Afternoon of October 28, 1863
Brown’s Ferry
Eli sat, his back against their fortifications, staring sullenly down at the Tennessee River as he drank coffee. He watched scores of men march across the new pontoon bridge at Brown’s Ferry the engineers managed to finish in 12 hours the day before. They now had more than enough men to hold their position.
“Damn if Big Joe didn’t save your sorry hide yesterday, again,” said Al, sitting next to him. “That’s twice in one day, Eli. Even you got to admit it. Twice, for God’s sake.”
Eli ignored him. Joe, standing on the other side of Al, ignored him too.
Thankfully, Blue avoided their company after slinking back to the 6th Ohio at the close the fighting the day before. Blue avoiding him suited Eli just fine. It seemed now Blue’s suspicions had not been raised, after all.
“You just gonna sit there without nothing to say about that? Nothing at all ‘bout how you owe your damn life to Joe twice over?”
“Yep,” said Eli not looking at Al. “That’s what I’m going to do.”
“I never met a fellow more stubborn,” said Al. “If ingratitude was a man, by God you’d be that man. Except you got so much a it there’d have to be two a you to fit it all in, and two a you’d be more’n I could stand.”
Lord, said Eli to himself looking at the sky, why do you afflict me? Give me a sign, something, anything. Please strike Al Belshiem dumb, he prayed.
Shaking his head, Eli noticed a general he did not know in conference with Captain Williams. The Captain nodded at what he was told, and then broke away to approach them.
“Boys, listen up. I’ve been given a personal correspondence that needs to get to General Geary. He’s south of here at Wauhatchie, in the rear guard of General Hooker’s corps. They arrived during the night in the area to support us. I’m asking for two volunteers to take these letters. Any man want to go?”
Eli stood. “I’ll take them, sir.” Thank you Jesus, he thought, for the chance to get away from all of this nonsense.
Williams nodded. “Ok, Craft. Anyone else?” He looked around, but no one stepped forward. The Captain frowned, and glancing back at Eli his eyes fell on Big Joe. “McCarthy,” he said, “you’re volunteering.”
Startled, Eli and Joe looked at each other as Williams held out a leather pouch containing the letters.
“Uh, sir,” said Eli taking the bag, “I’d prefer that it not be Big Joe.”
“Why not? Something wrong with him? Is he sick?” Williams looked critically at Joe. “He looks fit to me.”
“Well no sir, it’s not that…”
“Then you have your orders, private. Get back as soon as you can.” He spun on his heel to stride away.
“But Captain,” said Eli.
“Look, Craft,” Williams cut him off, turning back to face him, “I haven’t got time for petty squabbles between what are supposed to be grown men. You volunteered for this mission and you’re going with McCarthy and I won’t hear another word about it.” He walked away.
Al shook his head looking from Eli to Joe. “You boys look like you both just swallowed a bullfrog whole. This is gonna to be good,” he chuckled.