An Undecided Fate

Chapter 30

July 1, 1863

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

As the Union soldiers prepared for war, General McClellan reminded them, "This battle will be the largest battle yet, with 85,000 men from our side and 75,000 men from the Confederates'. We may have 10,000 more than them, but that doesn't mean that we can take a little easier. We have been defeated by the Confederates for that past several battles. We need to rise hope for the North, for the Union."

It was only about an hour later the Confederates pulled a sudden attack on the Union soldiers, but thankfully they had been already armed and had guns fully loaded with bullets. 

Meanwhile at the army nurses' tent...

"Lilly," Cassandra requested as she finished up her stitching for a wound on a soldier's leg, "Can you fetch some water from that man-made lake nearby?"

"Definitely," her sister replied and with that she ran off.

It was only about a minute until Lilly had been able to see the lake. Her heart stopped as she suddenly spotted a man in a Confederate suit walking by, somewhat secretively. 

She had no idea what impulse jolted inside her, but with an ultimate level of confidence she made an immediate dash towards the man and pounced on him from behind. Once Lilly trapped the man under her knees, she punched with full force onto his shoulder. 

"Ow!" the man yelled. He then pushed Lilly off of him and once she ended up under him he was about give a smack on the face, but stopped himself right away. 

Lilly asked in pure confusion, "Henry?!"

"Lilly?!" he asked just as confused. Immediately he got himself off of her and helped her up. 

Lilly began, "Oh Henry..." she looked down at her hands unable to hold guilt then looked back up at him, "I'm so sorry, really really sorry. I've must have hurt you so much! Especially on the shoulder..."

Henry chuckled in response, "I don't blame you, I am wearing a Confederate suit."

"Why on earth would you do that?" Lilly threw her hands up in the air, "To get killed?"

"This technique, in fact, was very successful that last time we used it. It's much easier to take down the enemies this way...several of us were actually appointed by the General to do this, so they all know that I'm really a Union soldier," Henry said as he looked at his Confederate suit in disgust and annoyance, then looked back at the lady in front of him with an apologetic expression, "I, too, am sorry, Lilly. I was about to smack you in the face!" 

"Well," she began, "any victim would do that to his or her attacker, right?"

"I guess," he said scratching his head, "but I've got to run, we've already been attacked by the Confederates!" and then he jogged his way towards the battle field. 

Meanwhile, Lilly fetched the water and dashed back to the army nurses' tent. 

***

Two days later...

"Oh boy," Cassandra said in wonder as she gazed over at an apple tree, "So many apples! I should harvest them before they get too ripe," she grabbed a basket and walked over to the apple tree.

After she picked about ten apples she started to hear footsteps and voices, coming closer and closer. Few seconds later she was able to recognize that the sounds were coming from two men and that they were Confederates. Terrified, Cassandra hid behind the tree, thankful that it was wide enough to cover herself completely.