A movement caught her eye, and she shiftedher gaze to the field below the summit of the hill. She recalledtheir flight to Two Taverns and the devastation that greeted themwhen they returned. The soldiers told her they called yesterday’sfight Pickett’s Charge, for the Confederate general who led theattack. Now, several men moved about the battlefield. Occasionallythey knelt down, lifted men, and carried them away. At other times,they knelt, rose, and moved on. Must be looking for more wounded.No doubt, they’d be arriving here soon. Lord knows where they’d putthem.
She sighed, and her body drooped. Since theywere the closest hospital, they had to come here. She rememberedwhat Dr. Billings said about her being a help. She peered at herhands, caked with grime. Dirt and dried blood packed thickunderneath her fingernails. Her skin, chapped and raw from so muchwater, nevertheless was stained rust brown. She wiped her palmsdown her apron, to find it also covered in grime. She caught awhiff of herself. A sudden urge to cry overcame her. She wanted togo home and get a hot bath, a change of clothes, and wash and brushher hair. She didn’t want to be around all this ruin anymore.Tillie drew in a deep ragged breath. She wanted her mother.
Standing in the yard, surrounded by woundedand dead men, she covered her face with her hands and released hugesobs. Tillie allowed herself a few moments of despair beforeregaining control. She sucked in huge gulps of air and pushed hersobs down, not wanting these men to witness her distress when theybore their suffering with so much bravery. Someone tapped hershoulder.
Tillie swiped at her face, blinked, andturned. A man smiled down at her. She sniffed and stared back athim. She was supposed to recognize him, but her brain didn’t make aconnection.
His expression changed from happiness toembarrassment as he realized she didn’t recall who he was. Heremoved his cap and nodded a greeting. “Do you not remember me?”His eyebrows raised as he asked the hopeful question. “Do you notrecollect the man who got you on a wagon on the first day?”
Tillie gasped, thrilled that a man stood infront of her, unhurt and standing on his own two feet. Renewedtears filled her eyes. She wanted to throw her arms around his neckand give him a great big kiss. She restrained herself. What wouldhe think of her?
“Why are you crying?”
“Corporal Townsend! Forgive me please.” Shewiped her eyes and nose with her handkerchief. “I’m just so glad tosee you well. You escaped the battle unharmed.”
The corporal’s smile faded a bit. “Yes, wellthat’s not hard to do when you’re attached to a general’s staff.”His eyes surveyed the wounded men lying close by, unease in hisgaze.
“Please allow me to thank you once again forgetting me here,” she said. “I do appreciate the service youprovided.”
“There’s no need for thanks,” he brushed offher comment. They stared at each other. Corporal Townsend shiftedhis feet. He glanced about at the battered men again, and a strangeexpression crossed his face.
“I’m with General Sykes’s staff.” A derisivenote edged his words. “He and my father are great friends, and itis as a favor to him I’m so situated. If I had my way, I would beamong these men doing more noble work than running messages backand forth.”
“But, corporal, consider.” Tillie smiled.“Had you been with the men, I would not now be where I am.”
Townsend looked at her, surprised, and thenhe laughed. “You have me there.”
“How did you know where to find us?”
“The woman with you said you were trying toget to a farm a mile or so down the road. This is a mile or so downthe road. I thought if this weren’t the right place, I’d justcontinue until I found you. Tell me, how are the little girls? Arethey well? I thought about those darling children all week.”
“Oh, yes, they’re fine. They’re all inside ifyou would like to come in.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t stay long. I must say, Iwas pleasantly surprised when I turned in and saw you standing andstaring at Little Roundtop. What were you looking at?”
Tillie pointed toward the field and the menstill moving around and picking up soldiers. “See those men?” Sheswung her arm to indicate the men walking through the battle zone.“I was thinking that soon those men will arrive here and we’ll needto help them. I must confess there’s no place left to putthem.”
“Well, you needn’t worry. Those men aregathering in the dead.”
Tillie foundered for something to say. Herheart gave a painful lurch.
“Why aren’t they picking up all the bodies?”Her brow furrowed. “I see them sometimes kneel down and then moveon.”
Corporal Townsend shrugged in a nonchalantfashion. “They’re Rebs.”
Tillie stared at him before turning towardthe field.
“Well.” He dismissed the activity on thehill. “As I said, I can’t stay. I asked General Sykes for a fewminutes to come here and find out what became of you. I’m glad youcame through the fight unharmed as well.” He waved and took hisleave.
“Oh.” He turned back, as if rememberingsomething important. “I brought a gift for you.” He slipped hishand into his pocket and removed an object. He offered her a tokenof a silver button still attached to a scrap of gray cloth.
“I cut this from a Confederate coat,” he toldher. “I wanted to
