Distracted by her thoughts, she walked slowly north with the crowd toward the sound of military music which was playing somewhere near the village center. When she reached the Diamond, she discovered that the soldiers had built a crude platform on its south side filled with tables and chairs so that men could sign the company rosters. Behind the tables, the band stood in formation playing loudly, while privates ran around tacking up posters which promised all sorts of rewards, monetary and moral, to those who had the manliness and national spirit to sign up. Word spread quickly that the recruitment would begin at noon, and by that time a crowd of six hundred or more had gathered, a quarter of the entire population..
Ginnie saw Georgia standing on tiptoe under a tree scanning the crowd for her boyfriend, Lou. Georgia waved to her, then turned back to the gathering crowd. “Have you seen Louis?” she shouted in an anxious voice.
“Not today,” Ginnie said, joining her. “Do you think he’s here?”
“Of course he’s here someplace. Everyone in town is here by the looks of it.”
Before Ginnie could respond, a shouted order was heard followed by a volley of rifle fire. Ginnie and Georgia both jumped at the noise, then laughed nervously at each other. In the distance they could see Mr. David Kendlehart, president of the Gettysburg borough council, mount the platform. He paused for a dramatic moment, surveying the faces before him, then lifted his large voice so he could be heard by those on the fringes of the crowd.
“On behalf of the citizens of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, I want to welcome to our town these officers and men of the army of the United States of America.” Enthusiastic applause greeted the statement.
“They have come to be with us in these perilous times, to help protect our fair city. But more than that, they have come to accept into their honorable ranks those young men whose love of freedom, whose devotion to their mother country, and whose hatred of tyranny will leave them no choice but to volunteer their services to help protect our state in this hour of her greatest peril.” Cheers drowned out his last words, and he smiled indulgently at the effect he was having on the crowd.
“In a moment,” he continued, “I will introduce to you the officers of this company, and they will tell you how they will accept young men, qualified young men, into this glorious and righteous force of arms which will remove from our great nation this threat to all that we hold so dear. But first, we must seek the blessing of Almighty God on our proceedings.”
He introduced the Rev. George Bergstresser, the elderly pastor of the Methodist Church on East Middle Street, who was helped to his place on the tiny platform. He shouted, “Let us pray.” The men removed their hats, and the agitated throng settled into a reverent silence. The Rev. Mr. Bergstresser prayed, at length, for the nation, the president, the town, and for those who would soon be risking their lives on this national crusade. When he was finished, Mr. Kendlehart stepped onto the platform again, accompanied by two officers in full uniform, and made the introductions.
“I have the great honor and the distinct pleasure of introducing to you the commander of the regiment which we are helping to raise this day, Colonel Frederick S. Stumbaugh, commanding officer of the Second Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment.” It seemed to Ginnie that Stumbaugh had been born in a uniform. He saluted smartly and then stood at attention as the civilians cheered in welcome, admiring his blue uniform and military bearing. Ginnie, swept up in the crowd’s emotion, clapped until her hands smarted.
Kendlehart then turned to the other officer and continued, “We also have with us Captain Charles H. Buehler who is here to raise a company of soldiers which will be made up entirely of Gettysburg boys. Captain Buehler will command this Gettysburg company, which will be part of the Second Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment, commanded by Colonel Stumbaugh.” Again the crowd cheered, as Kendlehart turned to the colonel and invited him to speak.
Col. Stumbaugh, whose nasal military voice commanded immediate attention, spoke of the requirements and the benefits of volunteering now: the period of enlistment was only three months, probably more than enough to settle this business with the traitorous rebels; the pay was $13 a month, twice as much as many men were making, especially in those parts of the North where unemployment was widespread; food and uniforms would be provided, as well as travel and shelter, all at no cost; the training in military discipline, physical conditioning and the use of firearms would benefit the men for the rest of their lives; and those who waited until later to sign up might entirely miss the greatest experience of their life.
Then, as he began to speak of the rebellion of the southern states, his voice took on a higher pitch and the movements of his arms became more pronounced. He looked angry as he referred to “the southern traitors,” and Ginnie could almost hear the glee in his voice as he spoke of the retribution which the army would visit upon these rebels for their attack on Fort Sumter.
Ginnie glanced at Georgia and saw the excitement in her eyes, the breathless attention with which she followed every word. Looking around, Ginnie noticed on many other faces the identical expression, as if the colonel were inviting them to share in some great religious crusade. But, in Ginnie’s mind, the colonel was not speaking of the hoards of southern militia gathering for battle, he was speaking of Wesley Culp. As she pictured Wes facing the seventy-five thousand soldiers that would soon be sent south, she recoiled with guilt at what she had driven him to do.
The colonel was still speaking. “You men of Gettysburg must stand firm against the tyranny being displayed by the southern states. We must defend our borders, our cities, our families from harm. What man among you would not rush to arms for such a cause?” He went on in the same vein for a while, needlessly, because the last part of his discourse was almost entirely drowned out by the roar of the crowd. Men surged forward while he spoke, struggling to be among the first to reach the tables bearing the books in which they would record their names as members of the Gettysburg company. The soldiers, having received orders not to begin the enrollment until the colonel had completed his motivating speech, had all they could do to protect and defend the safety of the company rosters.
