Chapter 8: Recruits and Deserters

Now that you all know that the Battle of Gettysburg wasn't just a single day of fighting, and I've narrated the events of the first day as accurately as possible, I feel I can end the first day as it actually happened in 1863 in one or two more chapters. The following events, though never mentioned in history books, and vaguely covered here, set in motion the proceedings of the next two days, and culminated in the infamous Pickett's Charge. Again, nearly all of the characters the Invader Zim cast will meet are real persons who fought (and in many cases died) at Gettysburg. Generals Heath, Hill, Reynolds, Buford, they all existed, and are portrayed here exactly as they were in life. Some minor characters, such as lieutenants, sergeants, and soldiers are fictional, but I've done as much as possible to make them as real to the time as possible. But as usual, I digress. Here is the next chapter. Please Review.

12:30pm

Dib and Tak hurried through the woods, as if late for some unknown destiny at a place unknown even to them. The sounds of battle still filled the air, as if some inescapable storm that surrounded them, threatening to engulf them in its fury at any moment. From the position of the sun in the sky, they surmised that it was nearly noon.

"Tak!" Dib called. "We've been wandering around for over an hour. Do you even know where we're going?" Tak stopped and looked around.

"Going?" She asked. "I don't even know where we are, Dib."

"You mean we're lost?" Dib said in a half-panicked voice. "We're lost in the middle of a battle? Oh man, this is bad..,"

"Dib!" Tak exclaimed. "Calm down, and shut up. We're going to find some Union unit, and fall in with them, then we're gonna crush those rebel soldiers like bugs."

"What if we don't run into the Union guys?" Dib asked. "What if we run into the enemy? What if we get captured?"

"I'm not without skills, you know?" Tak replied. They walked on a few yards further. Tak stopped and stared at something ahead. Dib hurried up and looked. He felt sick.

Ahead in the woods were two union soldiers. One looked to be in his early twenties. The other couldn't have been older than eighteen. The older one was laying face up on the forest floor, with one pant leg soaked in blood, and a bloody hole in his right shoulder. The younger was a few feet away, leaning up against a tree. The young man had a large gash in his forehead, and the left side of his face was covered in dark blood. His left hand still clutched a musket, and his right was nowhere to be seen. The dirt covering their uniforms, and the hole nearby told the story of these two men and the exploded artillery shell that had been their undoing. Tak stepped toward the two men.

"Tak…" Dib called in a hoarse whisper. "What are you doing?" Tak ignored him, and moved to the first corpse. She removed his black leather belt, upon which was a large leather box, and a smaller leather pouch, as well as a bayonet in a sheath, and a small wood-handled hunting knife. Looking around, she spied his blue wool cap, and picked it up. Moving on in her ghoulish task, she removed the second man's belt and accoutrements, including a canteen.

"Dib. Come here." She said in a cold, commanding tone." Dib obeyed, trying not to look upon the faces of the slain soldiers. Tak handed him one of the belts, and the cap. "Put these on."

"I…Tak, it…" Dib stammered.

"Do it." Tak said. Dib put on the cap, and buckled the belt around himself. Tak put on the other belt, and looking around, found the other soul's hat, and placed it on her head. She picked up the dead man's rifle, looking it over.

"How do you…" She began. "Never mind, I'll figure it out." She grabbed the white canvas bag the man had slung over his shoulder, and opened it. Inside were several pieces of what looked like thick crackers, a fork with three prongs, a few dollars and coins, and a tin cup. She hung the bag over her shoulder. "Come on, let's go." She said. Dib looked at the dead men a few moments. Tak turned to see tears in the boy's brown eyes. He sniffled. Tak's eyes lowered a second, and she walked to the boy. He looked her in the eyes, and she read the grief and fear in his face.

"Tak…" He said in a pleading tone. Tears rolled down his cheeks. Tak, despite her military training and life of stoical indifference seemed to understand. She placed her hands gently on Dib's shoulders. He fell into her, wrapping his arms around her, and sobbing into her shoulder. She held him as he wept. "It's okay, Dib." She whispered.

