The Last, Long Night

by Ginny Dye

  Another scream from a different direction had her whirling around, her mind spinning with confusion. Was something wrong? She knew there were soldiers watching the building. How could anyone have gotten through?

  Suddenly a scream she recognized split through the bustling room. “June!” Rose cried, turning quickly and heading toward the sound. “Aunt Abby, we have to help June,” she gasped.

  “I don’t think she’s needing any help,” Aunt Abby said merrily as she stretched to her full height. “The advantage of being tall is that you can see over crowds. June looks happy to me.”

  “But the screaming…,” Rose muttered and continued to push her way forward. When she broke out of the crowd, she suddenly understood the reason for all the excitement, and a wide smile lit her face.

  June was laughing and crying as she gazed up into the face of a tall, handsome man who had her wrapped tightly with one arm. His other arm was holding Simon; the baby laughed with delight even as he looked at the strange man with bewilderment.

  “Simon!” Rose gasped. “It has to be Simon!” Suddenly she realized everyone had turned away from the drama unfolding before them and were now staring at her. She gazed back at them in confusion until she realized they weren’t looking at her but past her. Her heart began pounding with anticipation even while her mind told her it wasn’t possible.

  Moses’ arms swept around her as she was turning. “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Samuels,” he said tenderly, pulling John into one arm while he lowered his lips to hers.

  Not caring that the entire room was watching, Rose kissed him back fervently, her arms reaching up to encircle his neck. “Moses. Oh, Moses!” Tears blurred her eyes, but she knew those tears didn’t diminish her smile. “It’s really you.”

  “Yes, ma’am, it’s really me.” Moses grinned like a little boy. “And I have five of my men with me. All of them have wives here in the camp.” Then another scream rent the building. “That would be another one finding his woman,” he said, delight filling his face as he pulled Rose close again.

  When he raised his head, his eyes moved beyond her and suddenly grew wide. “Aunt Abby!” he cried. He released Rose long enough to crush the older woman in a hug and then laughed delightedly. “Now this is what I call a Christmas dance.”

  Rose laughed and spun in a circle. “You do realize every woman here will want to dance with you, don’t you?”

  “I warned all the men we would be a rare commodity. They have four days with their wives; their mission for tonight is to dance with as many women as they can.”

  Rose focused on only two of the words he said. “Four days? John and I really have you for four days?” she gasped happily.

  “Rose! Rose!”

  Rose turned as June hurtled across the room, pulling a man almost as big as Moses. He still held little Simon, grinning as he followed June.

  “This is my Simon, Rose! This is my Simon!” June cried. Then she saw Moses and threw herself on him. “Thank you!” she cried. “Thank you for bringing my Simon to me.”

  Moses brushed at the tears in his eyes. People all around them were crying with the joy of the reunions throughout the room.

  “You’re welcome, little sister,” he said tenderly. Then he looked over at Simon. “That’s a mighty fine son you have there.”

  Simon grinned so big he looked as if his face would split. “That I do,” he said proudly. “That I do.” He reached out to tickle John under his chin. “You got a right handsome boy yourself. I’m right proud to be his uncle!” Then he pulled June close to his side again and gazed down at her. “It’s been three years,” he murmured. “You’re more beautiful than ever.”

  Rose felt her heart would burst with happiness. She also understood the yearning in June’s eyes. She leaned closer to her and whispered. “Go back to the house. I’ll keep Simon here with John so they can play. You’ll have the place to yourself for a few hours.” She glanced at Moses. “I think the women can do without one dance partner,” she said quietly. “In fact…” she let her voice trail off meaningfully.

  Moses nodded easily. “I reckon they can.” He raised his voice so that everyone in the room could hear him. “Hello, everyone. I know every woman in this room understands how they would feel if their husband, who they haven’t seen in several years, suddenly appeared in the room. I had told the men they would have dance duty tonight, but I believe all of you will agree with me that they should spend time with their wives. I promise you we’re all fighting as hard as we can to make sure your men come home soon.”

