The List

  The List,
Word count 2104,
                                                 
         I briskly walked down the military road my brown leather brogans crunching under the soft gravel as I made my way to the town hall.  Slung across my right shoulder, my Enfield rifle rattled back and forth digging into my side.  I grabbed the sling and steadied it.  I still had several more miles to go.  I stopped for a short break and dropped the leather saddlebag that I had thrown over my shoulder and adjusted the cartridge box on my belt.  I reached to the small of my back to retrieve the wooden canteen that hung from its cotton sling and, quickly removing the cap, took a long swig of the cool, clear, Pennsylvanian water.  Once I had finished my long drink, I poured a small amount of water into my blue pillbox cap and plopped it back onto my head, the cool water intermingling with the sweat and dirt that had accumulated on my head.  For a brief moment, I brushed in vain at the dirt that was eternally stained into the knees of my light blue pants, but it was useless.  I fought back the rising sorrow at the loss of my horse, Yankee.  All I now had left of him was this lone saddlebag, which contained my mission, something of so much importance that it was my sole duty to guard the contents of the bag with my life and to deliver it to the capital. 
                                  *********
         “Corporal O’Reilly, it is your sworn duty to deliver this to the town hall.  It is of the utmost importance that you accomplish this mission.  Do you understand?” I smartly clicked my heels together and saluted.
         “Yes sir,” I shouted in a loud, clear voice.  The man before me smiled from behind his handlebar moustache and nodded his head.  He turned to another soldier who looked to be no older than sixteen years old, but wore the insignia of a lieutenant upon his shoulders.  The lieutenant came forward clutching in his gloved hands, an envelop of soft leather secured by a leather cord.  The cord was secured by a wax seal of the U.S. War department stamped on the front of it.  The man took the package from the lieutenant and, with a wave of his hand, dismissed him. He was dressed in the union blue, ornate with several buttons, each glimmering in the sunlight. With his left hand, the man steadied the saber at his side and, with his right, he passed the parchment to me.
         “We’re all counting on you son.”  He patted me on the shoulder and studied me for several moments with his soft green eyes. 
         “I won’t let you down, sir.”
         “I know.”
                                      *********
         It seemed so long ago that I had been entrusted with this task. It had been three days now, and I was slowly nearing the end of my journey.  I tossed the saddlebag back over my shoulder and resumed my trip down the dirt road.  An hour into my journey the faint sound of iron axels turning and the creaking of wooden wheels could be heard.  I turned to see an approaching wagon, driven by a team of two oxen.  I stepped to the side of the road and cautiously reached into my saddlebag.  I removed my Colt percussion cap revolver and quickly rotated the cylinder to ensure that all the chambers were loaded and stuffed it into my pants at the small of my back.  Even this far behind Union lines, I was taking no chances.  In a few moments, the wagon had closed the distance between us.  The oxen groaned in their yokes as the reins we pulled back bringing them to a gradual stop in front of me.  Driving the oxen was a brawny man.  He was wearing a pair of cotton brown pants and suspenders hung at his waist.  He worn no shirt and the deep tan and muscular build of his body gave me the impression that he was a farmer.  Atop his head was a straw hat and his full beard made him look more like he was in his mid thirties.  In the back of the wagon were three young girls, wearing full-length dresses of faded pink, blue, and yellow. 
         “Do, jar need a ride soldjar?”  The big man asked.
         “Where ya headed?” I saw no threat from the man and a ride could possibly bring me closer to the city.
         “Were going to Aunt Victoria’s house at the capital.”  The oldest of the three girls informed me. 
         “We’s headed towards da Capital,” The driver informed me. 
         “That’s just the way I’m headed.  Do you mind if I ride along?”
         “It’ll be mine pleasure. Da name is John Chadwick and dese lovely ladies be mine daughters, Hope, Joy, and Sara.”  At the mentioning of each of the girls names, they each curtsied. 
         “Nice to meet you all. I’m Sam O’Reilly.”  I told them as I climbed into the back of the wagon.  I took a seat in a pile of straw in the corner of the wagon. 
         The three girls were around me in the blink of an eye and were asking me several questions about being a soldier.
         “Have you been in any battles?”  The oldest, Sara asked.  Her earnest blue eyes and rosy cheeks reminded me of my own sister back home.
         “I have,” I murmured.  I thought back to a year ago when I had yearned for battle, eager for a fight, but how much my mind had changed on the subject.
         “What unit are you with?”  The second girl Hope asked.  “Daddy was a soldier in the first Kansas Infantry Division…”  She paused for a moment her excitement in the subject seemed to be lost. “until mommy went to heaven.” She slowly finished. 
         “I’m sorry to hear that.  My unit is the 20th Maine.”  The littlest one, Joy climbed up into my lap and removed the cap that sat upon my head and put it on herself.