"I've…I've never seen someone die." Dib sobbed. "I've never…it's horrible, Tak!" She gently stroked his back.

"I know." She said comfortingly.

"And Reynolds…and these two guys…the soldiers…I…"

"It's okay." Tak repeated. "There was nothing you could do. Nothing anyone could do, you know? War happens all the time, and people die. It's never good. It's never pleasant. But it happens, and most of the time, it has to happen. These men, they didn't die for no reason, Dib. They died because they wanted to fight for something they believed in." Dib sniffed, and nodded. "I'm here, okay? I won't let anything happen to you, Dib. We're going to get through this, and we're going to get back to our own time. I promise."

Dib felt a little better, and pulled away from Tak. He looked at her, and she gave him a small smile that made him feel a little warmer inside.

"How do you do it?" Dib asked.

"Do what?" Tak asked.

"You, Reynolds, Buford. There were bullets flying everywhere, and you just stood there like it was nothing." He looked at the ground. "I wish I were as brave as you, Tak. As people like Reynolds."

"You've gotten this far, haven't you?" Tak said. She took Dib by the hand, and they walked off through the trees.

2:10pm

Zim was nearly beside himself with joy. It was just into the afternoon, and at first (from what Zim could piece together), the Yankees had gained reinforcements, and the Confederate army had stalled. Then, just a few minutes ago, a confederate general with a wooden leg named Ewell had arrived with what looked like an army itself, and began an attack on the flank of the Yankee position. Now, three commanders busied themselves with conducting what was turning into an all out war, while wagons and men hurried back and forth.

"We're beginning to push back the federal right flank." Ewell said to Hill. "If we keep up this push forward, we'll have possession of that hill, and be looking down on the town and the fields below." Zim suddenly heard the familiar staccato of approaching horses on the road. He looked back to see the white bearded general Lee approaching with a large group of officers. He rode into the midst of the three generals, who saluted him. He returned the gesture.

"Gentlemen," General Lee said in a calm voice. "how fares the army on this day?"

"Sir, the federals are loosing ground on their right flank." Ewell replied. "My one division present seems to be pushing them off that hill yonder." He continued, pointing toward the same hill that seemed to draw the attention and fire of every confederate division so far. "And I'm expecting the rest of my force to be here soon."

"My division was beaten back earlier." Heath admitted. "But we're preparing to make another try at it. They're vulnerable now, and I think if I hit them again, they will break."

"Very well, Mr. Heath." Lee answered. "Do attack, sir." Heath nodded to a captain, who rode off toward the battlefield, no doubt to convey the order.

"I'm still waiting on General Early." Ewell said. There was something about Ewell that Zim really didn't approve of. He seemed to have all the makings of a good commander, even a great one, despite his strange wooden appendage that gave him a peculiar gait. It was if there was something small, some infinitesimal smidgen of insubordination or sluggishness just under the surface. In features, he was a middle-aged man of average height, with a beard that seemed common within the ranks. His uniform was average, meaning it wasn't as haphazard and relaxed as General Hill's, but the grey officer's clothing was unadorned, save for the collar insignia and the gold piping on his sleeve.

"And how do you do, young sir?" General Lee asked Zim. Zim was a bit surprised that the old General even bothered to speak to him amid the war-council he was holding.

"Eh, oh I'm good, General Lee." Zim replied. "Very good…" Now was his chance to get in good with the upper strata. "…I just wish I could do something more than just sit here and…observe."

"I see…" Lee said.

"I would be honored to become part of this army, and help it defeat those…yankees." He emphasized the last word as if he talking about a disease that needed an immediate cure. "Can I be a general?" He asked. Heath chuckled, and Hill shook his head again.

"How old are you?" Lee asked.

"Umm…" Zim thought. "Fourteen?"

"Too young for me to allow you to fight." Lee said, as if thinking. "And far too young for a commission, I'm afraid. But if you wish, you may ride with me, and relay urgent messages if needed."

