Read Online Drummer Boy at Bull Run by Gilbert L. Morris - Free Book Online
Authors: Gilbert L. Morris
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sniffed, turned, and walked away.
Leah laughed out loud after she was gone. “You hurt her feelings, Pa.”
“Well, maybe she’s got something on her side. I can see how people would be worried.” He gave Leah a look and said, “You have heard some rough talk, I guess?”
“Oh, sometimes the men forget, but mostly they’ve been real careful.”
Her father laughed. “I can understand that—after Royal pounded the daylights out of that soldier who cussed in front of you. That was an object lesson, I guess you might call it.”
Leah flushed as she remembered the incident. “I guess that had something to do with it—but they’re mostly really nice boys. They’re so young, Pa! It’s hard to think about them going out and maybe dying.”
His eyes were sober. “And they’re dying right now in the hospital.” He bit his lip. “I never thought young men would die from measles.”
Before the Federal and Confederate armies had even met, disease swept both camps—diphtheria, diarrhea, and most of all measles. In some companies, more than half the soldiers were down, and some of them had actually died.
Leah frowned. “You know, I’m worried about Tuck. Those measles he got, they’ve drained all his strength.”
“I know. I reckon we ought to go over and see him.”
They made their way to the regimental hospital, and when they went down the aisles of beds, many of the soldiers spoke, for Leah and her father had visited before, leaving tracts and small gifts. Leahfelt sorry for them. They all looked so young. “I wish we could stop and talk to all of them, Pa.”
“Maybe we can come back later.”
Then they arrived at Tuck’s cot and saw that it was empty. “Why, he was here yesterday.” Leah blinked in surprise. A male nurse was passing, and she said, “Has Private Givens been dismissed?”
The nurse, a tall, thin man with a full beard, hesitated. He fumbled at the button on his uniform. “No, miss.” He hesitated again. “Are you his family?”
“Oh, no, we’re just friends of his.” A premonition came to Leah, and she asked in alarm, “He
is
all right, isn’t he?”
The nurse shook his head. “He took real bad, miss, last night. His fever shot up—and there wasn’t nothing we could do for him.”
Leah and her father stared at the man in horror.
“You don’t mean,” Mr. Carter whispered, “that he died?”
“I’m afraid so, sir. Too bad! Too bad!” The nurse shook his head. “He was a fine young man. All the men loved him in here.” Sadness came into his eyes, and he stroked his beard. “I never get used to it,” he murmured. “All these young men come to fight for their country, and they die of measles! Too bad. Too bad!”
Leah walked away quickly, tears blinding her eyes. She was aware that her father was beside her, and when they were outside she turned to him and whispered, “Oh, Pa, how awful! He was such a fine young man … and to die like that … away from home, among strangers …”
“But he was a Christian,” Mr. Carter said. “We know that much, so we can be glad he’s gone to be with Jesus—as sad as it is to lose him.”
He looked over the hospital tent and murmured, “How many more will have to die before this war is over?”
7
Mr. Lincoln
L eah had great difficulty getting over the death of Tuck Givens. As a matter of fact, she never did get over it—nor did she ever become accustomed to the deaths that occurred daily among the troops.
“I don’t think I can stand it, Pa!” she moaned one day. “If it’s this bad before they go to fight, what will it be like afterwards?”
Washington had filled itself with young men from all over the country. The capital park had become a drill ground, and soldiers stretched on the grass in the shade to watch the activities of other regiments.
The men of the First Rhode Island spread their bunks beside the patent office. They were dressed in simple coarse uniforms—gray pants, dark blue flannel
Leah laughed out loud after she was gone. “You hurt her feelings, Pa.”
“Well, maybe she’s got something on her side. I can see how people would be worried.” He gave Leah a look and said, “You have heard some rough talk, I guess?”
“Oh, sometimes the men forget, but mostly they’ve been real careful.”
Her father laughed. “I can understand that—after Royal pounded the daylights out of that soldier who cussed in front of you. That was an object lesson, I guess you might call it.”
Leah flushed as she remembered the incident. “I guess that had something to do with it—but they’re mostly really nice boys. They’re so young, Pa! It’s hard to think about them going out and maybe dying.”
His eyes were sober. “And they’re dying right now in the hospital.” He bit his lip. “I never thought young men would die from measles.”
Before the Federal and Confederate armies had even met, disease swept both camps—diphtheria, diarrhea, and most of all measles. In some companies, more than half the soldiers were down, and some of them had actually died.
Leah frowned. “You know, I’m worried about Tuck. Those measles he got, they’ve drained all his strength.”
“I know. I reckon we ought to go over and see him.”
They made their way to the regimental hospital, and when they went down the aisles of beds, many of the soldiers spoke, for Leah and her father had visited before, leaving tracts and small gifts. Leahfelt sorry for them. They all looked so young. “I wish we could stop and talk to all of them, Pa.”
“Maybe we can come back later.”
Then they arrived at Tuck’s cot and saw that it was empty. “Why, he was here yesterday.” Leah blinked in surprise. A male nurse was passing, and she said, “Has Private Givens been dismissed?”
The nurse, a tall, thin man with a full beard, hesitated. He fumbled at the button on his uniform. “No, miss.” He hesitated again. “Are you his family?”
“Oh, no, we’re just friends of his.” A premonition came to Leah, and she asked in alarm, “He
is
all right, isn’t he?”
The nurse shook his head. “He took real bad, miss, last night. His fever shot up—and there wasn’t nothing we could do for him.”
Leah and her father stared at the man in horror.
“You don’t mean,” Mr. Carter whispered, “that he died?”
“I’m afraid so, sir. Too bad! Too bad!” The nurse shook his head. “He was a fine young man. All the men loved him in here.” Sadness came into his eyes, and he stroked his beard. “I never get used to it,” he murmured. “All these young men come to fight for their country, and they die of measles! Too bad. Too bad!”
Leah walked away quickly, tears blinding her eyes. She was aware that her father was beside her, and when they were outside she turned to him and whispered, “Oh, Pa, how awful! He was such a fine young man … and to die like that … away from home, among strangers …”
“But he was a Christian,” Mr. Carter said. “We know that much, so we can be glad he’s gone to be with Jesus—as sad as it is to lose him.”
He looked over the hospital tent and murmured, “How many more will have to die before this war is over?”
7
Mr. Lincoln
L eah had great difficulty getting over the death of Tuck Givens. As a matter of fact, she never did get over it—nor did she ever become accustomed to the deaths that occurred daily among the troops.
“I don’t think I can stand it, Pa!” she moaned one day. “If it’s this bad before they go to fight, what will it be like afterwards?”
Washington had filled itself with young men from all over the country. The capital park had become a drill ground, and soldiers stretched on the grass in the shade to watch the activities of other regiments.
The men of the First Rhode Island spread their bunks beside the patent office. They were dressed in simple coarse uniforms—gray pants, dark blue flannel
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