The Face of Heaven (40 page)

“Yes, indeed. That’s why you wear the black hat.”

The falling sun silhouetted the landscape to the north and west in deep purples and golds.

“What you reckon that hill is, Lieutenant?” Jones asked Nathaniel.

“Don’t know,” Nathaniel replied.

“Round Top.” It was Sam Williams, commander of the 19th, behind them. “You can’t quite see it from here, but west of it is Little Round Top. There are several ridges and promontories beyond that.”

Nathaniel and the men near him came to attention. “Good evening, Colonel.”

“Stand easy, boys. I had a look over the map of the area with Generals Meredith and Reynolds a little while ago. Though I doubt Lee will choose to engage us here. My guess is we’ll march farther north before there’s a clash. After all, his troops have bypassed Washington and Baltimore. Seems like it’s Harrisburg and Philadelphia he’s after.”

“Yes, sir,” responded Nathaniel. “But you never know what Lee’s thinking.”

“Right you are, Lieutenant. We’ll see what the morning brings. My hunch is we’ll have breakfast in the town of Gettysburg just ahead here and then move straight on for Harrisburg as quick as we can. Either that or swing east for Lancaster and Philadelphia.” He looked at Nathaniel. “I understand Lancaster County is your first home, Lieutenant King, just as it is for General Reynolds.”

“Yes, sir, it is.”

“I expect you’d rather not see it laid waste. A fight for you and the sooner the better, eh?”

“Harrisburg would suit me, Colonel. Or right here, for that matter. Anywhere but home.”

“I understand. I’d feel exactly the same way. I was born in Virginia but I farmed in Selma, Indiana, and I’d sure hate to see the war spread west and scorch the land.”

“Halloo the pickets! Don’t shoot! We’re unarmed—but we have plenty of wings!”

There was sniggering and laughter and somebody cried, “Whoops! I dropped one!”

Sam Williams snapped his head around. “Who in thunder is that?”

“They’re wearing black hats, Colonel,” his aide said.

“That’s my—that’s Sergeant Keim, sir,” Nathaniel spoke up.

Williams frowned and slapped his gloves against his leg. “It looks like they’ve been foraging. And we’re in a state loyal to the Union.”

“Not so. Not so, whoever you are. The young ladies of Green Mount gave all this to us. Have some, will you? Our platoon can’t possibly eat it all—pies, chicken, turkey, fresh biscuits, bread, butter. Why, I have
five canteens full of cold milk—” Levi stopped when he saw the gold epaulets on Williams’ shoulders. He almost dropped the five sacks of food he was carrying as he attempted to come to attention and salute. Plesko and Nip and Groom did let theirs fall. Behind them two more men were approaching the picket line and singing a hymn in German.

Nathaniel was afraid to look at Williams. But then the colonel’s voice came easy and not without a stroke of humor. “Looks like Pennsylvania’s fallen in love with the Hoosiers, Sergeant. I don’t want to rob you, but my aide and I could do with a cherry pie if you have one handy. And I’ll gladly exchange my canteen of spring water for one of fresh milk.”

“Yes, sir. Happy to help you out, sir.”

Levi fumbled with his sacks but Plesko stepped forward with a pie and canteen.

“This cherry pie was given to us by a girl as pretty as the sunset over your shoulder, Colonel. Eat heartily and thank God.”

Williams laughed. “Why, I intend to. I think Tom here and I better dig in before we get back to headquarters and make our report. Otherwise General Reynolds will sniff it out and demand a lion’s share. Johnny is a great one for the pies and biscuits.”

“Yes, sir. And please keep your canteen. This one’s on the house.” Plesko smiled quietly as he handed the canteen of milk to Williams. “The Union forever.”

“Hurrah.”

Williams and his aide sat on the ground and dove into the pie while Levi handed out cooked chickens and turkey legs. Nip and Joshua held armfuls of bread and oranges. Nathaniel helped himself to a loaf and asked who had the butter and jam. It was meant as a joke but Groom quickly brought out both.

“This looks like the Fourth of July,” said Ham, one eye on the road as he bit into a drumstick.

Nip wiped off a milk mustache. “It will be in a few days.”

“I’m used to seeing fireworks.”

Nip smiled as he worked on a cookie. “This is better than fireworks.”

Williams pulled out his pocket watch. A round moon, almost full, had risen over the fields and lit the watch’s face like a lamp. “We’d better get cracking, Tom. Reynolds will be wondering why we took so long to inspect the picket line.”

The two climbed onto their horses. Williams saluted Nathaniel’s platoon. “You soldiers are the farthest advance of the Army of the Potomac. March or fight, good luck and God bless tomorrow.”

They returned the salute. “Thank you, sir.”

After Williams and his aide had ridden off in the moonlight, the platoon continued to eat and drink. It took a while before they had had enough. Even then no one wanted to sleep. The moon had stroked the land in white.

“Almost like a field of snow,” murmured Jones.

“It is,” agreed Nathaniel. “Who’s that coming toward us way up the road?”

“Captain Hanson and Lieutenant Nicolson, sir. They were reconnoitering a mile or two on foot. The captain wanted to get an idea how far it was to that next town.”

“I thought they’d ridden into Green Mount.”

“No, sir.”

“I hope we have something left for them.”