"Is this an…important position?" Zim asked, ignorant of any Earthen military structure.

"Oh, I'd say so." Lee answered, giving a smile toward the three generals, who returned the grin. " You will help me direct the other officers, and be at my side as I ride. And if need be, you will act as my guard." Zim grinned at his newly appointed position, which to him seemed only a rank or two below leader of the world.

"Zim would be most pleased to have this position in the army." Zim said eagerly. He saluted. "Sir." Lee returned the salute, then turned back to the generals. Zim climbed down from the mule, and grabbed Gir before remounting his noble steed. Meanwhile, the generals continued their talk.

"Has there been any sign of General Stuart?" General Lee asked.

"No sir." The three replied. Lee looked disappointed for a moment. "Well if you hear from him…carry on, gentlemen, I have the utmost faith in your abilities as commanders." He tuned his horse and started down the road. Zim saluted the three generals, who saluted back. He tried to get the mule to move, but it refused to budge until one of Lee's staff grabbed the halter and began to lead it along with him.

2:30pm

Dib and Tak leaned against a large, thick-trunked tree together, resting. She gave Dib the canteen, and he drank thirstily. She dug around in the bag, and brought out two of the pieces of hard bread, willing to try one herself.

"Want one?" She asked, handing one in Dib's direction. He took it and examined it momentarily. He took a bite, or rather tried to.

"Jeez, what is this stuff?" He asked. "It's hard as steel and tastes like bread dough." Tak nibbled on her piece a little.

"I don't know what it is," She replied, looking at the strange cracker, "but it's not bothering me at all. It must have virtually no water in it." Dib looked at the flat biscuit mournfully.

"I don't think it has anything in it." He grumbled. There was the sound of a twig snapping. Tak leapt to her feet and grabbed the long musket. She aimed into the foliage, and looked around. Dib pulled the bayonet from the sheath on his belt, and held it close, his hands began to quake.

"Stay calm, Dib." Tak whispered. "And stay behind me. This gun only has one shot." They looked off into the woods, nervously awaiting an unknown foe. From behind them came the sound of several rifles cocking. Tak sighed, and lowered her rifle. Dib dropped the long bayonet. The sound of men rushing toward them from behind was heard, and the two turned to meet their captors.

Six men in blue uniforms stopped a few feet from Dib and Tak. Most of them looked youngish, the oldest being two men with beards, who had stripes on their jackets. A man, looking no older than 20 stepped forward. He had gold-bordered rectangular patches on the shoulders of his coat, and carried a cocked revolver in his hand.

"Who are you, and to what regiment do you belong?" He asked pretentiously, as if all regiments were below him in competence and reputation.

"Um…" Tak began. She knew they had to come up with something, and quick. She saluted the officer. "We're from the Iron Brigade, sir!" A couple of the men shifted, and looked about listlessly.

"Ah, is that a fact?" The young officer stated. "The Iron Brigade. Under Meredith?"

"Sir." Tak said. "General Meredith, yes sir."

"Well, perhaps then, you can explain to me why you two are nearly a mile away from your brigade's position?"

"Um…" Dib said, trying to think up something.

"You're all the way back on Cemetery Hill. Get lost, eh?" The officer said, cocking his head. "Or perhaps you kids are deserters from the Army of the Potomac. Either way, you're coming with me."

"We just want to get back into the battle." Tak said. "We just don't know where the battle is…sir."

"Well…I'll take you back to Headquarters, and see what they have to say, and from there, if you're not deserters, we'll see about getting you back into the battle."

"That will be fine." Tak said, trying to keep the situation under control. At least they weren't enemy spies anymore, but she was certain of at least one thing: she was growing to hate the junior officers. They all seemed to be pompous and cocky. Tak picked up her rifle, and the group began their trek.

Now Dib and Tak are captured by their own side, and Zim is General Robert E. Lee's aide-de-camp. What will happen next? Read your history books, and you may get a vague idea. Until next chapter, cheerio.