Prisoner in Time (Time travel) (34 page)

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…

Standing at the bank of the Oostanaula River, David knelt by the water’s edge and filled his canteen. Bringing the contents to his lips, he took a large swallow, then stared up the river. Drifting around a bend, further upstream, he noted a raft floating lazily toward his direction.

“I’m surprised no one’s snapped them up yet,” came the teen’s voice from behind.

David spun around and noticed Geoff standing behind him.

“Where’d you come from?” David asked, surprised.

“I saw you headed this way. Figured you were getting some water. I need some too,” he answered.

Stepping next to David, he bent down and refilled his canteen also. Standing back up, they both watched the raft continue its journey downstream.

“It is strange,” David remarked.

“What?”

“Those guys on the raft. With shortages of troops on both side of the war, and both sides
recruiting
anything that walks or crawls, it’s kind of brazen for those two to be just sailing downstream without a care, in plain sight.”

“That’s what
I
was saying,” Geoff emphasized.

“Maybe they should send up a flare so our scouts can have an easier time pinpointing their location,” David joked.

“Yeah, or how about a couple of air horns. Man, if you’re trying to get caught, do it right,” Geoff replied, carrying the humor further. His brow furrowed, then added “Jeez, what a couple of idiots.”

David heard rustling in the trees further down the line. Looking back, he thought he saw movement at the river’s edge. He squinted hard, but saw nothing.

“What is it?” Geoff asked, now staring downstream.

“I thought I heard something back there,” he replied in puzzled tone.

Out of the corner of his eye, Geoff saw the raft float on past, twenty yards away. Moments later, David noted the raft too.

“Trappers it looks like,” he said to Geoff.

“What do they trap, normally?”

“Muskrat, beaver… basically, anything with hair,” David joked.

Geoff watched them as they passed, then said, “They sure look dirty. Check out the clothes they’re wearing, all fur. They must get real hot in the summer.”

“They don’t wear their furs in the summer. They have summer clothes, much the way we do.”

“Well, summer clothes or not, they still look dirty,” Geoff replied. He paused a moment, then added, “Except for their shoes.”

David looked across the water and stared at the two trapper’s footwear.

“What’s wrong with their shoes?” he asked, puzzled.

“Nothing, they’re perfect,” Geoff replied.

David continued to stare. Suddenly, it dawned on him.

“Holy Crap, Geoff! You’re right. The boots they’re wearing look out of place on them. In fact, they kind of look like…”

The roar of rifle fire sounded in the trees to the right of them. Instantly David knocked Geoff to the ground. Out on the river, the two trappers lay floating in the water, their bodies riddled with bullets.

Laying face down, Geoff and David heard more shouts from behind them. Keeping low, they turned to investigate.

“Throw a hook out there and haul them damn rats in,” a familiar voice shouted.

David turned toward Geoff.

“That’s the Sarge,” he said in surprise.

Geoff nodded simply, still shaking from the startling sight.

“Why’d he shoot them,” he asked, his voice filled with emotion.

“Remember the boots those two trappers were wearing?”

Geoff nodded.

“Well, I’m guessing they weren’t trappers. Most don’t have boots like that. Those boots looked more military, government-issue kind of boots than boots for a trapper.”

“So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying those guys were Union scouts,” David replied.

“No way,” Geoff responded in surprised
tone.

“Yes way. I’m betting they disguised themselves as trappers so they could get close to our camp without being spotted. The problem is their boots gave them away. I’m sure one of our own scouts saw those boots from a mile away and alerted command.”

Geoff watched the bodies drift along the river’s surface. He felt sad for their deaths.

“Wow, that really sucks,” he said in disgust.

“Yeah, it does. I’m sure when they thought about their disguise, they never gave a second thought to their footwear… big mistake.”

As they continued to lie flat, they heard footsteps approaching.

“Thought I saw y’all over here. Thought y’all was gonna spook them fellers before we all got a bead on ‘em,” Sgt. Cooper shouted as he neared.

Instantly, Geoff and David rose to their feet and nervously waited for the sergeant to arrive.

“What’re yall doing out here?” he asked.

“Filling our canteens,” Geoff responded instantly, then asked, “Were those
fellers
the enemy?”

“Shore was. They ain’t no more, though… dirty blue rats,” he scowled. “Our scouts caught them loadin’ their raft up yonder. Good thing too, ‘cuz they would’ve slipped on past without a whisper I ‘spect.”

“What were they looking for? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know we’re here?” Geoff asked, naively.

“A rock scientist? Ain’t never heard of one. What the hell is a rock scientist?”

