Wonderland, Going Down The Rabbit Hole

D. 2 Tweedledum and Tweedledee D. 2

Prompt: Prepare For Battle-There have been many wars/battles in history. Choose one that interests you. However, your short story must be a tale of how things escalated to the final event! This can be comedic or serious.

I have always been interested in the American Civil War. I loved North and the South with Patrick Swayze. Movies make the war so intriguing but it was anything but. I lived in Tennessee and visited a resort where a battle took place and I was from the North. I always felt guilty about the war but it was before my time.

The American Civil War was a civil war in the United States between the Union and the Confederacy. The central cause of the war was slavery. Slavery in the territories of the south. On the eve of the Civil War in 1860, four million of the 32 million Americans were enslaved black people, almost all in the south. Disunion came after President Lincoln won the 1860 United States Presidential Election. Seven slave states succeeded from the Union. Confederate forces seized federal forts. Confederates bombarded Fort Sumner. This was the First Bloodshed of the Civil War, The Baltimore Riot of 1861. Two US Soldiers were killed.

I am going to write a story about a southern Belle named Maggie Ashland who is running a plantation by herself. Her mother died years ago and her father died a few months before the Civil War started. Maggie's brother Jonas went to war and she just married Captain Graham Riley two months before the war started. Maggie's slaves had left and she had only had four slaves who stayed to help her. Her white friend Millicent's husband had left her and the house they lived in wasn't hers so she moved in with Maggie. Millicent helped Maggie with the farm crops and milk the cows, butcher chickens, pick cotton and do what they could to stay alive.

Maggie was afraid she would get a letter any day that Graham had been killed. Graham was safe. At night, Maggie and Millicent would try to cheer each other up.

Millicent patted Maggie's hand. This war will be over someday and life can go back to normal.'

"I have no money. We barely have enough money to keep the place up and buy supplies. This war has been gone on for three years."

"So many plantations have been burned down and the Union Soldiers haven't bothered us."

"True. We have to count our blessings."

Maggie, Millicent and the slaves kept things gone.

Life was boring. Maggie got a letter from Graham. He wrote that the successful 1863 siege of Vicksburg split the Confederacy in two at the Mississippi River.

General Robert E. Lee's incursion north ended at the Battle Of Gettysburg. Grant's naval brigade of confederate ports had manpower to attack from all directions. General Sherman followed his march to the sea. The last significant battles raged around the ten month seige of Petersburg, gateway to the Confederate capital of Richmond.

The rest of the letter Graham told Maggie how much he loved her and missed her. Maggie smiled. WHEN WILL THIS WAR END?

The war went on and Maggie had invited some friends over for dinner. She and Millicent always shared what they had. Maggie got a letter that Jonas had been killed in battle. Maggie stayed in her room for two days but the horse was having problems delivering her foal. Maggie and Millicent delivered the foal and Maggie perked up.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Maggie asked.

"You helped bring him in the world so there is something to look forward to." Millicent hugged Maggie.

Maggie checked on the foal all the time. She did find some happiness.

One day, some Union soldiers came to Sherwood Valley Plantation.

Maggie was scared. "What do you want?"

"We want some food and water for our horses. Get your things out of the house. We are torching your cherished mansion. You have had it too easy, Princess." The Captain of the Regimen said.

"Why? I didn't start this war. I have had a hard time of it the past three years and I know what it like to work. My husband is in the war fighting you Cads and you killed my brother!" Maggie slapped and beat on the Captain.

The soldiers pulled her off him and the slaves started to punch the soldiers.

Boson, the black slave said: "Don't you dare hurt Miss Maggie! She good people!"

The Captain looked at Maggie. "Your slaves stick up for you. Get your things. We are burning this palace in five minutes."

Maggie threw dirt at him. The Union soldiers grabbed Maggie and Millicent was beating on the soldiers. Just then a Union Soldier came riding in.

"Captain, the war's over. I got a message. Read this document."

Confederate General Lee surrendered to Union General Grant at the Battle Of Appomattox Court House after Lee had abandoned Petersburg and Richmond. Confederate General followed suit. The war has ended April 9, 1965.

The Captain looked at Maggie. "The war is over. I could burn your plantation but it isn't worth it. By the way, your side lost. You will have enough problems and were leaving. Boys, we have some celebration to do."

The Union Soldiers left. Maggie and Millicent hugged. The war was over. They didn't win. The plantation wouldn't be burned down. Graham would be coming home.

Graham came home and Maggie and him started a General Store. It took them years to get comfortable. Not rich just comfortable. Maggie kept the plantation. She and Graham had two baby girls. Millicent married a man who owned the lumber company and they built a nice cottage. The war changed lives. Maggie was always glad the war ended when it did. Her father's plantation had been saved. The slaves helped Maggie and she paid them. Maggie had always been good to the slaves. She would never take things for granted again.

997 Words