Billy Yank

Ch.21: The Slow Hours

It was June 30th, 1863. The men and I were heading north to a small town called Gettysburg. It was a town that laid in the center of the road that connected many nearby towns and three major pikes.

General Lee had advanced north to try another invasion on our lands, it was going to be like Antietam. From what I was hearing, Lee had over 50,000 men at his command heading up this same road.

"Come on boys!" I shouted as we marched in the hot day, we had been marching for hours on end, needing to get to Gettysburg to help with the defense position. Captain Touhy, our battalion captain rode up to me.

"You are a very fine officer, Lt Hamilton" he told me.

"Thank you sir," I replied. I looked at him. "I've been gettin' better at this job"

"So I see" he said. "I have heard from these men that you lead them through a skirmish mid-May"

"Yes sir" I replied.

"That is very rare on first week of the job" he said.

"Well sir," I replied as I stared at the open road. "This war has been dragging on and on, and many skirmishes have arose"

"That I cannot disagree" He replied. I smiled as I looked at him. Appa walked as he bobbed his head.

"Sir?" I asked.

"Yes?" he replied as he looked at me.

"How long till we reach Gettysburg sir?" I asked.

"In about two hours," He replied. "About six miles left"

I groaned slightly, oblivious to Captain Touhy's presence.

"Sorry," I said, embarrassed.

"Don't be" he said.

The two hours went by so slow, I felt the need to sleep as my eyes tried to stay open. Captain Touhy was riding silently besides me. My hands loosened their grip on the reins, I heard the soft sound of strums and hums ringing in my ears. I lifted my head and saw eminent of fires burning. We got closer and found it was the whole II Corp!

I was so relieved that we found the rest of our corps and that we were ready to fall into a nice peaceful sleep.

I was sleeping on my back, my hand resting on the flat of my stomach as I hid the other resting on the ground. I fell asleep like that.

The buglers sounded everyone up. With much dismay, I got myself prepared for the day. I arrived out of the tent, only to be greeted by a familiar man.

"Good morning Lt. Hamilton"

I saluted to him.

"Good morning Captain Ryan" I said. He returned and walked up to me.

"I see you are leading these men very well," he observed. "May be better than me"

I laughed slightly along with him.

"No one was better than you Captain Ryan," I said, giving him a lopsided grin. He smiled and patted me on the shoulder.

"You are doing fine," he responded with much care and compassion. I smiled. He extended his hand when he removed the hand from my shoulder. "Let's hope I get to see you lead in a fight soon enough"

I shook it and this time he saluted to me and I returned it. He turned away and walked towards his battalion. I smiled as I watched him, hovering over two lieutenants who were playing a friendly game of blackjack. I smiled as I buttoned up my stuffy jacket.

I rolled up my sleeves a tad as I turned to my tent to collect my sword and gun. I walked over to Katara and Sokka, I took a seat as Katara handed me a cup of coffee.

"Thanks" I said before I took a sip of it. It was a brand new batch of coffee, and boy did it taste better than yesterdays, yesterdays tasted like an old, sweaty boot.

I admired the nice hot cup as I felt the contents flow down my throat. I began to nibble on some hardtack as breakfast, thank goodness for no worms.

"So we're finally here" Katara said as she looked around at our camp.

"Sure as hell yeah" I said. "Thank god the rain's passed too"

"So what is happening today?" Sokka asked.

"Don't know for sure yet" I said. "But I know Lee's gonna run into us sometime soon"

Katara chuckled at my statement.

"What?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Nothing" she said, looking away suspiciously. I lifted my brow only higher. I leaned on my hand that was lying on my knee.

"Lt. Hamilton" came a voice. I looked up and saw Captain Touhy coming up. I stood up, setting my coffee down. I saluted to him and he returned it. "Sum up your company"

I nodded.

"Very well," he said. "Get them prepared, we will be moving out today"

"Where to sir?" I asked.

"Cemetery Hill," he replied without hesitation. I nodded again. I turned to my friends.

"I reckon you should stay here today," I said. Katara and Sokka nodded in understand. I slipped on my hat and got a good look at them. They looked scared for me. "Ah, don't worry. I'll be back very soon"

Which I soon found out was a lie.

To be continued.