         “I want to be a soldier too.”  She announced.  I wanted so badly to explain to her that she should never wish something like that, that she should remain innocent forever, but I just managed a weak smile at her.  “Are you from Maine?”  She asked.
         “Yes I am.” I answered. 
         “We’re from Missouri.  We had a farm there until some bad men came and burned it down.”  I knew she was talking about the rebel bushwhackers that I had heard so much about on the northern campaign.  I reached into my saddlebag and removed the last of my rations, three apples, which I gave to each of the girl’s.  They accepted them gratefully.  I removed the last of my hardtack and began practically swallowing it whole.  It was better that way because if I tasted it I would probably have a hard time keeping it down it was practically a week old.  The girls finished the apples in a matter of minutes and slowly, one by one they began to doze off.  Joy feel asleep in my arms and for a brief moment I felt relief from the horrible atrocities I had both seen and done in the war to reunite the Union.  I drifted into a deep sleep; it was as if the innocent child in my arms protected me from the images of my past.  I had the first dreamless sleep since my entrance into the war. 
         It felt like I had only been asleep for a few moments when I was shaken awake by Joy.  “Were here! Were here!” she called.  The sunlight was gone now; it had been replaced by the faint candle light of the streetlights that permeated in the darkness of the city.  The street was dotted by rows of brick buildings and in the center rose an immense white house that reminded me of the large plantation houses I had seen in the south.  Up the hill, I could see my destination, the capital building.  I climbed out of the back of the wagon and thanked John for the ride.  I paused for a moment and bid farewell to each of the girls.  Even though I had only spent a few hours with them, they almost felt like family.  I dug into my haversack, retrieved three of my extra gold buttons, and gave one to each of them.  It was the hardest for me when it came time to leave Joy.  I could not retrieve my cap until I swore to visit them at their aunt’s house. 
         My journey was ending as I approached the large marble white building.  The steps were like a final insult to my epic journey as I made my way up them.  At the entrance, I was challenged by a sentry in an identical uniform as the one I wore.  “I carry an urgent message from General McClellan,” I informed him. 
         “You are expected, Corporal.  Go on in. It’s the second door on the left.”  I followed the instructions and knocked of the door before entering. 
         “You may enter.”  A voice called from inside the office.  I hastily stepped inside and closed the door behind me.  Sitting at a desk in the center of the small office was a stocky Major with sideburns and a large wad of chewing tobacco in his mouth.
         “Sir, Corporal O’Reilly, reporting with emissaries from General McClellan.”  I reported, snapping to attention and saluting. 
         “We’ve been expecting you.  You may go right in.”  The Major gestured towards the door to my left and then returned to his paperwork in front of him.  I turned and slowly approached the door.  After a single knock at the door, a deep baritone voice called to me to enter.  I entered the room and standing before me was a man of enormous stature.  He was extremely tall, but he looked as if a strong breeze could have broken him in half.  There was a well-trimmed beard upon his face and his deep brown eyes seemed as if they had the entire world’s sorrows upon them.
         “I have the emissaries from General McClellan, sir,” I announced snapping to attention and saluting. 
         “Relax soldier,” the man ordered in his deep voice. He extended his hand and I quickly produced the leather bound package from my saddlebag and handed them to him.  He gestured for me to take a seat in the chair across from the desk as he took a seat himself.  He produced a pair of reading glasses and quickly broke the seal on the case.  I watched as he began thumbing through the several pages of what appeared to be a list of names.
         “Now is the time,” the man murmured.  “Bill?”  He called in a loud voice.  Within an instant, the Major was at the door.
         “Yes, Mr. President?”
         “Have my train ready, I believe now is time we honor these American boys for their steadfast dedication, and undying belief in the unification of all men, one country, one nation.”
         “Yes, Mr. President, but where to?”
         “We’re going to Gettysburg.” 
         “Yes sir.” The Major began to exit but was called back before the door could even shut.
         “Oh and Bill,” The Major quickly spun around on his heels. “Please see to it that the Corporal is set up with a place to stay, he’ll be coming along on the journey with us.” 
         “Yes sir.”  The Major left and I was once again left sitting with the president.
         “Son, you and your unit have done a fine job.”  He leaned over his desk and extended his hand.  I felt awkward shaking the Commander-and-Chief’s hand for something as simple as carrying a letter.  I turned to leave, but before I stepped out I had to have one question answered.
         “Sir, what was it I was carrying?”  The President studied me for a few moments as if he was judging whether or not it was right to tell me.
         “Son you carried the list of the souls who paid the ultimate sacrifice to their country.”  As I left the office and then exited the building, I felt a wave of accomplishment rush over me.  It was as if I had carried the souls of my fallen comrades to their final resting place.
         I walked to the house that was listed on the piece of paper that the Major had given me.  I would be staying at a local residence until the train would be ready.  The address matched that of the one on the paper I had been given.  I knocked on the door and to my surprise Joy answered the door.