“David!” Geoff shouted ahead. “The Sarge is wounded!”
David instinctively dropped his weapon and hurried rearward to help.
As Geoff reached for his wounded superior, another bullet ripped through the side of the near stationary target. Sgt. Cooper let out a guttural cry of agony and fell forward, landing in the terrified arms of the teen.
“They’ve kilt me, Robbins. Leave me be. Run for it and save yourself,” he said, now accepting his fate.
“No friggin’ way!” Geoff responded bravely. “I’m not leaving you.”
He pulled the sergeant’s arm around his neck and hauled him forward. Pain streaked through the sergeant’s body and he collapsed to his knees.
“Fight man! Fight like you’re going to live and you will live,” Geoff shouted, using the words that inspired him at Dalton.
“They’ve kilt me boy. I’m finished. There’s no sense in fightin’ now,” he responded grimly.
“You’re NOT finished, man! Doctor Warner can save you,” Geoff shouted back.
Sgt. Cooper’s pained expressed left his face momentarily. In its place was surprise.
“Doctor Warner?” he said through clenched teeth.
David grabbed the sergeant’s free arm and slung it over his shoulder, lifting him to his feet. He glanced over to the sergeant and smiled.
“It’s a long story,” David said suspiciously.
“I knew it. I knew there was more to y’all’s story,” he responded, his voice growing weaker by the second.
Suddenly from behind them, loud and distinctive, the trademark rebel yell was sounded loudly by their comrades. All three turned their heads in time to see the entire Confederate line charging up the field, firing their weapons and shrieking out their characteristic yell. Outnumbered and overpowered, the remains of the Union line flooded off the field, rushing back toward the mountain gap where they came from. Sgt. Cooper smiled at the sight, then fell unconscious, his body going limp in their arms.
“David, you can save him, can’t you?” Geoff asked, in frantic tone.
“I don’t know. The odds are against him. He’s going to need a miracle,” he responded, raising his eyebrows with uncertainty.
As they dragged the sergeant from the woods and laid him on the ground, the reason behind the Confederate’s win suddenly became apparent.
“There’s our miracle,” he said, matter-of-factly.
Flooding onto the battlefield, several regiments of Gen. Johnston’s army took up positions along its perimeter. Within a half hour, with the battlefield secured, munitions wagons and artillery were pulled into its center. Shortly thereafter, a medical wagon filled with supplies stopped to treat the wounded.
Watching the harried activity from the edge of the field, a lone Lieutenant approached them.
“You there,” he shouted. “Get that man over to the wagon and have the doctor look him over.”
“Yes Sir,” David responded, then added, “By the way, Sir, where’d all these men come from?”
“Gen. Johnston is on the move again. We’re on our way to Rome to stop Gen. Sherman when he exits the valley on the other side. We heard the fighting and came to the rescue,” he said proudly.
“And not a moment too soon either,” Geoff replied in grim tone, looking down at the sergeant.
“Apparently we were a moment too late,” he said sympathetically.
The Lieutenant nodded in respect and moved along to inspect for more wounded men.
David and Geoff carefully hauled the sergeant to the center of the field. As they laid him by the medical wagon, the surgeon came to examine him.
“This one’s beyond saving,” Dr. Stevens responded.
Geoff stared at the doctor’s captain’s bars sewn neatly to his uniform.
“Captain, Sir… my friend here was also a doctor before he joined the army. I believe he can save him.”
Dr. Stevens glanced down at David as he began to strip away Sgt. Cooper’s uniform in preparation for surgery. Immediately, he recognized David’s private’s emblem on his sleeve.
“Private, is this true. Were you a doctor before the war?”
“Yes Sir,” David responded, glancing up quickly, then back to the sergeant. “If you lend me some of your medical instruments, I believe this man might have a chance.”
Dr. Stevens leaned over once more and examined the wound to the sergeant’s side. Shaking his head he said, “This man is gut shot. There’re others less wounded who we could be saving. I won’t waste my time on him.”
“I’m not asking you to. I’m only asking you to lend me your instruments and I’ll work on him myself with my assistant,” David said, pointing to Geoff.
He stared at David for a moment, then nodded his head.
“There’s an assortment of tools in the back of the wagon in a box behind the buckboard. Mine are in my satchel. You can’t use those, but you’re welcomed to the anything in the box,” he said. Shaking his head, he added, “I still think it’s a waste.”
“Thank you Sir,” David responded politely. He stood up and added, “One more thing.”
“And that is?”
“I hate to be demanding, but… I’ll also be requiring some soap, a pan to boil water, clean bandages and some whiskey.”
“Whiskey?” he responded incredulously. “I knew you weren’t a doctor,” he continued in joking tone.