“They’re a new kind of scientist... just invented recently. They study rock formations. They try to predict earthquakes,” David shot back, his eyes widening as he glanced at Geoff.

Geoff looked away, pretending to be distracted.

“Huh… earthquakes. Seems like an awful waste. We ain’t never seen no earthquakes ‘round here.”

“They mostly study them in the California region. I guess they have a lot of earthquakes out there,” David replied, covering over the modern term.

“Hmm, prolly from all that there mining for gold they done did back in the fifties,” the sergeant surmised. “Damn fools.”

“Oh yeah, the California gold rush. I’m sure you’re right,” David nodded affirmatively.

Looking back at Geoff, the sergeant answered his original question.

“You’re right son, the enemy does know where we all are, generally. But, that
is
only general. That’s why they all send out scouts. They sneak ‘round like a fox on the hunt and observe. They all try to find out the size of our army and the strength, as well as the specifics on our positions. Some are wily enough to even learn about our battle plans,” he explained. He stared downstream a moment, then continued. “Yes Sir, scouts is the eyes and ears of the army. Cut out them eyes and ears and the army don’t stand a chance. That’s why we kilt them two fellers.”

Hearing another soldier call out his name, Sgt. Cooper excused himself.

“Well boys, I’ll be takin’ my leave now. If y’all see anything suspicious, holler out now, ya hear?”

“Yes Sir, sergeant,” both replied together.

Watching him hurry away, Geoff said, “I sure hope our scouts have better luck than those two guys.”

-----*-----*-----*-----

Geoff woke to the sound of footsteps running. With his eyes barely parted, a voice roared from outside the tent.

“Y’all fall in. The enemies on the move,” Sgt. Cooper shouted loudly.

Before he had time to move, the sergeant bent over in front of the tent and looked in.

“Wake up fellers. We got the enemy at our doorstep,” he said. Looking to Geoff, he continued, “Grab your shooting iron, son. I’m counting on you to give them blue scum a good showin’.”

“Yes Sir, sergeant,” Geoff responded, as he rolled to his knees.

As he crawled out of the tent, David followed close behind.

“What a way to start the morning,” he said to Geoff, sarcastically.

As the two stood outside their tent, they both watched as the sergeant repeated his message further down the line.

“Y’all fall in! Move y’alls asses, Now!” he shouted over and over.

Geoff turned to David with a puzzled stare.

“What?” David asked, impatiently staring back at Geoff.

“Did you just hear what he said to those guys?”

“Yeah… he told them to move their asses. So what?”

“So… he didn’t say that to us,” Geoff shot back in puzzled tone.

“What
did
he say to us?” David asked, still half asleep.

“Duh… he was nice to us. He called us
fellers
,” he replied, slightly exasperated. “Don’t you remember? He told us to grab our shooting irons and that he was counting on us.”

“Wow, I must be in a fog or something. I don’t remember any of that. All I remember is him saying ‘Fall in’.” David thought about Geoff words a moment, then added, “I guess he’s warming up to us, huh?”

“Yeah, I would say he is. I’m betting it’s because we saved his life.”

“More than once too,” David retorted.

“I’m betting it’s also how you handled yourself that last time. That
was
a pretty impressive shooting display you gave during that battle.”

“Hey, it wasn’t all me. If you hadn’t loaded as fast as you did, I never would have been able to pin those guys down,” David responded modestly. “I’m guessing he’s impressed with both of us.”

“Good, maybe he’ll stop riding us all the time,” Geoff shot back. He yawned then said, “We better get our stuff ready. If we’re on his good side, I want to stay there.”

David nodded and vanished into the canvas tent. Seeing the sergeant in the distance, Geoff did the same.

Several minutes later, with their rifles and haversacks waiting at the ready, they built a fire and brewed themselves coffee. While they nibbled on their hardtack crackers, they watched the sergeant charge up the row between the tents continuing to shout orders.

As he approached their tent once more, he slowed his pace, then walked to the edge of their fire. He knelt down and warmed his hands momentarily, then looked over to Geoff.

“Y’alls coffee smells perty good,” he hinted, a slow grin spreading across his face.

“Would you care for some? There’s plenty,” Geoff gladly offered.

“That’s mighty generous of you there, son. Don’t mind if I do,” Sgt. Cooper said with an appreciative smile.

He reached behind him and unsnapped a flap, holding his coffee tin. He picked up a rag lying next to the fire and grabbed the handle of the coffee pot as it sat on a bed of hot coals. He filled his cup and replaced the pot on the fire. Slowly, he sipped his coffee.