Killer Angels, The - Michael Shaara [111]
"Pete?"
Longstreet stood up. He let go the reins of command. He thought of the three Union corps, one of them Hancock, dug in on the hill, and he let them all go.
He did not want to lead any more. He wanted to sit and drink and listen to stories.
He said, "I guess one drink, if it's all right."
Armistead took him by the arm with a broad grin, and it was genuine; he took Longstreet by the arm and pulled him toward the circle.
"Hey, fellas," Armistead bawled, "look what I got. Make way for the Old Man."
They all stood to greet him. He sat down and took a drink and he did not think any more about the war.
6. LEE.
He worked all that night. The noise went on around him until long after midnight. His staff was too small: must do something about that. But he could handle the work and there were many decisions that could be made only by the commanding officer, and the commanding officer should know as much as possible about the logistics of the situation, the condition of the army down to the last detail.
He found that he could work right through the pain, that there came a second wind. If you sat quietly in a rocking chair you could work all night long. The trouble came when you tried to move. So he worked from the chair, not rising, and every now and then he rested his head in his hands and closed his eyes and blanked the brain, and so rested. The noise did not bother him. But he did not like people crowding too close. After a while he knew it was time to be alone.
He told Taylor to ask the people outside to disperse.
In a few moments it was very quiet. He rose up out of the chair and stepped out into the night. Time to make a plan now, time to make a decision.
The night air was soft and warm. Across the road there were still many fires in the field but no more bands, no more singing. Men sat in quiet groups, talking the long slow talk of night in camp at war; many had gone to sleep.
There were stars in the sky and a gorgeous white moon. The moon shone on the white cupola of the seminary across the road- lovely view, good place to see the fight. He had tried to climb the ladder but it turned out not to be possible. Yet there was little pain now. Move slowly, slowly. He said to Taylor, "What day is it now?" Taylor extracted a large round watch.
"Sir, it's long after midnight. It's already Friday."
"Friday, July third."
"Yes, sir, I believe that is correct."
"And tomorrow will be the Fourth of July."
"Sir?"
"Independence Day."
Taylor grunted, surprised. "I'd quite forgotten." Curious coincidence. Lee thought. Perhaps an omen?
Taylor said, "The good Lord has a sense of humor."
"Wouldn't it be ironic-" Lee could not resist the thought-"if we should gain our independence from them, on their own Independence Day?" He shook his head, wondering. He believed in a Purpose as surely as he believed that the stars above him were really there. He thought himself too dull to read God's plan, thought he was not meant to know God's plan, a servant only. And yet sometimes there were glimpses. To Taylor he said, "I'll go sit with Traveler awhile and think. You will keep these people away."
"Yes, sir."
"I am sorry to keep you so late."
"My pleasure, sir."
"We should have a larger staff."
"Sir, I shall be offended."
"Well, I want to think for a while, alone."
"Sir" Lee moved off into the dark pasture. Now in motion he was aware of stiffness, of weakness, of a suspended fear.
He moved as if his body was Jailed with cold cement that was slowly hardening, and yet there was something inside bright and hot and fearful, as if something somewhere could break at any moment, as if a rock in his chest was teetering and could come crashing down. He found the dark horse in the night and stood caressing the warm skin, thick bristly mane, feeding sugar, talking.
Two alternatives. We move away to better ground, as Longstreet suggests. Or we stay To the end.
He sat on a rail fence. And so we broke the vow is Longstreet's bitter phrase.
It stuck in the mind like one of those spiny