“I am a doctor and this is no joke,” he responded in an authoritative voice. “I promise you. The whiskey won’t be consumed by anyone. I will only be using it to help sterilize the surgery. None will be wasted.”
Dr. Stevens stared at David, looking for signs of weakness that would betray his character. There were none. Reluctantly, he replied, “In my satchel. I have a flask. Sparingly doctor… use it sparingly.”
“Not a drop will be wasted,” David assured.
-----*-----*-----*-----
The following day…
Geoff knelt beside David and watched as he inspected the bandages on Sgt. Cooper’s wounds. Moments later, Dr. Stevens walked by and took notice.
“That was fine work you did there, Doctor. I can’t believe you saved that man’s leg, let alone his life,” he said.
“He’s not out of the woods yet. He’s lost a lot of blood and there’s still a good chance he could lose his leg to infection,” David replied.
“Well, just the same, I think you did a remarkable job… that’s why I sent a request off to Gen. Johnston to promote you to doctor,” he said proudly. “It makes no sense wasting a talent like yours on common soldiering.”
David came to his feet and stood in shock. His face had lost all expression.
“Did I say something inappropriate?” Dr. Stevens asked, now confused by David’s posture.
“No Sir, you didn’t. I just wasn’t expecting it,” he responded, quickly recovering. “What about my assistant?”
“Is he a doctor too?” Dr. Stevens asked.
“No Sir, just an assistant, but he’s helped me in many surgeries before the war. We work well together. I would have to insist that he be allowed to continue helping me with future surgeries.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that, doctor. If I had to guess though, I would suspect that the general wouldn’t want to waste a valuable resource as a sharp shooter. He’d probably stay with his unit while you moved with central command.”
David looked grimly at Geoff, then back to Dr. Stevens. He forced a smile and said, “Well, I’m sure he’ll be ok on his own.”
Dr. Stevens flashed a wide grin. “That’s fantastic. We could sure use some extra help around here,” he said, extending his hand to David.
David grasped it and pumped it several times.
“Good to be aboard,” he replied, still forcing a smile.
As the doctor walked away, Geoff instantly spoke.
“Dude, what the hell is that all about? I thought we were friends,” he spat angrily.
“We are,” David respond
ed, his face now turned serious. “I don’t see any other choice… we’re going to have to leave here… today.”
Geoff stood stunned for a moment.
“You mean desert?” he said simply.
“Well I sure as hell don’t mean an after-dinner treat,” he responded sarcastically. “If we stay on this side, they’ll split us up. The only reason I’m here is to help you save your brother. If I can’t do that, then there really isn’t any reason for me to stay in this time period. I might as well just go back to the future.” He paused a moment, then continued. “No Geoff, we don’t have much of a choice at this point. If I’m to help you, we’re going to have to desert.”
“I knew there was more to the story,” a faint voice sounded from behind them.
Geoff and David spun around and looked down at the ground. Staring up at them, Sgt. Cooper forced a slight smile.
“I must be crazy or on my way to Jesus. Did I just hear y’all talk about the future?” he said through his pain.
David knelt down next to Sgt. Cooper. He smiled slightly, then asked, “How’re you feeling?”
“Ain’t never been shot before… hurts,” he responded through clenched teeth.
“Yeah, bullets have a way of doing that to you,” David responded with a smile. “Lucky for you, the bullet passed through your side. I was able to stitch you up, but you’ll have to remove the stitches yourself in a month or so. Also, I was able to extract the bullet from your leg and repair the damage. You were lucky on that account also.”
David paused a moment, allowing what he said to sink into the sergeant’s thoughts, then continued.
“Now listen closely. You must keep your wounds clean. I want you to change the dressing every day and wash your wounds with soap and water. This is the best you can do to prevent infection. If you don’t, you stand a strong chance at losing not only your leg, but also your life. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Sgt. Cooper nodded. He winced from the pain, then said, “I’m indebted to y’all. When that bullet struck my back, I know’d right then and there I weren’t never gonna see my family again… but now I am and I’m so grateful. Someday I’ll repay y’all. Mark my words.”
Staring up at the two, tears ran out the corner of his eyes. He raised his hand to wipe them away and winced again in pain.
“Y’all must think I’m some kind of dang sissy, blubbering like this,” he said, in embarrassment.
“Hardly,” Geoff replied, laughingly. “You’re like the toughest dude I’ve ever seen… ever!”
His words brought a measure of comfort to the sergeant and he smiled in thanks. Suddenly, his face became solemn.
“If y’all is gonna desert to the north, I recommend y’all do so now. Don’t wait neither. The camp is a’buzzin’ like a hive and ain’t no one really payin’ no attention to a little thing like deserters. No Sir, they all ‘ill be organizin’ and tendin’ the wounded and such. Now’s your time.”
