A contingent of dust beaten Rebels came riding into the yard, causing the two boys to hover about John’s side. Calling to one of the children in the yard, John sent him to get his son. Joseph brought out one of Theo’s pistols and gave it to his master, his small jaw jutting out belligerently. His remembrance of the white deserters, who had killed his brother and mother, painfully clear in his mind.
John went back to his rocking chair, gathering up the two boys, small Drake’s chubby arms around Victor and his grandfather. John’s hands curled from arthritis, he comforted the babies as the old rocker creaked back and forth. A low humming rumbled deep in his chest; the riders already forgotten.
The group of horsemen sat silently, looking around the farm, waiting patiently for its master to come. Not long, Theo came thundering up on his horse, its sides bellowing out mightily from the exertion of a quick hard ride. Reining up, but remaining on his horse, Theo wished to be eye to eye with the strangers.
“What’s your business here?” Theo asked brusquely, he didn’t want them on his farm.
“I’m Lieutenant Parker. The war isn’t going as well as we’d hoped. There have been a lot of losses in the last skirmishes. We desperately need more men. Black or white. I see that you’ve lost your arm. May I ask where.”
“No.” Theo said bluntly, rage roiling within. The lieutenant narrowed his eyes, his mouth thinning and his cheeks burning red.
“By order of Jefferson Davis, our courageous President, I am here to conscript all able-bodied men. Be they white or niggers, for the war effort. I want your slave brought in and we are to choose the best you have and enlist them for Confederate militia.” Lt. Parker announced, handing over the conscript notice to Theo.
Violently, Theo knocked the paper from the lieutenant’s gloved hand. “You bastards!” Theo roared. “You have taken my brothers, you have taken my arm, you have raped and pillaged my farm. Now you want to take the little help I have to fight this God forsaken war?” spittle flew from Theo’s mouth, as he drew from his vest pocket, the death notice for his brother Todd. He flung it at the lieutenant, telling him to read it.
Not surprised by the young man’s rage, Parker had seen it before, as he sought to replenish his numbers. He opened the missive, his tired eyes scanning the parchment. So, this man’s brother had saved Stuart’s life, well, that was something wasn’t it? He handed the ragged document to the one-armed man, who skillfully folded it one-handed and tucked it back into the vest pocket.
For a long moment, Lt. Parker looked into the clear angry blue eyes, torn with his duty and the knowledge that this family had sacrificed much. Christ, he was tired, had they only been fighting a short span of years? The blood and brains that he had seen, splattered on the fields and forest would never leave him. They plagued his dreams at night, leaving him weak and haunted at dawn.
“I won’t take all, but I must have at least twenty men, I will leave it to you to pick them and send them up the road, about eight miles. We are quartered there for the next fortnight. If you don’t send them, I will be back to collect them all.” Parker said curtly, nodding, he turned his horse around and led the group of men away.
Theo remained on his horse, long after the soldiers had ridden away. Shaking with helpless fury, his hand gripped the reins tightly. He would have to comply or lose all his men. But who to send? Could he be sending them to their certain deaths? How ludicrous for slaves to fight for their enslavement, they would be forced to fight their liberators. This whole war was ludicrous, Theo thought bitterly.
He dismounted and a slave came and took his horse away. Then he went to the calling bell and began to viciously ring it, calling in all the slaves from out in the field and the quarters. Before him stood the people under his care, his people, his slaves. The word slave was like ash in his mouth. He wanted to spit it out. He looked over the worn, sweating people before him, question and trust in their eyes. Since he had taken charge of the farm, he had gotten to know his people, through Tall Tom.
“I have some terrible news, the Confederate arm is in need of men, whether they be slave or white. They have come to take twenty men from us. I must choose the twenty men and send them on to the Confederate’s encampment.” Theo said. A low rumble of astonishment rippled through the slaves. Fear reflected in their faces, the women looking to their men, clutching their arms.
“I’m sorry, I’ve no choice. If I don’t send twenty men, then the soldiers will come back and take all the men.” His voice was strong and rang out over the group.
Theo continued, “I want all the men who have no wives to step forward.” Sixteen men stepped forward; their hats gripped in their hands. Theo’s eyes searched each man, trying now to pick the ones who might survive this nightmare. Sorrow filled his face as he caught Mary’s eye, he would have to pick Dark Henry, Theo knew Dark Henry could survive if anyone could. Calling out his name, Mary gave up a wavering cry, trying desperately to hold on to her man.
Gently, Henry disengaged his wife’s frantic hands, kissing her gently on the forehead. He whispered that he would be back soon, no army could keep him away. He walked forward, along with three other healthy strong men. When all twenty men were chosen, Theo
