His eyes widened, but he acted the gentleman.“Who knows?” He shrugged. “The rebels took a beating yesterday,that’s for certain. Except for the shelling earlier, it’s beenpretty quiet this morning—probably because both sides are too hotand tired to fight anymore. But this thing doesn’t feel over, soyour father wants the family a safe distance away.”
“He’s not my father,” she snapped, thenrelaxed. “I’m sorry.” She touched his sleeve. “You couldn’t know.”She said goodbye to the man lying on the floor.
“God bless you.” He held up his envelope.“And thank you.”
Tillie walked with the soldier across thefarmyard. In the distance, musketry rattled and crackled. Shestopped. “Is that in Gettysburg?”
“No.” He turned toward town and appeared tolisten. “There’s been sporadic fighting all morning at a placecalled Culp’s Hill.”
“That’s less than a mile from my home.”
“Oh.” The soldier seemed uncomfortable withanother reference to her status as guest, and instead, showed herthe cannon, east of the road leading into the farmyard. “GeneralSykes believes the Rebels will try to reach the Taneytown Road likeyesterday. If so, we’ll see hard fighting right here. If youremain, you’ll be in the midst of flying bullets and shellfire.”
She smiled. How would that be different fromyesterday? “We’ve been in the midst of flying bullets and shellfire since yesterday.”
His face colored. “Yes, miss.”
They reached the carriages. The soldiertipped his hat and walked away.
Tillie raised her foot to climb into thecarriage as an artillery shell screamed overhead. She shrieked,pushed off the step with her foot, and hurled herself into thebarn. She landed in a heap, arms over her head, waiting for deathto strike.
No explosion. As she timidly lifted her head,the soldiers erupted with laughter.
Tillie picked herself up and dusted off herfilthy dress. Flying artillery shells weren’t funny.
A man lying near her spoke for them. “Mychild, if that hit you, you wouldn’t have had time to jump.”
How ridiculous she must have appeared, comingfrom nowhere to land in an undignified pile in the straw. A snortof laughter escaped as she squared her shoulders, stuck her nose inthe air, and sniffed in mock offense. “Sound logic indeed.” Sheflicked her skirt, giggled, and spun on her heel before marchingoutside, their laughter ringing in her ears.
In the field across the road, dust and ashsettled, indicating the shell landed, harmless, in what remained ofMr. Weikert’s burned-out wheat field.
Chapter 20
They headed south on Taneytown Road. Thehorses clip-clopped along at a steady pace until they met up withsoldiers drawn up in a line held in reserve. There, Mr. Weikertstopped the buggy. “Where are you boys from?”
“Sixth Corps.” The sergeant pointed in thedirection they came from. “What’s going on up ahead?”
Mr. Weikert laced the reins over the brake asthough to begin a lengthy conversation.
The commanding officer rode up. “Move along,sir. You don’t want to stay out here.”
Mr. Weikert gave the officer a baleful glare,but picked up his reins and slapped them. They drove about a milebefore turning left and cutting across a connector road toBaltimore Pike.
Tillie leaned forward and spoke into Mrs.Weikert’s ear. “Where are we going?”
“Two Taverns.”
The small town lay six miles south ofGettysburg with only a few homes and, as the name implied, twotaverns. Would Father punish her for going into a tavern? She hadno choice.
They passed through a strip of woods. Deadmen, horses, and destroyed caissons forced them to slow and worktheir way around the obstructions.
She shook her head at the sight. Did thesemen have families? What kind of lives did they lead before the war?Did they have wives and children? Such waste. She took ahandkerchief from the pocket of her skirt, which she held to hernose and mouth. Away from the overwhelming odor of gunpowder, thecloying stench of death invaded her nostrils. She kept her headdown and her eyes closed, trying to breathe through the cloth.
About a mile down the road, they left thecarnage behind, and she breathed in fresh air again and put awayher handkerchief.
Two infantrymen ambled toward them.
“What’s going on?” Mr. Weikert called out,halting the conveyance. “Are we headed into danger going thisway?”
The two privates stopped. “No.” The one whospoke scratched his head. “A cavalry battle took place about anhour ago, but I think you’re safe.” He touched his hat to the womenand moved on, but his companion stayed. In his hand was a strangebiscuit, which he raised to his mouth. His eyes fell on Tillie, whostared at him.
“What are you eating?” She indicated thepale, thick, cracker-type biscuit, ignoring the saliva pouring fromher cheeks. Her stomach growled.
“This? Hardtack. You can break a tooth on oneof these.” He held it out to her, chuckling at his own joke.
She took a bite, closing her eyes and chewingwith slow motions, enjoying the cracker, which tasted like flourand water mixed into a paste and baked. It needed salt.
The private chuckled and reached into hishaversack. He pulled out another to give her.
She ate fast. “They’re rather good.” She puta hand to her mouth to stop a crumb from falling. Mother wouldchastise her for talking with a mouthful of food. She swallowed.“Thank you.”
He grinned. “When you’ve eaten your fill,they aren’t quite so wonderful.”
Mr. Weikert made an impatient noise andgestured, drawing the soldier’s attention back to more importantmatters. “Young man, will we be running into battle if we go thisway?” He wrapped the reins around the brake handle.
“No, sir.” The soldier waved in the directionthe family traveled. “All fighting ceased behind us. We’ve beencalled forward to strengthen the lines along Cemetery Ridge.” Theboy slung his rifle off his shoulder. He set the butt on the groundand leaned on the muzzle as he would on a fence to chat with aneighbor. “Where’re you folks off to?”
“We’re going to Two Taverns. They said therebels would be coming straight over our farm.”
He nodded. “You should be able to travel inrelative safety. I haven’t heard of any clashes in that generalarea. We came through last night as a matter of fact.”
Beckie leaned forward and smiled at him.“Such an interesting accent, private. Where are you from?”
He blushed, tipping his