Geoff and David nodded in understanding as he continued:
“Fetch your possibles and follow that there trail them Yankees used to escape to. If anyone stops y’all, just tell ‘em you’re on your way to practice y’alls picket. Once you’re clear of the camp, watch out for them Yankee scouts… they all ‘ill kill ya before they question ya. Better have a white sash handy too and tied to y’alls rifles else them yanks ‘ill mistake y’alls intentions.”
“Sarge, you really need to rest,” David said with deep sympathy.
With his voice growing weaker, he felt compelled to add one more statement.
“I know’d we was rocky at the start, but I grow’d to like y’all. I kinda hope y’all ‘ill change your minds and stay, but I know’d you cain’t. So, I just want to wish y’all Godspeed wherever or whatever y’all are up to.”
David patted the sergeant on the shoulder in a farewell gesture. He stared into his eyes and smiled.
“I’m glad I got to know you,” he said. Standing up, he looked to Geoff and continued, “I’ll go and collect our things. Stay with him and see that he’s comfortable, ok?”
Geoff nodded simply, then returned his attention to the sergeant.
As David hurried off, he looked over his shoulder and noticed the two still engaged in conversation.
Sgt. Cooper turned to Geoff and smiled.
“I’m sure y’all must have a good reason for leaving the future. Care to share the story?”
Geoff smiled in return. He thought for a moment, then his face lost all expression. Suddenly, sadness filled his eyes.
“I used to have a brother. His name was Bobby…”
-----*-----*-----*-----
Chapter 11
With their haversacks on and their rifles slung over their shoulders, the two moved through the length of the camp with a purposeful stride. Carrying a determined expression on their faces, no one questioned their intentions. As they passed beyond the camp’s boundary and into the forest, they quickened their pace to take advantage of the available light. Following the Snake Creek, they hurried along its well-trodden banks heading north. Three hours later, tired and thirsty, they stopped by the stream to rest.
“Man, it’s almost like a highway through here,” Geoff commented jokingly, as he slipped off his pack.
“It’s amazing what a small army will do to the landscape,” David concurred, doing the same.
“I wouldn’t call it a small army. They only had a couple hundred guys at the most… more like a large company of men,” he corrected.
“I overheard one of the Colonel’s talking earlier. What we saw was just the tip of the iceberg. It appears the Union general was just testing the strength of our forces before he decided to send in a couple of regiments,” David countered. “And it’s really a good thing he did that too because our side just happened to be passing by with enough men to crush him. It would’ve been a massacre.”
“Our side...” Geoff said matter-of-factly. “Funny, they’re no longer our side.”
David laughed at the irony. “I guess you’re right, although we might have a bit of trouble convincing someone with these Confederate clothes we have on.”
Geoff looked down at his gray woolen pants and jacket. His face turned puzzled.
“This isn’t good. If the Union guys see us like this, they’ll shoot us on sight.”
David reached into his haversack and pulled out a white cotton shirt. Grabbing the bottom, he lifted it in front of him and tore it in half.
“Here… tie this around the end of your rifle,” he said with a smirk.
Geoff grabbed the torn cloth and stared thoughtfully at it.
“You know, I’m really going to miss the Sarge.”
“Yup, me too. He kind of grew on you after a while,” David said. He laughed to himself then added, “Man, he must think we’re nuts.”
“Why’s that?”
“Hearing us talk about being from the future… man, he must have thought we were crazy or something,” David responded with a chuckle.
“Not any more,” Geoff responded cryptically.
“What do you mean, ‘not anymore’?”
“While you were gone, I told him our story.”
“You did WHAT?” he asked loudly, now deeply concerned.
“I told him our story,” Geoff responded defensively. “He asked and I told him… no big deal. It’s not like he can do anything with the info. The first person he tells will think he’s a nutcase.”
David thought about Geoff’s logic. He knew he was right, but still felt uneasy knowing someone else knew their secret.
“Just the same Geoff, let’s just keep our little secret to ourselves, shall we? You never know what someone might do with that information.”
“You don’t think the Sarge will tell anyone, do you?”
“I don’t know, but it doesn’t pay to take chances.”
-----*-----*-----*-----
Continuing north along the Snake Creek, the two moved through the dense forest
quietly observing their surroundings. At times they saw breaks in the trees that provided a larger picture of the valley they traveled. On each side of the meandering stream, the floor of the narrow valley rose up several hundred feet to mountainous ridgelines that produced impassable barriers for travel.
As the light of the day began to fade to darkness, the two made camp for the evening. Sitting around the crackling fire, they dined on salted pork, hardtack crackers and coffee. Alone in the woods, they began to feel their isolation.
Prisoner in Time (Time travel) Page 29