With increasing frequency, David now was hitting his mark. Nearly every shot he fired, another Union soldier fell. Further below him, the Rebels forces were doing the same. Unfortunately, their efforts weren’t good enough.
“This is bad! This is really bad!” David shouted in panicked tone.
“What? What is it?” Geoff blurted out, now coming to his feet.
“They’re not slowing down. The Union charge is still advancing. They’re only about a hundred yards away.”
“What the hell man, somebody’s got to do something,” Geoff shouted, trying to focus through watering eyes. “What are our boys doing?”
“What the hell you think they’re doing. They’re shooting. They’re just not putting out enough firepower to stop them.”
David looked over to the worried teen and shouted, “Come on man, reload. They need every gun they can get.”
For a moment, Geoff glared at David, then realized the gravity of his statement. Without another word, he continued to load the rifles.
-----*-----*-----*-----
Sgt. Cooper shouted orders to his men, hoping to keep the pressure on the enemy. As the Union men neared, the Rebels frantically reloaded and fired. Less than fifty yards away, he braced for the inevitable.
At the Union’s closest point, he knew they would make contact first. As he raced down the skirmish line, he grabbed several of his best men in preparation for overrun. Positioning them opposite the nearest attackers, he shouted his final orders.
“Keep low, keep firing. Force ‘em to empty their weapons before the wall. Once they cross, be on ‘em like fleas on a hound,” he shouted. “They all ‘ill be bridging us here first. If we all can push them rats back before the line catches up with ‘em, the rest should turn and run too.”
As he repeated his message to other parts of the line, his men lowered their bodies below the wall and fired relentlessly. Several yards away, the enemy’s charge was briefly halted. Almost immediately, they regrouped and charged again.
“Fire you devils,” Sgt. Cooper roared to his men. “Fire on them blue dogs.”
Only feet from the wall, the Union men caught the full fury of the desperate Rebels. As bullets ripped through their flesh, they cried out in anguish and collapsed. Instantly, others replaced them and forged ahead.
Union Pvt. Bobby Callahan stood at the wall of logs and fired his weapon. With his heart pounding and his mind frantic with fear, his shaking hands jerked his rifle and the bullet flew high over the enemy’s heads. Leveling his bayonet, he kicked at the highest log on the wall, sending several logs crashing to the other side. Instantly, he lunged through the gaping hole left in its place. Thrusting his bayonet forward, his assault was stopped short. Standing at the ready, four Rebels blocked his attack and thrust their own bayonets deep into his stomach. He let out a guttural shriek.
Even before Pvt. Callahan fell dead, his comrades poured through the opening. With their weapons spent, they attacked by bayonet. Flooding through the gap, they heard the deafening sound of rifle fire.
Standing opposite the Union attackers, the Rebel force held their rifles low and waited. As Union men flowed through the wall, they unleashed their weapons at point blank range. Instantly, a dozen Union men fell dead. Undaunted, more took their place. Standing at the ready, more men in gray fired at the stampeding men in blue.
In one great effort, several Union men charged at once. With the Rebel weapons fired, the odds were now even and they charged ahead boldly. Pouring through the gap in the wall, they fought by hand and by bayonet. Those that couldn’t fit through the gap, scaled the wall beside it. As bayonets pierced bodies and knives slashed through arteries and flesh, others grappled with fists and feet. Fighting savagely, both sides refused to submit.
Spread out across the skirmish line, Rebel men continued to fire. With the melee unfolding further down the line, they increased the intensity of their fight. Reloading faster and aiming more accurately, they prevented the Union attackers from advancing further.
Sgt. Cooper grasped his bloody knife and wildly slashed the throat of an enemy soldier. As the man dropped, the sergeant heard a loud groan beside him. He spun around and watched one of his men being run through. Anger surged inside him. Instantly, he lunged forward and stabbed the Union man in the chest. He stepped back and bumped into something solid. Turning quick, he saw a blue uniform. In a blink of an eye, he stabbed the man in the throat, pulled his knife and stabbed another man beside him. As they fell, more took their place. Charging toward him, three more men lunged with bayonets. As he blocked one, it diverted the path of the other two, barely missing him. In seconds, the three attackers felt the slashing brutality of his bowie knife. As they fell by his feet, he stood back and observed the violent brawl. Desperation swept his body as he realized the futility of their plight. Grossly outnumbered, he knew they needed a miracle, one he felt would never come.
A moment later, two more men lunged for an attack…
-----*-----*-----*-----
As the skirmish line gave way to the enemy, David watched in horror from above.
“Oh my God, they’re through. They’ve broken through,” he shouted frantically.
Geoff stood up and squinted, trying to adjust his focus. As his eyes watered, he was slowly able to see. Shock and fear coursed through his veins while he stared at the carnage below. Watching the flood of men pour over the breastworks, he knew it was only a matter of time before they themselves were either wounded or killed.
