Read Online Bending Toward the Sun by Mona Hodgson - Free Book Online
Authors: Mona Hodgson
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his hand. “Rutherford said it’d be all right for me to come in.”
Mrs. Brantenberg motioned him in farther. “I made enough soup for you and Rutherford.”
“Thank you, ma’am. I didn’t want to disturb your quilting, but.” He looked at Emilie. “I’m glad you’re in here, Miss Heinrich. I wanted to talk to you.”
Emilie’s heart raced. “You have news?”
“For Caroline?” Mrs. Brantenberg pressed her hand to her mouth.
Emilie didn’t bother to ask the widow how she knew.
“Yes ma’am.” His shoulders sagged. The message couldn’t be more clear. It was bad news.
“I’ll get her.” Mrs. Brantenberg spun toward the door, quickly returning with Caroline.
Caroline planted her hands at her waist. “Mr. Cowlishaw? What right do you have summoning me like this?”
“My apologies, ma’am. I wouldn’t trouble you, except that I have news of your husband.”
Caroline looked at Emilie.
“Mr. Cowlishaw came to the store concerned that you hadn’t received any word from your husband or the Department of War. He said he knew someone who might be able to obtain the answer you needed.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
Emilie swallowed, breathing a prayer. “It was nearly a month ago, and I … we didn’t want to get your hopes up.”
“And now?”
Mr. Cowlishaw took a step toward her. “Ma’am, if you’d like to have a seat.” He pointed to a chair at the table.
“I prefer to stand.” Caroline stretched a red curl at her neck. “Thank you.”
“Very well then.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out folded paper. “The man who contacted me to master the train of wagons was a lieutenant in the Union Army. I told him of your plight and asked him to inquire about Colonel Phillip Milburn at the Department of War.”
“But you don’t know me. I wasn’t even cordial in our first meeting.”
“No ma’am.”
“Then why would you trouble yourself?”
“It pains me to see a woman in distress.”
Caroline blinked as if fighting tears. “You have my answer then?”
“This is the answer the lieutenant received.” He held the paper out to Caroline. “My deepest sympathies, ma’am.”
“You’re making this up.” Caroline grabbed Mrs. Brantenberg’s arm. “I didn’t feel it. Phillip has to be alive.”
Mrs. Brantenberg patted Caroline’s hand and gave Emilie a quick nod.
Emilie took the correspondence from Mr. Cowlishaw and unfolded the paper.
Department of War, Washington, District of Columbia
Dear Mrs. Milburn ,
It is with deepest regret that I write you. Your beloved husband, Colonel Phillip Milburn, served our country well, earning the loyalties of his regiment and indeed the entire army .
Peril beset the good colonel in the Battle of Nashville, 16 December 1864, where the Union had suffered 387 killed, 2,562 wounded, and 112 missing. Colonel Milburn was instrumental in the taking of Shy’s Hill, the source of much of the carnage. Though mortally wounded, he led his artillery unit to destroy the entrenchment and the cover it had provided the sharpshooters of the Confederacy. The Union ultimately prevailed in the battle, with no little thanks to the sacrifice made by your husband .
Caroline gasped. Emilie stopped reading while Mrs. Brantenberg guided Caroline to a chair at the table. With Mrs. Brantenberg seated beside her, Caroline looked at Emilie. “Is there more?”
“Yes.”
“Then please continue.”
Blinking back her own tears, Emilie fought to focus on the scrawling penmanship.
A brave patriot, your husband. He succumbed to his injuries the following day, 17 December 1864, and was buried with full military honors near Nashville .
A box of the colonel’s personals will be forthcoming. You may expect it to arrive shortly .
With deepest sympathies ,
Major Augustus Shnebley, United States Department of War
Caroline looked at her, tears streaming her face. “It’s true then? Phillip is dead?”
Emilie nodded, about to bite through
Mrs. Brantenberg motioned him in farther. “I made enough soup for you and Rutherford.”
“Thank you, ma’am. I didn’t want to disturb your quilting, but.” He looked at Emilie. “I’m glad you’re in here, Miss Heinrich. I wanted to talk to you.”
Emilie’s heart raced. “You have news?”
“For Caroline?” Mrs. Brantenberg pressed her hand to her mouth.
Emilie didn’t bother to ask the widow how she knew.
“Yes ma’am.” His shoulders sagged. The message couldn’t be more clear. It was bad news.
“I’ll get her.” Mrs. Brantenberg spun toward the door, quickly returning with Caroline.
Caroline planted her hands at her waist. “Mr. Cowlishaw? What right do you have summoning me like this?”
“My apologies, ma’am. I wouldn’t trouble you, except that I have news of your husband.”
Caroline looked at Emilie.
“Mr. Cowlishaw came to the store concerned that you hadn’t received any word from your husband or the Department of War. He said he knew someone who might be able to obtain the answer you needed.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
Emilie swallowed, breathing a prayer. “It was nearly a month ago, and I … we didn’t want to get your hopes up.”
“And now?”
Mr. Cowlishaw took a step toward her. “Ma’am, if you’d like to have a seat.” He pointed to a chair at the table.
“I prefer to stand.” Caroline stretched a red curl at her neck. “Thank you.”
“Very well then.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out folded paper. “The man who contacted me to master the train of wagons was a lieutenant in the Union Army. I told him of your plight and asked him to inquire about Colonel Phillip Milburn at the Department of War.”
“But you don’t know me. I wasn’t even cordial in our first meeting.”
“No ma’am.”
“Then why would you trouble yourself?”
“It pains me to see a woman in distress.”
Caroline blinked as if fighting tears. “You have my answer then?”
“This is the answer the lieutenant received.” He held the paper out to Caroline. “My deepest sympathies, ma’am.”
“You’re making this up.” Caroline grabbed Mrs. Brantenberg’s arm. “I didn’t feel it. Phillip has to be alive.”
Mrs. Brantenberg patted Caroline’s hand and gave Emilie a quick nod.
Emilie took the correspondence from Mr. Cowlishaw and unfolded the paper.
Department of War, Washington, District of Columbia
Dear Mrs. Milburn ,
It is with deepest regret that I write you. Your beloved husband, Colonel Phillip Milburn, served our country well, earning the loyalties of his regiment and indeed the entire army .
Peril beset the good colonel in the Battle of Nashville, 16 December 1864, where the Union had suffered 387 killed, 2,562 wounded, and 112 missing. Colonel Milburn was instrumental in the taking of Shy’s Hill, the source of much of the carnage. Though mortally wounded, he led his artillery unit to destroy the entrenchment and the cover it had provided the sharpshooters of the Confederacy. The Union ultimately prevailed in the battle, with no little thanks to the sacrifice made by your husband .
Caroline gasped. Emilie stopped reading while Mrs. Brantenberg guided Caroline to a chair at the table. With Mrs. Brantenberg seated beside her, Caroline looked at Emilie. “Is there more?”
“Yes.”
“Then please continue.”
Blinking back her own tears, Emilie fought to focus on the scrawling penmanship.
A brave patriot, your husband. He succumbed to his injuries the following day, 17 December 1864, and was buried with full military honors near Nashville .
A box of the colonel’s personals will be forthcoming. You may expect it to arrive shortly .
With deepest sympathies ,
Major Augustus Shnebley, United States Department of War
Caroline looked at her, tears streaming her face. “It’s true then? Phillip is dead?”
Emilie nodded, about to bite through
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