Chapter 35: Lessons in Time
Zim, Dib and Tak watched the computer display images of the Civil War. Still images of battlefields and commanders, weapons and uniforms flashed up on the huge screen. To them, everything in the ancient black and whites photographs seemed so recent, so recognizable, so real.
"What did you want to know anyway?" The computer asked uninterestedly.
"What happened to General Lee after Gettysburg?" Zim asked quickly, taking off his human disguise. "And Longstreet! What happened to the confederate army?" The computer sighed.
"General Lee led the confederate army until the Civil War ended in 1865 when he surrendered the Army of the Potomac to Union forces at Appomattox Virginia."
"General Lee…surrendered?" Zim asked sadly, his antennae drooping.
"The confederate army was weakened beyond effective operational strength during and after the battle for Gettysburg, suffering more casualties than it could replace, making surrender the only logical option."
"What about the battle?" Tak interrupted. "How did it end?"
"With an estimated 50,000 casualties on both sides." The computer answered. "The battle is often called the bloodiest battle in American history." The three nodded, as if they had deduced that very fact. The computer went on with the history lesson. "The confederate army, after suffering such a heavy defeat during Pickett's Charge on the third day of fighting, had to withdraw back into Virginia. General Lee had lost many of his best junior field commanders during the battle, included among the dead and wounded: General Isaac Trimble, wounded, General James Kemper, wounded, General Richard Garnett, killed in action, General Dorsey Pender, killed in action…"
"What happened to General Armistead?" Zim suddenly cried out. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to know. "He survived his gunshot, right? And he got to see his friend Hancock again, didn't he?" Dib and Tak grasped each other's hands, silently begging to know the same thing, but afraid of what the answer may be. The computer made a sound like it had cleared it's throat.
"No. General Lewis Armistead was taken to a hospital where he later died from his wounds. Because General Hancock too had been wounded, Armistead was unable to see him before his death. His final words are said to be an apology to Hancock." Zim's eyes filled with tears. He turned away, unable to ask any more about the battle.
"Did…did Hancock die too?" Tak asked.
"No." The computer said. "He survived and became a well known general. Hancock was present during the execution of the assassins of President Lincoln, and he even ran for president of the United States."
"Wow…" Tak said. "What about Sickles…he died…like horribly, didn't he?" She asked in a hopeful tone.
"Actually…" The A.I. responded. "He survived the battle and the war, even though he lost his leg at Gettysburg. He blamed General Meade for his injury, reported to the media that he was the hero of the battle, and later embezzled money appropriated to build a statue of him at the battlefield. He even became an ambassador, having a well-known love affair with a member of a foreign royal family."
"Damn that Sickles…" Tak growled.
"Um…computer?" Dib asked. "What happened to General Buford?"
"He survived the battle, but died in December of 1863 of Pneumonia."
"Oh." Dib said. He sighed. "And Colonel Chamberlain? What happened to him?" A photograph of Chamberlain, taken later in his life popped onto the screen.
"He was wounded six times during the war. Once so badly, it was assumed to be mortal, but he recovered to lead his men until the end of the war. He was promoted to Brevet Major General, and received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the army's highest award. He became president of Bowdoin College in Maine, and four term governor of said state. He published a book about the war, and died in 1914, and is said to be the last Union soldier to die from his wounds. Chamberlain has become famous once again due to his roles in several books and movies about the war. Good for him." Dib was wide eyed, and Tak had an eyebrow raised. Even Zim was staring in wonder.
"Wow…" Dib said. "That's…wow." Tak suddenly remembered something. She reached into her pocket and retrieved the pocket watch and photograph Wood had asked her to take from his pocket. The watch now looked aged, and the photo was yellowed and brittle with age.
"Say, computer?" Tak said. "Could you track down someone for me?"
"Ugh." The computer groaned. "I guess so."
"What are you doing?" Dib asked. Tak smiled at him.
"I have some unfinished business, love." She said. "You ever been to Buffalo?"