  Applause and cheers broke out as Moses’ men grabbed their wives and pulled them from the building.

  “I have to stay here until the dance is over,” Rose said when Moses turned to her, responsibility and desire warring in her heart.

  “Of course, you do,” Moses said, holding her with his eyes and then reaching for her when the dancing started. “I’ve been dreaming of dancing with you. Let’s show these people how it’s done.”

  “Go!” Aunt Abby urged. “I’ll watch little Simon and John while you two dance. Nothing would give me more pleasure.”

  “Thank you, Aunt Abby. I’ll be back for you in a little while,” Moses promised.

  Rose laughed happily and allowed her husband to pull her out onto the floor. Everyone else in the room melted away as she gazed up into his intense eyes. The music flowed around them and created a swirl of magic that wrapped her up and made anything seem possible.

  When the music faded, Rose stayed wrapped in Moses’ arms. “Aunt Abby believes we’ll be with Carrie next Christmas. Tonight, it feels like anything is possible.”

  “The war will be over,” Moses said with absolute certainty. “The South is done. They haven’t given up yet, and we’re probably going to have to finish things at Richmond, but I don’t think it will be much longer.”

  Rose stiffened when he spoke of Richmond.

  Moses pulled her closer. “We’re going to think good thoughts about Carrie,” he whispered. “This war will end, and we’ll find a way to be with her again.”

  Rose nodded, praying his words were true. “Aunt Abby has already opened doors for her to go to medical school. I wonder if she’ll still want to…”

  “Carrie wants to be a doctor the way you want to be a teacher. I don’t believe war will change that. In fact, from what Matthew tells me, she wants it more strongly than ever.”

  Rose nodded. “He told me the same thing when he came through here after his escape.” She turned her eyes toward Richmond. “Christmas with Carrie. I pray it will happen soon.”

  The music started again, and Moses pulled her into a wild dance. Rose cast aside her fears and worries and lost herself in the joy she felt with Moses. She knew the four days would fly by, but she, June, and the other women would create enough loving memories to carry them through.

  “You reckon there will be enough food here?” Hobbs asked, his eyes dancing with laughter.

  Carrie looked up from the box she was packing. “There’s no use in pretending all the soldiers will get anything even similar to what they’ve known for Christmas in the past, but I do hope all of them get something.”

  She allowed herself to gaze toward Petersburg and held close the memory of Robert being home for five glorious days. Christmas dinner had been very simple, with none of the splendor of Christmases past, and much less even than the three years before, but she’d had all she needed and wanted because she’d been surrounded by the people she loved most. The only gift she had needed was waking up each morning warm and snug beside Robert.

  With Robert back in the trenches in front of Petersburg, she was doing all she could to support him. A group of women had descended on the Ballard House to cook for hours on end. The aroma from all the food filled the neighborhood. Every person who passed the house regarded it hungrily, but no one attempted to steal any of it.

  “Where did all these hams, chickens, and turkeys come from?” Hobbs asked in wonder.

  “
The same place as the beef, mutton, and sausage,” Carrie said, filling her box to the brim with savory cooked meats. “People have been hiding them all through the war.” She closed the box with a snap and looked up with flaming eyes. “Those men out there are starving. They’re standing in those awful trenches without overcoats and shoes in an effort to protect us. The least we can do is give them a special Christmas meal.”

  “Even though it’s January second?” Hobbs asked.

  “They’ll appreciate food no matter when it comes to them,” Carrie said firmly. “Our soldiers are suffering horribly. I feel bad for the ones in the hospital, but at least they’re warm and have some kind of food. That’s more than I can say about our soldiers on the field.”

  Hobbs gazed at her for a long moment. “Robert told me that in most regiments only about fifty men even have shoes.”

  Carrie shuddered, so thankful Robert at least had warm clothes. Her father had spent some of his rapidly dwindling fortune to make sure of it. While she had been thankful to have Robert with her, she hated what his men were suffering, and now she was fearful of what would happen to her husband when the fighting started again.

