Glory - a Love Story

They've died

I helped the men carry the rations and bullets on the ship. Then I got to the commander and saluted. He greeted me the same way. "Welcome Miss Shaw. It is a pleasure to meet you on my ship" I nodded and stepped next to him. "Thank you. I really missed the sea. Got a really good year on the USS Consitution. Remarkable ship." He agreed and gave me some orders. I would be his personal assistant and no simple sailor. I have to much experiance to be one of them but I obeyed every word.

The sun sunk behind the waves and we continued with the bombaders till the night was showing and we stopped. I placed my hand on the railing and watched the night. I saw the men marching on the beach. I watched them trough the telescope. My breaht fogged up and I shivered. It was so cold and the silence nearly burned my heart. Then I heard the first shootings. In tried to see something trought the lightning. I could see men falling, lying on the ground. Bleeding. It took long. The noise got even more louder and I couldn't assign it.

On the next day. I haven't slept one single minute. The sun flooded the Fort like the beach was flooded with dead men and red blood. I was shocked. I ran the ship along to the nose of the ship. Searching with my eyes. I couldn't see anything but I have to made me a picture of the attack. Fort Wagner was surrounded by the soldiers on land. "The decided to lay siege to it." my commander said. "How many are alive of the 54. Massachuets?" I asked. "Not many. The most died on the field." "Colonel Shaw?" "I cannot say. Let us hope they surrender soon then we could count the victims"

It took some weeks till they finally surrendered and we won Fort Wagner. I took a long breath. I heard nothing from my brother. We prepared the ships while the others searched for survivers. I wanted search myself but the ship set sails befor I could get off it. We travelled to Boston where I could finally place my feet again on the ground.

At the harbour I meet Lance. A good friend of my father. He managed to organize a carriage for us to bring me home. "I am so sorry for your loss." he finally spoke up. Lance sat across from me and held something out to me. It was a little piece of paper. "What is this?" I asked and hesitated to take it. "The report of Fort Wagner." My eyes lifted up and I took the piece immediately. I unfolded it and read it. Colonel Robert G. Shaw and his company got defeated. The colonel was shot. His two majors leads the attack and broke trough the defense. They were shot by canons and bullets. My heart broke. It was like drowning. "No.... that is immposible." I said. "They've died..." The feeling was overwhelming and I felt like I lost everything.