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I don’t know where they took him
tho’.”
    “ Was he alive?”
    “ Luke, I can’t say yea or
nay. I was only close enough to catch a glimpse of hiz face, I’m
sorrie, but I couldn’t tell ye if he be livin’ or not. All I knows
is his eyes wuz shut.”
    Returning to his Company’s assembly
area, Luke searches for Matthew. His Company of 230 men has been
decimated by the previous days fight, finding his brother Matt is
not difficult, only about half of his Company remains.
    “ Matthew!” Grabbing his
brother by his shoulder – Matt turns.
    “ Luke, I thought you were
dead, thank God you are alive.
    They continue to hug each other
tightly. “I am so happy to see you Matt, tell me about Father, what
happened to him? Is he alive?”
    “ I’m sorry Luke, I could
not stay and find out. As I hid behind a boulder, the command was
given for the Company to fall back and regroup for another assault
on the Yanks. I could not remain any longer I had to follow the
Captain’s order; however, just before I was leaving a Union
hospital orderly arrived and began abating the flow of blood from
Father’s wounds. I asked him his name, I will never forget it if I
live to be a hundred, this Yankee boy’s name was Charles Babb. If
and I mean IF , Father survived he saved his life. This Babb
feller told me he would get some stretcher bearing to come get
Father. After the battle, what was left of our Company
force-marched from the area of the Devil’s Den to this place we now
occupy. I’m truly sorry Luke, I let you and Father down! I didn’t
get a chance to look for him again.”
    “ Do not worry Matt, you
did all that was possible. You certainly have nothing for which to
be ashamed.”
    Matthew tells Luke today’s rumor is
the Rebels are to attack the Union forces occupying the far hill
toward the west.
    Luke confirmed the rumor of the
impending attack, telling Matthew he heard it personally from
General Lee. He told Matthew about the encounter with Bobby Lee and
how he was so close he had overheard the conversation between
General Lee and General Longstreet.
    Unable to finish orders were being
given: “Fall In! Line of Battle, Fall In ,” yelled Company
‘E’s commanding officer Captain Leake. The Captain draws his sword
from its scabbard, swings it wildly over his head as his flag
bearer falls in line beside him. The Confederate soldier, hardly
past his sixteenth birthday, tightly grips his tattered Stars and
Bars - a torn and dirty flag bearing the scars of dozens of
previous battles. Remnants of previous battles such as ‘Cedar
Run ,’ ‘2 nd Manassas’ and ‘Sharpsburg’ had been sewed on the red and blue pendant;
although, ragged and shredded these names of horrible places were
still readable. Grabbing their muskets, the soldiers hurry into a
line of battle preparing for the attack, an attack that will add
the name ‘Gettysburg’ to their proud banner.
    Luke stands beside Matthew. Matthew
withdraws a black ostrich plume. “Mama said this black feather
belonged to Pappy Scarburg. He wore it at the Battle of Scarburg
Mill and gave it to Grandfather Thomas. This, I wear in their
honor,” he said sticking in into his cap.
    He turns and looks to his left – as
far as he can see are four lines of soldiers with another four
immediately behind them. Dozens upon dozens of Stars and Bars
flutter in the breeze, turning to his right the same scene is
repeated. Standing at the edge of the trees, he sees Traveller and
his stately rider General Robert E. Lee. Lee is sitting his saddle
as though watching a parade, his grey, bearded face
emotionless.
    Luke, for the first time, turns his
attention from his side of the field of battle to the enemy on the
far side. He can see the Stars and Stripes flapping all along the
Union line. He can also see the Union soldiers behind a low rock
wall. This is the December ’62, Battle of Fredericksburg all over
again – except this time the South will be the force attacking