The Civil War: A Soldier's Story

Chapter 3: The Commander's Wrath

      I was tired. We had rowed for a while, the fort now being a small speck in the distance. I could still see the explosions off in the distance, creating small balls of light. Obviously, our attackers had not yet noticed we had fled the fort. The other fort across from ours, thank the Lord, was still fighting. I thought what the main commander would think of our loss. I almost knew for certain that the outnumbered fort would fall into Union hands, but how long would it take?

     When we reached the shore, a couple of hours had already passed. The sun was setting, spreading darkness over the land and sea.I could now see the explosions more clearly, lighting  up the whole ten miles around with light. An hour later, the men from the other fort arrived on shore too. Together, we walked through the marshes. Just a couple of miutes later, the firing stopped, but we continuued to walk along the marshes parallel to the beach. The forces must've seen our lanterns, because a the last moment, we noticed the ships had arrived at he shoreline.    A cannonball shot over my head, and exploded right in front of me. I was blown back 10 feet, and I felt a sharp pain in my leg. I was ashamed of it, but I ran, hearing the voices of the bloodthirsty soldiers getting off the ships. I reached the treeline and looked back. My fellow comrades I could not see. I ran and ran, until I reached a road, my leg hurting painfully. I then felt strange, and blacked out.

     Apparently, a rich, elderly couple had picked me  up in their carraige, and seeing my burnt military uniform, brought me back to the base. I remember waking up, with docters surrounding me, all muttering and fiddling with tools. What seemed to be the head docter said that a piece of shrapnel had piereced my leg, and it had gotten infected. I suddenly noticed I couldn't feel my leg! I looked down, and there was no leg beneath the kneecap! I almost fainted, but  the docter said that he had a pegleg specially built for me. He said it had a pocket pistol hidden inside, because I had risked my life for my country, but I felt ashamed. I had run away from my comrades, and now I was getting  praise for it. The docter also said that the  main commander wanted to talk to me.

     After the docter help me put on the pegleg, I walked, moresay stumbled, down the corridor. When I met the commander, he immediatly started asking questions. I told him what happened, and what strategies the opposing side used. When I told him that I abandoned the other soldiers he was furious. He said I should get lashings for that, but but since I already lost my leg, he didn't see the need for it. He dissmised me to my bunk, and after a long, long time thinking, I went to sleep. The last thing I thought was that I had been the only survivor.....