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.Even before he arrived, Sgt.Cooper shouted out his new orders.“Y’all listen up.Them Yanks is on the move.” Pointing to a tree a quarter of a mile away, he continued, “Soon as they all reach that tree out yonder, y’all lay down a bead on them, ya here?”Seven men stared out across the field at an approaching enemy, then tried to gauge the distance to the tree.“I’m a’guessin’ it’s about four hundred yards out.Should be aim-able,” Sgt.Cooper continued.With the focus on their jobs, they nodded simply in reply.“If y’all can slow ‘em down out yonder, it’ll give the other fellers time to cut ‘em to ribbons.Shoot fast… Shoot accurate.” He turned to head back down, then stopped and said to Geoff, “And boy… I know you’re a shooter, so you can stop faking it.Shoot far and get them damn blue bellies.”David watched the short encounter at the top of the bluff and wondered about Geoff’s safety.“What the heck’s he doing now?” he said to himself under his breath.“Probably some stupid suicide mission.”Moments later, Sgt.Cooper took his position several feet to the right of him.Just then, David heard the high-pitched whistle of an incoming shell.He rolled flat on his stomach and lay perfectly still.Seconds later, the shell exploded just in front of the skirmish line, several yards away.It tore through the flimsy logs and hurled projectiles in all directions.One man was instantly killed, another lay mortally wounded.David rolled his head to one side to investigate.As the young private lay dying, Sgt.Cooper stood over him and spoke words of comfort.Seconds later, he patted the private’s chest, then knelt beside David at the wall.Pulling his field-glass from his pouch, he looked across the field and acknowledged the enemy’s position.“Are they going to be all right?” David asked.“Not when we all get through with ‘em,” he responded, in distracted tone.“No, I meant the guys up on the bluff.You went up to talk to them.Are they going to be all right?” David asked once more.Sgt.Cooper stared at David, pulling his mind from his current thought and focusing on David’s.“It’s not them fellers up there I’m worried about.They’re safe enough up on that bluff.It’s y’all down here I’m fearin’ for.Hopefully, they all will slow them blue scum down enough for you boys to shoot ‘em to pieces.If they start to get through our line, it’s going to be a hot time for y’all.”David nodded, then turned to check the progress of the approaching enemy.Well past the halfway point in the one mile clearing, he knew the real action was about to begin.Turning back to the sergeant to ask a question, he noticed he was gone.David looked further down the line and spotted him engaged in serious conversation with a corporal.Suddenly, rifles roared from the bluff.In that instant, five men fell dead a quarter mile away.-----*-----*-----*-----Just moments before:Union Privates Andrew Jacobs and Robert Corso marched double time across the field.With the Confederate’s skirmish line looming larger and more distinct, so too was their fear and anxiety.The two had fought in countless battles and emerged unscathed.Although they knew they were lucky, they also knew at some point, their luck would run out.Pvt.Jacobs’ hands were covered in nervous sweat.He wiped the moisture off on his pants and re-gripped his hold on his rifle.Looking over to his friend, he saw him staring back at him and in his eyes, he saw the same emotion he was feeling.“You scared?” Pvt.Jacobs asked.“Nah, we’ll be ok.Don’t worry,” Pvt.Corso lied, hoping to ease his friend’s mind.Pvt.Jacobs stared out at the haphazardly thrown line of logs in the distance.He couldn’t yet see the rifles pointing back at him, but he knew they were there.Off to his right, he noticed a large tree.“About halfway now,” he guessed.Pvt.Corso looked back over his shoulder, then back to the tree.“Yup, not too much longer now before we give those Rebs a thorough whooping,” he replied proudly.As they jogged at a slow run, Pvt.Jacobs noted the obvious.“The shelling’s stopped.”Pvt.Corso looked back once more.Turning his attention to the skirmish line, he said, “I sure hope the general gave them boys a good tarring.My guess is he did.I don’t see anyone moving up there.”“Maybe he missed.Maybe they’re just hiding and waiting for us,” Pvt.Jacob’s said in fearful tone.He stared at his friend, waiting for an answer.“I’m sure he got ‘em,” Pvt.Corso responded confidently.He raised his hand up under the visor on his cap and squinted.With an exaggerated stared, he said, “Yup, he got ‘em for sure.”Looking back to his friend, Pvt.Corso’s eyes betrayed his words.Deep and intense, his worry radiated out from them.Instantly, Pvt.Jacobs face fell flush.“This could be it,” he said solemnly.Pvt.Corso glared at his friend.His words felt insulting.“Don’t say that… don’t even think that.We’ve come this far.We’ll be just fine.I promise,” he said resolutely.Pvt.Jacobs nodded reluctantly, then forced a smile.As his friend turned away, he blessed himself with the sign of the cross and began to pray under his breath.Suddenly, Pvt.Jacobs’ chest exploded.Blood and tissue burst from the gaping wound in a shower of brilliant red.He let out a guttural moan even before he heard the shot.A split second later, the sound from a quarter mile away, rang out across the open field.As Pvt.Jacobs collapsed to the ground, five more shots echoed across the field.In that instant, five more fell dead.Pvt.Corso turned and stared at his fallen friend.Shock and disbelief caused him momentary paralysis.As other soldiers rushed past him, he fell to the ground to comfort his fallen friend.“Andrew… Andrew!” Pvt.Corso moaned loudly.He rolled his friend over onto his back.The sight of the gaping wound made him sick, but he swallowed hard and forced the bile back.Staring at Pvt.Jacobs, his mind was consumed with sadness.He looked into his eyes and they were already glassy and distant.His friend was gone.Pvt.Corso leapt to his feet.Seething anger raged within him.His mind had gone mad.He bent down, grabbed his rifle and sprinted off toward the skirmish line.As the tears dried to his cheeks, he quickly caught up to his comrades.In an instant, he rushed past them.Out in the lead and closing in on the enemy, he brought his rifle up to the ready.Nearing the low section in the wall, he spotted a man kneeling.With his body half exposed, he made himself a conspicuous target.He quickly came to a stop, cocked the hammer on his rifle, aimed at the soldier in blue and pulled the trigger.Instantly, Pvt.Corso felt the bullet smash through his ribcage and explode out his back.He dropped his weapon and clutched his chest in reflex.As he gasped for air, there was none to be had.His knees buckled and he fell forward.Less than a hundred yards ahead, a blue coated soldier lay on the ground, blood pouring from his throat, while one brave man rushed to save him.-----*-----*-----*-----Just moments before:“Y’all take aim,” Sgt.Cooper shouted.The company of men held their rifles steady
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