be made where they are." Tak thought this was a most excellent insult to Sickles. Sickles on the other hand blushed, and clenched his jaw.
"General Meade," He said in a defiant tone that made Meade squint angrily at him. "May I use my own judgment in the placing of my own men?"
"Oh, certainly." Meade replied. Tak wondered for a moment if Meade had finally relented to Sickles' stubbornness, until he said "…within the limits of the general instructions I have given you. Any ground within those limits you choose to occupy, I leave to you." Sickles grunted. "Is there anything else, general?"
"No…sir." Sickles replied. He looked at Meade a moment, as if contemplating whether or not to salute. Finally he did, and tuned his horse, galloping off.
"General Meade, sir." Tak said. "Is General Sickles always so…"
"Sickles is like a good hunting dog." Meade said. "Good to have for the hunt, but you have to keep him on a leash, lest he run off, chasing the rabbit until eternity." He looked around. "Young lady, if you will accompany me, I must see to the army."
A rather short chapter, I admit. I could have well put Dib and Tak's parting into the next chapter and omitted most of this one, but I wanted to introduce Major General Daniel Sickles, one of the most famous generals at Gettysburg you've never heard of. Sickles actually influenced the battle in unsung ways, especially the fighting on day 2. He's still an ass in my opinion…The next chapter will be longer, and have Dib meeting the famous Union hero of Day 2, a college professor from Maine who commanded a regiment that day and became immortalized. Anyone know who I'm talking about? Leave a review with your answer, and the first person to correctly name him gets an honorable mention in the beginning of the next chapter. So until then, loyal readers…cheerio.