The Appalachian Chronicles: Shades of Gray
Page 30
Chapter XXV
7:00 am
The three of us stood in the bed of the truck as we pulled away from the crowd. Many of the men were walking toward the camps, while others, including Reg and his friends, were gathered in the middle of the battlefield. I looked back and recalled what Leland had said about desecrating the memory of the men that died on that field. The twinge of remorse I felt grew more intense when I remembered what Anna said about how innocent people often suffer at the hands of others possessed by a desire for power and control. I understood that those that died on that battlefield might have been the innocent ones.
My remorse was replaced with uncertainty when I recalled that Jedediah Powell, a man who had taken slaves to Philadelphia to free them, had died on that field – fighting for the Confederacy. How would Jedediah, knowing all that had happened in the nearly one hundred and fifty years that had passed since the Civil War, feel if he had been with me during the last twenty-four hours? Surely he would appreciate those who had come to celebrate his sacrifice. But what would he think of the others – those inside the circle of tents, or Leland and Junior? I would never know.
As the truck moved farther away, I spotted Ben crossing the battlefield. I was disappointed that I would not be able to talk with him. I wanted to thank him for trusting me enough to give us a chance to speak out. He walked alone with his head bent down. Finally, putting those many thoughts aside, I turned to Max, “Tell me, where did you come from?”
“I woke early this morning and noticed that you weren’t in the RV. When I looked out to see where you were, I saw Anna riding that horse. Then I saw you sneaking past the camp on the opposite side. I’ve been watching you ever since. When Anna burned the flag I called Colonel Foxharte. He sent Zeb.” Max looked at Anna and shook his head. “What made you do it?”
“It’s a long story, Max,” she replied.
I looked at him and said, “Betty.”
He shot me a piercing look and replied, “Betty?”
“Betty?” Anna looked puzzled.
“Yes, Betty. She did it for Betty,” I said to Max, “but it looks like I’ll have to explain later.”
As I was speaking, a large automobile rolled slowly to the edge of the battlefield. Two doors opened and Anna’s parents stepped out. Zeb slowly pulled the truck up close to the Foxhartes and stopped.
“Ian, Max, nice to see you – I think,” the Colonel said with a wry smile. Max and I reached down to shake his hand.
“Mrs. Foxharte,” I said. Anna’s mother smiled and nodded.
The Colonel spoke up. “Anna, I hear there’s been a little excitement out here this morning.”
“You could say that. But everything is under control.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Turning to Max and me, the Colonel said, “Elizabeth and I would like you to join us for breakfast.”
Breakfast sounded good. I was starving, but I remembered that the Foxhartes had guests. “With all due respect, Colonel Foxharte,” I said, “You have guests; and, I think I would like to take up your offer some other time.”
“Don’t be silly, Ian. You and Max are always welcome.”
I hesitated. “There’s nothing I’d like more, but Max and I have fallen behind schedule. Perhaps when we finish our adventure, we can visit.”
The Colonel smiled. “An excellent idea,” he said. “We look forward to that time.” He turned and looked at Anna. “So, I guess this is goodbye for a while?”
“Yes, Daddy.” Anna stepped down from the truck and hugged her mother and then her father. Max and I stood there dumbfounded. She walked toward the truck, and reached out to Max for a hand. Max helped her climb back in.
“Oh,” Anna said suddenly, “would you mind taking Belle home, Daddy?” We turned to look at the chestnut mare that was grazing peacefully in the battlefield.
“Not at all,” replied Anna’s father.
“Thanks” she said.
We waved to the Foxhartes, as Zeb pulled the truck onto the paved road. I was still confused by Anna’s farewell to her parents. I suspected that I knew what she was up to, but I didn’t want to be presumptuous. I said to her, “Thanks for taking us back up to the Parkway.”
“Yes,” she said, “it was kind of Zeb to offer to drop us off.”
“Drops us off?”
“Yes, us. I’m going with you – someone has to keep you out of trouble.”
“Me!”
Max laughed and nodded with approval.
“What about your gear?” I asked Anna.
“It’s in the cab. I put it there last night.”
“Really?” I said with mild disbelief.
“Really.”
We began rolling slowly along the road that would take us up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I turned to take a final look at the spectators’ camp and imagined that the ghost of Betty was lingering there. In the distance, beyond the Confederate encampment, beyond the battlefield, even beyond the Union camp, were the beautiful mountains – where I belonged.
Halfway up the access road Max started to whistle. It was a cheerful tune. The words, “You, who are on the road,” instantly popped into my head. I nodded my head in time with the song and sang silently, beginning with the second verse.
“Teach your children well. Their father’s hell did slowly go by. And feed them on your dreams…”3
Recommended Reading
Andrews, W., & H. Gates., Slave Narratives, Library of America, New York, 2000.
Donald, D., Lincoln, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1995.
Foote, S., The Civil War: A Narrative History, Vintage, New York, 1986.
Horwitz, T., Confederates In the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War, Vintage Departures, A Division of Random House, New York, 1998.
MacPherson, J., Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era, Oxford University Press, New York, 2003.
Potter, D., The Impending Crisis: 1848 – 1861, Perennial Press, New York, 1977.
Taylor, Y., I was Born a Slave: An Anthology of Classic Slave Narratives, 1770 – 1849, Lawrence Hill & Co., New York, 1999.
Twain, M., The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 1884.
Wells, G., Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1992.