The colonel finished speaking and immediately the tables were thronged with eager young men competing for the lowest enrollment numbers on the roster. The recruitment troops snapped into position, forming the mob into somewhat orderly lines, shouting commands, answering questions about serving in the military, running errands for the officers, and generally keeping order.
Ginnie stood on her tiptoes to get a look at the men who were signing up. Alongside her, Georgia started to wave, calling, “Lou! Louis!” Ginnie saw Georgia’s boyfriend, John Louis McClellan, fighting his way toward them through the crowd. Lou was tall and slightly awkward, the son of the proprietors of the local McClellan Hotel. He had just turned twenty-three and was trying to complete his degree at Pennsylvania College in town. They were not officially engaged yet, but everyone assumed that it was only a matter of time. The crowd parted to let him though and he smiled down on the girls.
“I’m so glad I found you,” Georgia said, grabbing his arm possessively, her eyes shining in excitement. “You’re still going to join up, aren’t you?”
Lou looked at the long lines in front of the enlistment tables, shook his head and looked back at her, his serious face a dramatic contrast with her enthusiasm. “I’m not sure.”
She turned on an encouraging smile and pulled him closer. “You’ll look so handsome in a uniform. It would make me so proud. Why don’t you go up before all the places are gone?”
Ginnie frowned at her sister’s enthusiasm, aware of Lou’s hesitation. Ginnie had always liked Lou despite his apparent poor taste in befriending her sister. There was an intelligence in him that was rare among the boys she knew in town. She noted the serious doubt in his eyes as he watched the others in line, but Georgia continued to goad him. “It’ll all be over soon, Lou. I don’t want to be the only girl in town whose beau isn’t in un
iform.”
Lou frowned down at her again, shaking his head in silent frustration. When he spoke, his voice was quiet and intense. “This is going to be a messy business. It won’t be as easy as that man thinks. And I don’t relish the thought of shooting anyone.”
Ginnie nodded, but Georgia, oblivious to all but her own feelings, continued to push. “You don’t want them to think you’re a coward, do you? How could you stand that?”
“I’m not a coward....” he said firmly.
“Of course you’re not.”
Lou sighed, nodding slowly as if reluctant to accept the inevitable. He turned and made his way through the packed bodies to the rear of one of the lines.
Ginnie tried to keep track of those who had signed the roster books by watching as they ran by on their way to the Courthouse, two blocks south of the Diamond on the corner of West Middle Street. Individually or in groups of two or three, some accompanied by parents or girlfriends, they streamed south down the sidewalk: Nick Codori, Will Weikert, the three Sheads boys, Willie Pierce, John Arendt, Sr. and his son, John, Jr., Henry Critzman, as well as many others whom she knew by face but could not name. She watched in wonder as the line of excited faces flowed down the west side of Baltimore Street, each group or individual flushing with pride as bystanders applauded them, hailing them as though they had just accomplished some momentous task.
Then, out of the crowd, Jack appeared, running up to her with a broad smile on his flushed face. “Well, I did it. I’m in.”
Ginnie could not mask her surprise. She was not surprised that Jack had joined up – he had already told her he was going to do so. Rather, she was surprised that he would choose to tell her out of all the people in the crowd. Still unable to determine what his feelings toward her might be, she was always on the defensive around him, as though he might be playing some game with her feelings. He stood so close to her that she unconsciously backed away, flustered, but he grasped both of her hands. Wondering how to respond, she managed to sputter, “Congratulations.”
“I’m headed over to the Courthouse with the others to get my uniform. Can I stop by to see you later?” He looked into her eyes, his face beaming with satisfaction. Ginnie blushed, sensing her sister’s eyes on her, and wished she could politely refuse the request.
“I guess I can’t stop you.”
“Good. I’ll be over this afternoon.” Then he was off, running down the street after several of his friends. Ginnie, perplexed, watched him go, feeling the weight of Georgia’s curious eyes pressing on her.
“What was that all about?” Georgia asked with a suggestive look that annoyed Ginnie.
“I have no idea. We’re just friends,” Ginnie responded, refusing to look at her.
The men continued to file past, heading to the Courthouse with that same look of pride on their faces. Ginnie saw Billy Holtzworth with Jack’s brother, Ed, and Wes’ brother, Will, in one group. She wondered again if Wes would really end up fighting against these people he had known all his life. Lou rejoined them, reporting that he had to go to the Courthouse with the rest of the recruits, so Georgia and Ginnie went home to wait.
A little after one o’clock, there was a knock on the door of the Wade house. Georgia ran from the back of the house calling, “I’ll get it!” Pausing to compose herself, she opened the door with a flourish. Ginnie waited for Georgia’s voice to greet Lou, but when she heard her sister say with surprise, “Jack!” an electric shock surged through her body. She was surprised to realize that she was happy to see him, that she had been hoping he meant it when he said he would visit her.