  “Lee is calling up every single man who can do anything,” Hobbs said quietly.

  Carrie’s heart clenched, but she met his eyes squarely. “You’re going to join them.”

  Hobbs’ eyes begged her to understand. “I can still hold a gun. I can still cook or clean dishes or do whatever else is needed.”

  “You know Sherman’s entire army will head this way to join Grant’s?”

  “I reckon they will.”

  “And you want to fight again?”

  Hobbs frowned as his gaze shifted away. “Want to fight? I don’t reckon there’s a soldier left on either side that wants to fight.” He stared at her, his eyes intense. “But there are people here I care about. You’re one of them, Miss Carrie. I’ll do whatever I can to keep the Yankees from taking Richmond.”

  Carrie stared at him, knowing it was useless to argue. But still… “You know the South will lose, don’t you?”

  Hobbs’ eyes flamed, and he opened his mouth to protest, but then closed it without a word. Long moments passed before he slowly nodded. “Me and Robert talked about it.”

  “But still you feel you have no choice?”

  “Choice? You done taught me I always have a choice, Miss Carrie. I’ve decided going back to join Lee is the only choice I can live with. Once I decided that, I was able to accept that I could live with whatever consequences come with it.”

  Carrie took a deep breath and walked over to give him a warm hug. “I’ll miss you.”

  “You reckon you’ll be all right?” Hobbs asked anxiously. “Me and Robert talked about how you would stay safe going down to the black hospital if I’m not with you.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Carrie said instantly. “I have my gun that I’ve become quite good at using; plus Janie and I can always get Jeremy or Clifford to join us. There have been no threats in many months. It’s so cold now that I doubt anyone will venture out to bother us.”

  Hobbs heaved a sigh of relief. “That’s what me and Robert figured.”

  Carrie smiled tenderly, thankful for the concern, even though every man in her life knew she would go ahead and do whatever she felt needed doing when the time arose. She appreciated their effort to care for her in a way that wouldn’t challenge her independence. “Hobbs, I’m much more concerned for you than for myself.”

  “Aw shucks, ain’t nothing going to happen to me,” he insisted, his brown eyes gazing at her from under his long rusty hair.

  Carrie said nothing. Both of them knew anything could happen. He already had one wounded leg that would never be the same. She couldn’t stand the idea of anything else happening to him, but she knew she had no ability to change the situation. “Will you be in Robert’s unit?” she asked suddenly.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said with a wide grin. “Me and the captain will be fighting together again. I figure that’s a good sign.”

  “I thought you said you were going back to do anything – even cooking,” Carrie said suspiciously, and then narrowed her eyes when Hobbs flushed and looked down. “You’re going back to fight, but you were trying to protect me from knowing,” she said flatly.

  Hobbs flushed brightly, but looked up and met her eyes. “You’ve had a powerful lot of worrying to do,” he admitted. “I didn’t want to add to it.”

  “Oh, Hobbs,” Carrie cried. “I’ll worry the same whether you’re fighting or cooking. You forget that I care for soldiers every day who have lost limbs because a shell landed on their cooking tent. You’re not safe anywhere!” Then her voice softened. “I know you believe you have to do this. I’ll continue to pray for you every day.”

  She decided to change the subject. “What will you do when the war is over?”

  Hobbs relaxed as his eyes took on a shine. “I’m going home, Miss Carrie. I’m hoping my coon hound, Jasper, is still alive. I dream of heading up into the mountains on hunting trips. Just me and Jasper.”

  Carrie watched his eyes come to life and hoped with all her heart Hobbs would get his wish. After almost four years of war, he was still just a teenager. He could never reclaim his childhood, but perhaps he could heal from all he had experienced and create a new life. “That sounds wonderful,” she said softly.

  They both looked up as wagons rolled up to the house where they were working. Each grabbed the boxes of food they had packed and carried them out into the cold morning and then came back for more.