“Still plenty to go around, sir.”

The platoon continued to gaze at the moonlit fields.

“Beautiful farmland,” Levi said.

“What’s that hill over there?” asked Joshua. “It sure sticks out.”

“Round Top,” Ham told him.

“It’s morning now,” Nathaniel said, returning his watch to his pocket. “Good morning, men.”

“Good morning, sir.”

25

N
athaniel opened his eyes. His watch said 3:30. A light drizzle had wet his uniform and hands and face. Nip was asleep beside him. He sat up. Groom was standing a few yards away with his bayonet fixed, watching the road in the last shimmer of light as the moon set in a bank of clouds to the west. Nathaniel craned his neck and spotted Levi walking softly through the grass with his musket a hundred feet beyond Groom.

Nathaniel lay back and pulled the small Bible from the pocket of his frock coat. Lyndel had borrowed it a few days before and underlined several verses in Psalm 91, which he now turned to.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee…For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways…Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under thy feet.

Nathaniel read the verses twice and prayed a moment:
So, Lord, a thousand men may read this today in both armies but they cannot all survive. How do we know when these verses are simply an encouragement to keep our faith strong and when they are directly and personally meant for us?

He stood up. Groom saluted and he returned the salute.

“I’m heading down toward Green Mount, Private,” he said quietly. “I’m going to check on the rest of our company.”

“Yes, sir.”

Nathaniel rubbed Libby’s neck, untethered the mare, and drew her
behind him as he walked along the road, letting her stop now and then to crop grass in the ditch. When he returned from his tour of the company’s picket line most of the men were getting up and Hanson had appeared to brew his Tippecanoe coffee. The flames of the small fire were painting Levi’s face orange as he stirred something in a pot and balanced a frying pan on his knee.

“What’s that you’re making?” Nathaniel asked as he came up, Libby brushing her head vigorously against his back.

“
A pretty little lass with eyes as green as grass
,” Levi sang. “I have the ingredients I need to make proper Pennsylvania pancakes,
Pfannkuchen,
and the green-eyed Green Mount girl gave me a pound of butter and a jar of maple syrup too. What better way to welcome the boys to the Commonwealth of William Penn than to serve up hot
Pfannkuchen
?”

Nathaniel smiled. “Does the young lady have a name?”

“A name and an address. And Green Mount is not so far from Lancaster County, is it?”

“Not so far.”

In less than an hour the platoon was squatting on the grass eating pancakes dripping in maple syrup and butter from their mess kits and taking fast swallows of Hanson’s coffee. The sun made its way up over the long green fields, breaking apart the clouds and stripping the gray sky down to a raw blue.

“It goes well together,” said Hanson. “The coffee and the syrup.”

“Sure,” responded Nicolson. “One is sweet and the other sour.”

“You can thank my coffee you’re still alive today, Lieutenant.” Hanson walked up behind Groom and clapped him on the shoulder. “Here’s more living proof. There was a time this young man poured my Indiana elixir on the ground.”

Groom sipped from his cup. “I repented of that.”

“Indeed you did. And that’s why your cast-iron stomach is attached to a cast-iron body and the good Lord sees fit to let the sun rise upon thee again today.” Hanson brought a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his mouth. “Now, lads. I wouldn’t wish to throw a wet blanket on your party while the rest of the brigade is gagging on sickly coffee
and choking near to death on hardtack and salt pork. But we’re marching at eight and our orders are to occupy the town of Gettysburg. So let’s eat up and clean up and make sure you have the twenty rounds in your cartridge box and the extra sixty in your pack. You can have your second breakfast in town.”

After they were squared away Nathaniel took Levi and Joshua off to the side for prayer. They removed their black hats and bowed their heads while Nathaniel prayed in German. When they looked back up after a few minutes it was to see not just each other but the platoon, and not only the platoon but the entire company. Musket stocks were on the ground and black hats had been doffed. Hanson was mounted on his horse and his own head was bare.

“I think the lads would like to have a prayer said over them, Reverend King,” he said. “This time in English, if ye don’t mind.”

Nathaniel took off his black hat a second time. “Yes, sir.”

His prayer was Psalm 23. Slowly he spoke the words—
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

After he had pronounced
Amen
Nathaniel looked at the company. “March or fight, remember we’re here for our homes and our nation. We want to live in a free country. A free country for all Americans, not just a few. God bless you, boys. God bless the United States of America.”

There was a deep silence. Then Hanson threw up his arm. “Hurrah!”

The men grinned and, remembering Nathaniel’s first sermon at Belle Plain, threw their hats into the air, hollering, “Hurrah!”

The troops broke apart to await the arrival of the brigade. As they parted Nathaniel caught a glimpse of a blue dress and a white
kapp
. Lyndel stood there in the road. The wagon was behind her with Hiram and Morganne on the driver’s seat. Lyndel smiled.

“Hello,” she said.

He came to her and her
kapp
fell in the dust. She did not care. She just wanted his arms and his smile and the eyes that saw only her.

“How did you get up here past all the pickets?” he demanded.

“Why, love, remember I have a pass from the president of the United States.” She drew an envelope from the pocket under her apron. “And speaking of the president of the United States, this came to me last night. It was included in a pouch of dispatches for General Reynolds.”