She hurried to the door to greet him and saw that his clothes had been replaced by an outfit which looked as if it had been cut out of old rags. Hanging baggy in some places and pulled tight in others, the trousers were at least four inches too long and dragged on the ground. The uniform, if it even could be called that, consisted of a blue flannel shirt with the tails hanging outside of dark gray trousers, the whole of which had no military markings at all. In addition, he wore his own shoes, and the forage cap he had been issued was several shades lighter in color than his shirt. Ginnie found herself stifling a laugh, despite herself.
“Do I look that bad?” he asked with a wry face.
“Worse,” she moaned, covering her mouth, and they both laughed.
From inside, Mary’s voice boomed, “Ginnie, don’t be rude. Invite him in.”
Sincerely pleased to see him, she opened the door wide. “Won’t you come in?”
Jack greeted her mother politely as Sam and Harry rushed up to him, stroking his uniform in awe. Sam grabbed the kepi and put it on his head at a rakish angle, and immediately a fight broke out about whose turn it was to wear it. At that moment, there was a second knock and Georgia ran to the door again. Lou walked in with a disgusted look on his face, spreading his arms in dismay to show off his so-called uniform which was just as disreputable looking as Jack’s. The boys, whooping in delight now that they each had a kepi to wear, donned them and ran around the house shooting each other with loaded fingers and playing war at the top of their lungs.
Settling themselves in the sitting room, the new soldiers related what they had learned at the Courthouse. The company was to pull out in two days, Friday, the 19th, for Harrisburg where it would be joined by other companies to form the Second Pennsylvania Regiment. They would find out at that time what their company identity would be, a letter of the alphabet between A and J. There would probably be ten companies of about a hundred men each, forming a regiment of approximately a thousand. Already the Gettysburg company had enrolled fifty-nine men, and the day was only half over.
They went on to explain that the army was democratically run. When they got to Harrisburg, they would elect their own officers. Of course, they knew that Capt. Buehler would be company commander, but they would need corporals and sergeants and a lieutenant. Jack was so excited about the prospects that the women let him talk without interruption for half an hour or so. Georgia noticed that Lou seemed to be catching something of Jack’s enthusiasm, and was overcoming his initial reluctance to be part of the military.
Finally, Jack looked down at his uniform again. “I didn’t think we’d look like this,” he said, making a wry face. “It doesn’t look like the uniforms I’ve seen.”
“This isn’t our permanent uniform,” Lou broke in. “They said this was an ‘enlistment’ uniform, to get us from here to Camp Curtin in Harrisburg where they would fix us up with permanent uniforms.”
“I know,” said Jack, “but it doesn’t even look like a uniform.” Then, glancing at Ginnie with a raised eyebrow he said, “They said we could alter them, if we wanted to.”
Ginnie and Georgia looked quickly at each other, then at their mother with a single thought. “Oh, of course,” Ginnie said sarcastically. “We wouldn’t want you looking unfashionable while you shoot each other.”
“We’ll alter them for you,” Georgia assured them, ignoring her sister. “Bring them back here and we’ll remake them to look more like regular army uniforms.” Jack and Lou, pleased with the suggestion, left for home immediately to change clothes.
As soon as the front door closed, Georgia and Mary turned to Ginnie.
“Well...Jack Skelly?” Georgia exclaimed in a tone of voice that made Ginnie grind her teeth. “When did all this happen?”
“When did what happen?” Ginnie asked, pretending ignorance.
Mary said, “Ginnie, Jack’s father is our employer. I’m not sure it’s wise to....” She couldn’t find the diplomatic way to say what was on her mind.
“It’s not wise to do what?” Ginnie shouted, her frustration boiling over. “See him? That’s what you said about Wesley. Is that what you’re going to say about everyone? I don’t know that anything has happened. He’s talked to me once or twice, and he wanted to show me his uniform. What’s wrong with that?”
Mary and Georgia were silent for a moment, taken aback by Ginnie’s outburst. But Georgia couldn�
�t restrain herself. “Tell me,” she murmured, “do you think he’s interested? He certainly seemed interested.” She turned to her mother. “He was holding her hands. Right out there in the middle of the street. In front of everyone.”
Ginnie glared at her. “He’s excited. It’s part of the fun.” She hated having to defend herself like this.
“So, this is just for fun?” her mother asked mildly.
“We’re just friends. Why does everyone want to make something out of it?”
“Because,” said Georgia in a low, meaningful tone, “he’s a great catch. He’s one of the more desirable young men in Gettysburg. Why, maybe some day you could even take over his father’s tailoring business.”
“Heavens,” her mother shouted, throwing up her hands. “Don’t talk nonsense. He’s been here once to pay a casual visit, and you have Ginnie taking over his father’s business. Such rubbish.”
Turning to Ginnie, Georgia whispered, “Maybe at least we could have a double wedding. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“George!” Ginnie squealed in frustration. “I don’t even know if I like him yet.” But Ginnie’s anger was beginning to flag and she couldn’t help laughing, secretly enjoying the thought.
When Mary left for her afternoon work at one of the other tailor shops in town, Georgia immediately cornered Ginnie. “You’ve got to come with me,” she demanded.
The Calm and the Strife Page 11