  When the wagons were full, Carrie watched as they rolled into the distance, hoping every soldier would receive something so that they knew the people of Richmond appreciated what they were doing, and knew how much they were suffering.

  Hobbs read her mind. “The fellas will be right thankful,” he said quietly.

  “It’s so little,” Carrie replied regretfully, “but I know we did the best we could.” She looked over at Hobbs. “When are you leaving?”

  “Tomorrow,” he said steadily. “I decided to stay to help with the food, but I’ll be reporting tomorrow.”

  Carrie nodded heavily and reached over to squeeze his hand. “You and Robert take care of each other.”

  Carrie stood silently for long minutes after Hobbs went to get their carriage, her breath creating white clouds, but feeling quite warm in her snug coat and scarf. She wanted to cry when she gazed at the hungry, pinch-faced children plodding through the icy winds gripping small pieces of wood to try to help warm their homes.

  1865 had blown in with frigid air, bringing even more misery to the besieged residents of Richmond. People were starving and freezing everywhere – not only in Richmond but also in Georgia, in the Shenandoah Valley, in the Carolinas, and in every place the war had touched. But Richmond had seen the majority of the relentless attempts to break the South. Somehow, the city’s citizens had managed to hang on, but expressions on every face said they didn’t believe they could hold out much longer.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Louisa hummed quietly as she mixed oatmeal in her big black kettle over the simmering fire. Snow was piling up outside, but the cabin was toasty and warm. Perry was outside tending to the livestock he had hidden from the Union army. A large swath of Georgia was a burned wasteland, but Louisa and her husband were still alive, and somehow they would carry on.

  She looked outside, glad to see the burned foundation of their cotton gin building completely obscured by mounds of deep snow. She hoped the snow’s blanket would help erase the pain from Perry’s mind. He had cut numerous trees to begin to rebuild the barn in the spring, but there was no way to know when Perry might be able to replace the cotton gin.

  He had already built another barn for their animals, working quickly with the help of neighbors who had arrived the day after the destruction. It was not as grand as the one that had burned, but it sheltered their cows and horses, and the chicken coop he had rebuilt was filling up again with fow
l that produced plenty of eggs.

  Louisa sighed with contentment and smiled when her baby kicked her forcefully. “Eager to get out of there, aren’t you, little one?” she murmured, patting her extended belly. She knew the baby should come any day now. The crib was ready. Polly, their midwife neighbor, had prepared them well.

  Louisa yearned to hold her child close, to feel the evidence that life was indeed continuing on, no matter how many terrible things had happened. She watched as Perry emerged from the barn, his breath coming in puffy white mists. He struggled to get through the snow with his peg leg, but he had insisted on doing it himself, and he was learning how to manage.

  “Oh my!” Louisa gasped as she doubled over with a sudden, sharp pain, and then her eyes widened as warm liquid pooled between her legs. As the pain eased, a smile exploded onto her face. She made her way quickly to the cabin door and pulled it open. “Perry!”

  He appeared at the foot of the porch almost instantly, took one look at her face, and knew. “It’s time?”

  Louisa nodded. “It’s time,” she agreed. “You’d better go get Polly.”

  “And leave you here alone?”

  Louisa smiled at his alarmed face. “We talked about this. There should be plenty of time for you to get Polly and come back,” she said calmly and then reached out to grab his hand. “I’d appreciate it, though, if you did it quickly. I’d rather have you with me.”

  “I’ll have her here fast!” Perry climbed onto the porch, gave her a quick kiss, and then fought his way back to the barn through the snow.

  Louisa watched from the window until the horses took off down the snowy road at a rapid trot, and then she turned back into the kitchen. She doubled over when another spasm tore through her body and decided sitting would be a better option. After the pain passed, she carefully pulled the kettle off the fire, stoked the flames with pieces of split wood to keep the house warm, and then settled down into her rocker and pulled her quilt tightly, all the while singing softly to herself.