Quickly, Geoff reached for a gun. He loaded it, aimed and fired into the crowd of Union soldiers as they stormed the hole in the wall. Two men dropped as the bullet passed through one and entered the other. Seconds later, David fired as well, killing a man instantly.
Both men reloaded. As David lifted his weapon, Geoff finished reloading his. David aimed and fired. Shortly thereafter, Geoff did the same. Over and over, they fired without let up.
Looking down at the violent exchange, David gasped in horror.
“Oh my God. It’s the Sarge. They’re going to kill him,” he shouted.
He took aim, fired and missed. In an instant, another gun roared beside him. Down below, a Union soldier dropped to his knees as his chest exploded from the impact of Geoff’s bullet.
Both Geoff and David watched as Sgt. Cooper immediately dispatched the other attacker. As he withdrew his knife from the dying soldier, he looked up and saluted the two men who had saved his life once more. Distracted only for a moment, the two reloaded and continued to fire at random targets.
As Rebel soldiers battled the Union men hand-to-hand on the north side of the wall, David and Geoff fired on those trying to enter through the gap on the south side. Although some men slipped past and joined the melee, most found a bullet waiting for them as they crossed to the other side.
Confederate soldiers poured on lead with heightened intensity. Firing on the Union line from behind the wall, they suddenly turned the advantage. Soon their withering fire pushed back the Union ranks and sent them in retreat. Those left on the northern side of the wall, found themselves outnumbered and quickly defeated.
Now on the run, the Union line rushed for safety. Heading to a depression two hundred yards away, they filed in and breathed a moment of relief. Nearly out of harm’s way, they paused to regroup and re-plan.
Staring down on the Union line, Geoff could see them reloading.
“I think they’re going for another attack,” he said, anxiety building in his voice.
“I think you’re right. I can see some of them using their ramrods and I’m sure they’re not using them for back scratchers either,” David responded.
“What do we do?”
“You think you can reach them from here?”
“Does the pope shit in the woods?” Geoff joked in bad humor.
David chuckled to himself, then turned serious.
“Geoff, we need to keep them on the run. Right now they’re probably thinking, with a little rest, t
hey can overrun us again and defeat us… and frankly, they probably can. But, if we can lay down enough firepower on them, if might be just enough to break their spirit.”
“David, it’s just two of us. I can surely pick off a couple of them, but I really don’t think it’ll be enough to change their minds and go home.”
“They’re demoralized right now. It wouldn’t take much. If I load and you fire, I’m betting we can lay down enough firepower to push them off the field. But, if we wait, psychologically, they’ll grow braver and more willing to charge us again,” David explained.
Geoff looked out across the field. He looked down at the death and destruction below them. With his eyes nearly back to normal, he rubbed them lightly.
“Ok, let’s get this done,” he said resolutely.
Quickly, the two loaded all five rifles and laid them against the wall.
“Ready?” David asked, his nerves nearly shot.
Geoff only nodded. He picked up a rifle, exhaled, and pulled the trigger. The bullet arced across the sky. Two hundred yards later, it found its mark in the back of a Union soldier lying prone. Instantly, the entire Union line came on guard. Seconds later, another shot sailed through the air and exploded as it smashed through another soldier’s skull. Rapidly firing, Geoff shot off two more rounds in seconds as David reloaded. Within the first minute, after firing twelve shots, ten Union men lay dead.
With his supplies laid out in front of him, David reloaded the rifles like an assembly line. His hands moved swiftly and efficiently, loading the empty barrels with power first, then wadding, and then lastly ramrodding the bullet.
Two minutes later, many more men lay dead or dying. As time ticked by, the nerves of the men lying in the depression began to fray.
Suddenly, several Union soldiers attempted a charge. Within seconds, Geoff cut them down in mid stride. Inspired by their comrades, a small group of twenty stood and continued the attack. Geoff picked them off, one by one. As their suicidal charge neared the Rebel line, the men open fired on the remaining Union soldiers, instantly halting their attack.
Union commanders looked on in horror at the sight. Demoralized and beaten, they ordered a full retreat from the field.
Geoff and David stared in amazement. Their plan had worked.
From behind them, they heard a familiar voice.
“Well boys, if I didn’t know no better, I’d say both y’all was regular army folk,” Sgt. Cooper shouted as he ran up the hill. Beaming with pride, he continued, “I don’t know where y’all come from, but wherever it was, I could sure use a whole lot more of ya fellers.”
“We told you. We’re from New Mexico,” Geoff assured him.
“Y’all must take me for a fool,” he shot back in jovial mood. “I know you ain’t no New Mexicans. Them fellers ain’t worth a turd on a stump. No Sir, only boys from Tennessee fight like mountain cats… and I should know, cuz I’m from Tennessee.”
“Yes Sir, sergeant,” Geoff responded simply.
