Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles Volume VI, by author Paul Lintern. It is set in the 1860s and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of young people. This is the sixth in a series. The books are available from Lintern for $25 a set, tax and shipping included. Each book is about 120 pages written for intermediate readers (4th grade) with local illustrations. Volume I is Amelia Changes Her Tune. Volume II is Isaac and Wolf Paw Find Their Home. Volume III is Autumn Keeps Her Secret. Volume IV is Mr. Gamble Starts a School. Volume V is Jacob Blows his Horn.
June 28, 1863
Dear Cassie;
Grandpappy is making me write this letter because he wants to be in touch with everyone there.
He says he is happy you and Mama are visiting “his favorite other daughter,” and he hopes Mama lets go of the baby long enough to let you hold her from time to time.
He says he is glad to know that you will be in the birthplace of American freedom for Independence Day, even though Philadelphia thinks it claims that right.
Grandpappy says every Bostonian knows where the “seeds were sown.” (Honestly, Grandpappy can be pretty dramatic when it comes to history things.)
He says he misses you and hopes you have a good conclusion to your visit and a safe journey home.
Sincerely, your brother.
“The newspapers report of some skirmishes in Pennsylvania,” Luke said at breakfast on the third.
“A couple of places called Chambersburg and Gettysburg.”
Those sound familiar.
“They were stops on our trip out, I think,” Mama said. “Guess we were lucky. We had better return by a more northern route, just to be safe.”
“It appears General Lee’s army is en masse and happened upon some Union regiments on the first. Yesterday, both armies were fully engaged at Gettysburg.
“There’s a college there, as I recall, and a theological seminary. I suppose the students will have their studies interrupted,” Uncle Luke said.
Why does that name … Cassie gasped.
The envelope, Martin’s address.
She looked.
He’s in Gettysburg!
“This is not a small struggle, there could be 100,000 soldiers there right now. Your men might be there,” he said to Abigail and Althena.
“What do we do?” one of them asked.
“We pray, pray for safety,” Mama replied.
The rest of the day was spent in subdued activity. Meals were simple with little conversation. The whole city seemed quieter although it really was business as usual.
Cassie wanted to go for a walk in the afternoon, and both Abigail and Athena offered to go along, and bring the baby.
Cassie had wanted to go by herself, but knew better than to be impolite enough to say so.
As soon as they stepped out, Abigail said, “I just had to get out of the house, breathe some fresh air, get my mind off of, what is the name of that place?
“Gothenburg, I think,” Athena said.
“Gettysburg,” Cassie corrected.
“That’s right. Never heard of it, now we may never forget it,” Abigail said.
“He’ll be all right Abby,” Athena said.
“Willy and Chris, they both will.”
“You don’t know that.”
“But neither do we know that something will happen to them. I choose to hope.”
Me, too.
“You’re lucky, Cassandra. You don’t have any loved ones in danger,” Abigail said, then Athena quickly elbowed her.
Abigail sighed. “I’m sorry, dear girl. I didn’t mean to imply, I mean, I know you have your brothers, and one has already lost a foot,” Abigail said.
“And two cousins who have died,” Cassie blurted out.
Even though she had only seen Dan and Tad a few times in her life, they were never far from her mind, especially when she thought of her brothers in the army.
“I guess we are all pretty scared and helpless,” Athena said.
“And we’re not even the ones facing the guns,” Abigail added.
They walked on in silence now, not wanting to say anything wrong, so they just did not say anything.
Cassie thought about Martin, not even a friend, really, just a nice person with whom she had a good conversation across Pennsylvania, and who now surely can hear the cannons and rifle fire as if it were just outside his door.
Can I pray for someone I hardly know? Can I care about someone I’ve just met?
When the entourage returned to the house an hour or so later, Uncle Luke was just returning from the newspaper office, where reports were arriving of a Rebel charge at Gettysburg of 15,000 men, with no conclusive outcome yet.
“If Bobby Lee breaks through, Mr. Lincoln may have to capitulate or the Rebs could march right on to Philadelphia. If he is broken, that could just end the war,” Luke was saying.
“We have heard that so many times. The war is almost over, the war could drag on forever, the war is coming our way, the war will never be fought north of the Shenandoah, the war this, the war that,” Mama said. “I’m just tired of this war.”
Luke nodded his head. Before the evening was out, wire reports had arrived saying that the Rebel force had been repelled, and that General Lee’s army was “limping back to Virginia.”
“Where is our army? Are they pursuing? Now is the time to end it. We’re that close,” Luke said.
“And how are William and Christopher?” Amelia wondered.
Or Martin? Cassie thought.
