He would go home to his farm and to his family, and again live as a husband and a father. He wanted to see the golden corn silk glistening in the sunlight of the Iowa summers, run his hands through the moist soil and smell the richness of it, and in the moonlight watch the wheat slowly wave to and fro in a soft breeze.
He would try to put the days of war behind him, yet a part of him knew that many of those things he saw on the battlefields and other places would always stay somewhere in the recesses of his mind. He could only hope that those memories would not come forward too often.
He wanted to remember the boys who were heroes, the ones who did not make it, and the comradery that had developed between him and his fellow soldiers. He wanted to remember Abraham Lincoln who led the Union to victory and was a good leader and a respected friend to the soldiers, and who lost his own life in standing for what he believed in for the betterment of the country. He wanted to remember General Ulysses S. Grant and General William Sherman and their skillful determination to win a war. He wanted to remember the steadfastness and skill of the Negro soldiers who fought for the same cause as he. All those memories he would welcome.
He would be home soon. He picked up his bags and walked toward the waiting wagons.
He saw his grandfather, Alexander, tall and lean, wearing a nice jacket, with shirt and tie, and a hat, looking healthy and hearty.
When Alexander saw him, he tipped his hat. When Silas reached him, he said, “Welcome home, son!”
“Pap, it is great to be home!” He gave his grandfather a hug. “How I missed you all.” His eyes were moist but he noticed so were his grandfather’s.
Maybe it was time to let go a little and let out some of the emotion that had been hiding away for many months.
On the ride home to his farm he wrote a poem to his beautiful wife, Elizabeth Jane.
“Wife of the Volunteer”
Yes, Jane, I have come, love, across the dark blue sea,
To our peaceful, quiet, home, love, our little ones and thee;
I’ve watch’d and waited nightly for the Welcome hour to come,
When happily and rightly all the dear delights of home
Should greet my listening ear, love, upon my native shore;
Then wipe away thy tears, Jane, for I will roam no more.
How often since I left you, love, in solitude and tears,
Have I bless’d that love which clung to me through many changing years;
And while I paced the silent beat, forgotten and alone,
Has my heart recall’d thy love-lit smile, thy sweet and gentle tone.
Thy image, love, has ever been shrined within this fond heart’s core;
But wipe away thy tears, love, for I will roam no more.
Dear Jane, when in life’s sweet morn, in all thy youthful pride,
I love thee, Virgin, bathed in tears from thy fond mother’s side,
And I promised at the alter to love through life as now,
Say, Jane, when life’s sorrow came, did I forget that Vow?
Your heart will own I left you, love, our Country to restore;
Then wipe away thy tears, love, for I will roam no more.
~End~
About the Author
Linda Pendleton has written in a variety of genres: nonfiction, mystery novels, comic book scripting, and screenplays.
She is known to often say her writing goes “from flying angels to flying bullets,” but usually adds, “not in the same book.” She coauthored nonfiction and fiction with her late husband, renowned author, Don Pendleton
A native Californian, Linda is a member of The Authors Guild, and The Authors League, EPIC Authors, and Sisters in Crime. She was an EPIC Award Finalist in 2001 in the Thriller Category for the Novel, Roulette (previous title, One Dark and Stormy Night), and in 2002 was a finalist in the EPIC Nonfiction Philosophy Category for Three Principles of Angelic Wisdom.
Although most of her time is devoted to her love of writing, she also enjoys the exploration of her family’s genealogical roots.
Linda’s website: www.lindapendleton.com
Kindle Edition
Table of Contents
Letters home to Elizabeth Jane in Iowa
Also by Linda Pendleton
Copyright
Dedication
Author’s Note
PROLOGUE
Chapter One: Elizabeth Jane
Chapter Two: James
Chapter Three: Sunday, the 8th Day of March 1863
Chapter Four: Alexander
Chapter Five: Sally
Chapter Six: Benjamin
Chapter Seven: Katrina
Chapter Eight: Wednesday, the 22nd Day of April 1863
Chapter Nine: Madeline
Chapter Ten: Denny
Chapter Eleven: Michael
Chapter Twelve: Saturday, the 23rd Day of May 1863
Chapter Thirteen: William
Chapter Fourteen: Lucinda
Chapter Fifteen: Saturday, the 4th Day of July 1863
Chapter Sixteen: Lincoln
Chapter Eighteen: Sadie
Chapter Nineteen: Thursday, the 27th Day of August 1863
Chapter Twenty: Alan Vance
Chapter Twenty-one: Lawrence Taylor
Chapter Twenty-two: Amy Pearson
Chapter Twenty-three: Richmond
Chapter Twenty-four: Thursday, the 17th Day of September 1863
Chapter Twenty-five: Mississippi Woman
Chapter Twenty-six: Tuesday, the 22nd Day of September 1863
Chapter Twenty-seven: Peoria
Chapter Twenty-eight: Benjamin and Lucinda
Chapter Twenty-nine: Cannons
Chapter Thirty: Molasses and Sticky Things
Chapter Thirty-one: Saturday, the 19th Day of December 1863
Chapter Thirty-two: Yankee Territory
Chapter Thirty-three: Wednesday, the 30th Day of December 1863
Chapter Thirty-four: Crossings
Chapter Thirty-five: A Change of Heart
Chapter Thirty-six: Night Shadows
Chapter Thirty-seven: .Where the Grass is Greener
Chapter Thirty-eight: Sunday, the 24th Day of January 1864
Chapter Thirty-nine: Mind Games
Chapter Forty: Dreams
Chapter Forty-one: Monday, February 22, 1864
Chapter Forty-two: Alexander and Benjamin
Chapter Forty-three: Sunday, the 20th Day of March 1864
Chapter Forty-four: Rebecca and the Preacher Men
Chapter Forty-five: Silas and the Boys
Chapter Forty-six: Sowing Corn and Thoughts
Chapter Forty-seven: Monday, the 13th Day of June 1864
Chapter Forty-eight: Tea and Biscuits
Chapter Forty-nine: Saturday, the 30th Day of July 1864
Chapter Fifty: Michael and His Sons
Chapter Fifty-one: Choices
Chapter Fifty-two: Truth
Chapter Fifty-three: Sunday, the 18th Day of September 1864
Chapter Fifty-four: Twilight
Chapter Fifty-five: Saturday, the 12th Day of November 1864
Chapter Fifty-six: Endings
Chapter Fifty-seven: Tuesday, the 6th Day of December 1864
Chapter Fifty-eight: A New Year, 1865
Chapter Fifty-nine: Washington D.C., March 4, 1865
Chapter Sixty: Wednesday, the 22nd Day of March 1864
Chapter Sixty-one: Emily
Chapter Sixty-two: Saturday, the 8th Day of April 1865
Chapter Sixty-three: Cincinnati, April 15, 1865
Chapter Sixty-four: Friday, the 5th Day of May 1865
Chapter Sixty-five: Rachel
Chapter Sixty-six: Friday, the 26th Day of May 1865
Chapter Sixty-seven: Reflections
Chapter Sixty-eight: Wednesday, the 26th Day of July 1865
Epilogue
About the Author
&n
bsp;