Spake As a Dragon Read Online Free PDF Page B

worth to put
in them. The only thing he has of value is his Grandfather Thomas’
pocket watch, but he cannot see himself burying it, regardless of
what happens the watch will stay with him. His only thoughts are of
his father and brother Matthew. He had found a Negro
stretcher-bearer and described the boulder Robert and Matthew were
hiding behind. Did the black man find them? Were they still alive?
Before he has time to dwell on these questions, one hundred and
sixty rebel cannons open fire toward the Union line. Their fire
rises to a crescendo of noise that is deafening. The time is one
p.m.
    The lines of sweaty Confederate
soldiers fall face down upon the hard, cool, earth. Many pray
silently, others pray out loud. Most have their hands over their
ears trying to shield the thunderous roar of the cannons and the
whine of the heinous balls of death that are being hurled over
their heads toward the Union line. The roar of the Confederate
cannons was awe-inspiring, for the gray-clad warriors believed the
Yankees could not have withstood such a horrendous hail of
cannonballs. Their spirits were greatly uplifted; however, little
did they know that the cannoneers had elevated their shot to the
point that most of the cannonballs sailed over the heads of the
Yankees, safely secured behind the small stonewall, and fell
harmlessly far behind the Union lines.
    With their heads pushed into the dirt
and leaves, most do not see the stately gentlemen slowly
approaching from their right. As the cannonade stops and the air
begin to clear – Luke sees the man. He is standing so close to the
gentleman and his large iron-grey horse he could reach out and
touch them both if he so desired. He is within arms reach of his
beloved commander – the leader of the Army of Northern Virginia, a
man thought by his courageous followers to be almost
Godlike.
    Luke stumbles and almost falls. He
grabs the back of the General’s saddle to steady himself. Realizing
what he has just done he removes his grey forage cap, bows his head
and apologizes profusely for touching the General’s
saddle.
    “ Here son, no apology
necessary,” the General says, extending his hand to help
Luke.
    “ Thank
you...Sir...uh...uh...General.”
    “ Where are you from
Lad?”
    “ Alabama Sir, I’m from
Alabama. I belong to the 48 th .”
    “ Ah, good state Alabama,
fine fighting men,” he speaks but his thoughts are elsewhere.
Reaching out again, the General shook Luke’s hand, tips his hat and
began to ride away on his splendid grey horse. Looking back over
his shoulder he speaks to Luke, “Good luck son, may God be with you
this day.”
     
    ROBERT E. LEE
     
    The man in the saddle is the general
in charge of the Army of Northern Virginia – Robert E. Lee, or
Bobby Lee as his men affectionately call him. Mounted on Traveller
his grey stallion.
    Today General Lee is meeting with one
of his commanders Lieutenant General James Longstreet. He is giving
Longstreet his order to attack. In an earlier staff meeting,
Longstreet had arduously objected to the plan to attack the center
of General Meade’s line.
    From the woods of Seminary Ridge,
where the rebel forces would assemble and begin their charge, all
the way to the defenders on the opposing Cemetery Ridge is an open
expanse of field covered in nothing but grass for three-quarters of
a mile. The Emmitsburg Road bisects this long stretch of openness.
To make matters worse, this road is bordered on both sides with a
well made, split rail fence. General Longstreet knows a charge of
one-forth of a mile to a well-entrenched enemy is murderous, but to
go another extra half mile will be a disaster. He politely, and in
proper military fashion requests his commander, General Lee, to
reconsider. Lee will not. Bobby Lee does not believe his boys can
be defeated. They never have been previously. He knows the open
field is risky, but not suicidal. He feels his men can and will do
the impossible.
    From his vantage point high