“It’s all right, Mother. I must say I feel ittoo, and I can’t explain it either.” Tillie shrugged. “It wasrather novel to stay home today.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.” Mother smiledand stroked her cheek.
As they headed toward the center of town, sheput her arm around Tillie’s shoulders. “So, were you more upsetabout missing school or having to do housework?”
Tillie screwed up her face.
Mother laughed.
“A little of both, I guess.” Tillie wrinkledher nose. “I like school, and I don’t want to get behind. I have toadmit I despise dusting and sweeping.”
Mother gave her shoulders a squeeze. “I’llkeep that in mind.”
Their conversation stuttered to a stop asthey approached Middle Street. Mrs. Fahenstock rushed out of theirstore, gathered her skirts, and hurried toward the Diamond. Tillieand Mother exchanged surprised looks and then quickened theirpace.
Ten main roads converged at Gettysburg, andthey all came together at the Diamond, where businesses of allkinds rose at the intersections. Groups of people hovered in theirdoorways, watching the action in the center of the square.
“Mrs. Fahenstock.” Mother tapped the grocerystoreowner on the arm.
The portly woman turned at Mother’s voice.“I’d say good day, Mrs. Pierce, but I fear there’s nothing goodhappening today.”
“What’s going on?” Mother waved her hand inthe direction of the crowd. “What are they doing?”
About fifty colored people, mostly women andchildren, huddled together, ringed by armed Rebel soldiers. Thewomen clutched their children close and wept loud, bitter wails. Afew men positioned themselves in front of the women, as if tryingto protect them with their bodies, even though they held theirhands above their heads. The men kept silent. Their stoicexpressions said they understood begging and tears wereuseless.
The Rebs formed shoulder to shoulder, theirguns, with bayonets attached, jabbed at their prisoners from adangerous and effective phalanx.
In the crowd the woman who badgered herchildren to hide out on Culp’s Hill the week before, clutched herboys, tears streaming down her cheeks. They must have returned homebelieving the danger passed.
A stab of guilt pierced Tillie. This was whatthey feared and she’d laughed. No wonder Mr. Weaver was socontemptuous. Was he in the crowd? She scanned the men, women, andchildren. She didn’t see him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t there.Oh, poor Mr. Weaver. Why didn’t someone do something?
Mr. Hicks watched from the doorway of hiscandy shop, arms crossed, scowling. Then he dropped his hands andwent inside, closing the door. The We’re Closed sign appeared inhis window, and the shades came down.
At the Globe Inn on York Street, CharlesWills watched from his doorway, his hands shoved deep into hispockets, his son, John, next to him, leaned against thedoorjamb.
By contrast, his brother, Mr. David Wills,shouted at a Reb, waving his arms in wild gesticulations. One ofthe Rebs said something back then took out his pistol and held itto Mr. Wills’s forehead. The attorney took two steps backward.Mother drew a sharp intake of breath, and Tillie’s hand flew to herheart. Mr. Wills stared at the soldier, as if challenging him toshoot. Then he stormed into his house.
“Mother, what’s going on?”
“I don’t know.” Mother’s gaze darted about,taking in the scene. To Tillie’s horror, Mother walked up to asoldier and grabbed his arm. “What’s the meaning of this?”
“Go away, lady. This don’t concern you. We’retaking this contraband South where they belong.”
“Contraband? They are not contraband. They’repeople! You can’t do such a thing. It’s barbaric! You have noright! These people have lived here as long as I have. You have noright!” She reached in for one of the children.
The soldier knocked her backward with suchforce, she fell onto the pavement, striking the back of herhead.
Tillie screamed and ran to her. “You leave mymother alone.”
Mrs. Fahenstock knelt and cupped her palm onthe back of Mother’s head. She drew her hand away. No blood.
The soldier laughed. “You want the same,missy? Get your mother and get out of here. This ain’t none of yourbusiness.” He made as if to kick them to get them moving. Tilliecowered as she tried to protect Mother from a potential blow.Crying, she and Mrs. Fahenstock helped Mother to her feet, andtogether the three staggered away. Mother clung to Tillie.
At the store, Mrs. Fahenstock offered to helpthem home. Mother thanked her, but refused.
They reached the corner of Middle Street andstopped as the Rebel soldiers marched their contraband out oftown.
Townsfolk peered out of windows or watched insilence from open doorways.
Held at gunpoint like commoncriminals—instead of hardworking members of the Gettysburgcommunity—the Negroes walked out of town wailing and clutchingtheir children.
Would they ever return or see their homesagain?
The family they had seen running to hide afew days ago stumbled past as a soldier used his musket to herdthem along like animals.
Was there accusation and scorn in the woman’seyes? Tillie turned away.
* * * *
“Mother, what’s wrong? You and Tillie havebeen upstairs crying all afternoon. What happened?” Maggie glancedbetween the two.
Mother and Tillie each picked at their food.Silent tears slid down Tillie’s cheeks.
As though Maggie’s voice finally roused aresponse in her, Mother shifted in her chair. She dropped her forkand put her hands over her face as fresh sobs shook her body.
Father got up and stopped behind her. Placinggentle hands on her shoulders, he patted her.
“They took those people.” Mother wept.
“What people?” Maggie’s eyes switched fromMother to Tillie. “Who did they take?”
“Several of the colored families who liveabout here.” Tillie’s emotion-clogged voice came out tight andstrained. She cleared her throat and continued, “Mr. Weaver wasright. The Rebs marched them away from the Diamond like commoncriminals. They called them contraband. Only Mr. Wills and Mothertried to stop them.”
“Margaret, you did what?” Father said. “Youdidn’t tell me that!”
Mother wiped her face on her apron and tookup the story where Tillie left off. “Men, women, and children,James—at gunpoint.” She stressed the word. “What would you have hadme do? I couldn’t just stand there and let them take innocentpeople—children—away into slavery.”