“I shore enjoyed y’alls shootin’ exhibition,” he continued. “Probably the fastest shootin’ I ever saw.”
“Glad we could help,” David replied, smiling.
“Yes Sir, I’d say after that display, y’all earned yourselves a little rest. Y’all can take five minutes, then head down yonder and help rebuild them breastworks,” the sergeant offered in generous tone.
“Yes Sir, sergeant,” both David and Geoff responded.
With a proud nod, Sgt. Cooper turned and headed back down the shallow hill.
David turned to Geoff. A sarcastic smile spread across his face.
“I guess we’re worth more than a turd on a stump… Nice,” Geoff joked.
“I don’t know… if he ever finds out we’re time travelers, I think ‘turd on a stump’ could be a very nice title compared to a cuckoo in a nest,” David replied with a smirk.
“Let’s just make sure he never finds out.”
-----*-----*-----*-----
Hours later…
As daylight turned to darkness, David and Geoff sat by their fire and rested. As hard as the early morning battle was, their day of helping the wounded, collecting the dead and rebuilding the wall, drained them of all their strength.
Too tired to speak, they simply sat, sipped their coffee and stared into the flickering flames. Each time they nodded off, a loud spark erupted from deep within the bed of coals, startling them, causing their eyes to snap open once more.
An hour after finishing their nighttime meal, their continuous yawns became a nuisance. Lying down on the cold hard ground, they pulled their wool blankets over themselves and fell asleep by the fire.
-----*-----*-----*-----
The next two days…
The two days that followed opened in similar fashion as the days before it. Union soldiers stormed the field while Confederate soldiers repelled their attacks. Men died in gruesome torment, while survivors lived in fear that they were next. As the wounded were carried off the field, horse-drawn ambulances waited at the edge of the battlefield to rush them to waiting doctors. David watched in sadness, knowing their level of care would be painful and crude at best, excruciating and barbaric as worst. He knew he could no more expose his surgical skills than he could expose his secret of time travel. Geoff’s safety and his, depended on their anonymity and the two sticking together.
-----*-----*-----*-----
Fifth day…
The day broke clear and warm. David opened his eyes and noticed something unusual: daylight. Quickly, he sat up and looked around him. Gone were the harried scrambles under the cover of darkness. Missing were the frantic shouts, calling all to arms. In its place, men rested by their campfires, sipping their coffee as they basked in the morning sun.
“Geoff, wake up,” David shouted loudly.
Struggling to find a comfortable position, he rolled to his side.
“Geoff, wake up. Something’s different,” David shouted again.
Standing now, he looked down from the bluff at the men below. He could smell the faint aroma of food cooking over fire. He looked out across the field and squinted.
“Something’s missing,” he said to himself. Looking again, a smile began to cross his face.
“Geoff, wake up man. I think the enemy’s gone.”
Suddenly, Geoff’s eyes popped open. Hearing the news, he instantly jumped to his feet.
“Gone? The enemies gone?” he responded, still half asleep.
“Check it out,” David said, now pointing across the field.
Geoff rubbed his eyes and squinted. Instantly, he grinned.
“Man, I think you’re right,” he said, now growing more excited.
As the two stared for a moment, they heard footsteps heading up the bluff. Turning, they watched in dread as Sgt. Cooper hurried in their direction.
“Pack up boys, we’re on the move,” he shouted as he neared.
“Is the enemy gone?” David asked, glancing out across the field.
“For now… but they all ‘ill be back. The general thinks they all was just testing us… seeing if we was cowards and such. I’m guessing we gave ‘em a good enough thrashin’ to change their minds.”
“So where’re we headed now?” Geoff asked with apprehension.
“South… toward Resaca. Scouts say there’s better protection down yonder along the Rocky Face ridge. Be ready in half an hour,” Sgt. Cooper responded. As he turned away, he stopped and added, “Guess I don’t need to tell y’all cuz I already done told ya before, but yall done good work whoopin’ them Yanks the other day. Give ‘em all another good showin’ in Resaca, ya hear?”
“Yes Sir, Sgt. Cooper,” both replied obediently.
Sgt. Cooper nodded approvingly, then hurried off down the bluff. David turned and stared at Geoff, suspiciously.
“What?” Geoff responded, in defense.
“Rescas… ever hear of it?” David asked, bluntly.
“Never,” he answered. “Sounds harmless enough.”
David stared off toward the south. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.
“Harmless… Hmm. That’s what they said about Gettysburg too,” he replied, grimly.
-----*-----*-----*-----
Chapter 10
May 7, 1864
Over the course of two months, Gen. Johnston’s troops settled in along the east side of Rocky Face ridge. Running north and south, the long cliff projected a formidable barrier, slowing the Union advance. As the two armies planned for the next offensive, each side sent out their scouts, gathering intelligence and probing for weaknesses…
Prisoner in Time (Time travel) Page 24