Tear In Time (13 page)

 
“1868!” Dr. Morgan replied in shock, his voice growing louder. “My god, that’s
an eternity from now. All the carnage. How will our country survive it all?” he
asked rhetorically.

  “Oh,
it will survive it, alright, but not without the help of France and England,”
David replied.

 
“France and England? I thought they were on the side of the Confederacy? This
just doesn’t make any sense,” Dr. Morgan said, shaking his head in confusion.

 
“France and England
were
on the side of the confederacy: that is until
Lincoln turned world opinion against slavery with his Emancipation
Proclamation,” David elaborated.

 
“Emancipated what?” Dr. Morgan asked, not sure of what he just heard.

  “The
Emancipation Proclamation is a law that essentially made slavery illegal in
this country. It was an ingenious coup by Lincoln to draw world support for the
north and against the south. In short, after the Emancipation Proclamation,
France and England, both free nations, wouldn’t dare take up arms against
another free nation in support of a slave nation. World opinion would not
approve of anything so hypocritical,” David explained.

  “I
always liked ‘honest Abe’,” Dr. Morgan admitted. “So England and France join
the war on the side of the north?”

  “Uh
huh, after Washington falls to the Confederacy,” David said smiling, now
enjoying the old doctor’s reactions.

  “My
god, Washington falls? This is awful; just awful,” Dr. Morgan replied, shaking
his head in sadness. “I’m not sure if my old heart can stand anymore of this
strain,” he continued, now patting his forehead with an old rag. “Please… what
else transpired?” Dr. Morgan asked, now breathing heavy.

  “Well,
as I said, both France and England sent help, but even with their support,
General Stonewall Jackson proved to be quite a wily opponent. Out-staffed and
out-gunned, he was still able to rally his troops and hold off the north,
France and England for another four more years,” David finished.

 
“Stonewall, huh? I met him once in Mexico during the war, back in 1848 I
believe it was. He grew a handsome beard, I must say," Dr. Morgan
recalled, coifing his own long, white beard. "So what happens to
him?"

  "He
becomes president of the United States," David laughed as he considered
the irony of it.

 
"President of the United States? He lost the war. Why in the world would
anyone elect him as President?" Dr. Morgan asked, confused.

 
"Indeed, he was the losing commander of the Confederate army. That is a
matter of fact, undisputed. He also was one of the most ingenious commanders in
our nation’s history. Volumes of books were written on his military strategies
and tactics used in this war, because they were genius and revolutionary. The
fact is, he almost beat the north, France and England collectively. They say
his ideas are still used as a basis for most military engagements to this
day... I mean in 2005. He really was a brilliant leader, and lost solely due to
the greater numbers of his opposing force. The further France and England
participated, the more troops they sent. Naturally, the numbers were just too
great for him to overcome," David explained.

 
"Huh. It just doesn't seem right. He's fighting against this country in
war. That is treasonous behavior in my mind. How can people trust him?"
Dr. Morgan asked.

 
"A few years from now, after the sting of this war recedes, Stonewall’s
genius will become recognized. Most people will rationalize that he was merely
defending his home state of Virginia and was drawn in by circumstance, not
necessarily by choice. Basically, people will forgive and forget, and as a
result, he'll be elected president," David explained.

  "I
am without word or expression. This is truly remarkable," Dr. Morgan
stated.

 
"I wouldn't feel too bad about it. He turned out to be one of the greatest
presidents in our nation’s history. His reforms and subsequent policies created
a better, more unified nation. The old adage ’to the victors goes the spoils’
didn't set well with the south. There was still a great deal of animosity and
unrest toward the north. With Stonewall as president, he became an ambassador
to the south, so to speak. He appealed to them not as president, but as their
confidante, and urged them to move forward and embrace the future. His efforts
and leadership eventually unified the nation, entering the United States into a
great era of prosperity. He really was a great president. There are statues and
busts of him all over the country now," David said, as he reached into his
pocket. He pulled out a twenty dollar bill and handed it to Dr. Morgan.
"Whose face do you see on this twenty dollar bill?"

  Dr.
Morgan studied the money, front and back. He lifted his head and stared forward
for a moment in a daze.

 
"I'll be damned. It reads, 'Thomas Jonathan Stonewall Jackson'. The son of
a gun is going to be our next president," Dr. Morgan replied, more as a
general statement than one directed to David.

 
"Not the next president. Lincoln gets re-elected, and then there's Grant;
then comes Stonewall Jackson. Remember, it takes a few years to overcome the
stigma associated with this war," David said.

 
"Grant? You don't mean Brig. Gen. Ulysses Grant, do you?" Dr. Morgan
replied with mild curiosity.

 
"One and the same. Turns out he's a tenacious fighter, like a bulldog. He
gets results when no one else can. Eventually, he's elevated to a four star
general, or whatever they call it," David replied.

 
"Four stars? There's no such thing as a four star general," Dr.
Morgan said, confused.

 
"Lincoln created it and appoints Grant to it. He becomes commander of all
northern armies," David replied matter-of-factly.

  "Simply
amazing. Grant: a four star general, wins the war, and becomes President. If I
live to see it, I still won't believe it," Dr. Morgan replied softly as he
contemplated everything he just heard.

 
"Let's hope we live to see it," David responded morbidly.

 
"Have faith, my boy. Keep your wits about you and you should do
fine," Dr. Morgan retorted optimistically.

  The
day passed uneventfully. David rode side by side with Dr. Morgan, keeping pace
with the endless sea of humanity as they marched across the Tennessee
wilderness. Mile after filthy mile, black leather shoes kicked up the dust,
choking man and horse alike, as their muscles cried out in quiet agony from the
burdensome weight of their heavy knapsacks and rifles while engaged in ‘heavy
marching order’. The sun’s rays bore down upon the unprotected foot soldiers,
roasting their bodies inside their heavy, woolen blue uniforms, causing profuse
sweat to completely soak through, producing irritation and chafing at every
joint.

  Hours
of marching took its toll as the dust mixed with sweat on contact, turning the
blue uniforms gray in appearance, as the mixture created a thin layer of filth
that covered the outside of their uniforms. Horse and rider fared no better, as
the hours in the saddle created sores that developed quickly under the
continual chafing from wool against leather.

  Hour
after hour, the beautiful yet repetitive scenery ceased to be entertaining, as
each tree, each rock, each grassy field looked like the next, melding into one long
stretch of seemingly featureless, uninteresting land. Desperate for relief from
the excruciating boredom, each soldier recalled the memories of their lives
until these, too, ceased to hold their attention.

  As the
hours passed, the monotony of the day seared their minds, pushing them to the
brink of madness. Only infrequent breaks for water brought momentary relief as
the soldiers paused and exchanged idle pleasantries, barely resuscitating their
minds as they received remonstrations from their superiors to fall back in
formation.

  Like
moving targets, they had marched through enemy territory, anxiety infiltrating
their subconscious as they anticipated the ever-present threat of ambush. By
late evening, the column of exhausted humanity had marched more than twelve
miles through flat dusty roads and over irregular, hilly fields, all the while
keeping the Chattanooga River within short reach as they advanced on their
easterly path. In the middle of the wilderness, Gen. Negley located a suitable
camp for the evening: a series of large grassy fields that the year before had
been used as farmland, but were now abandoned and overgrown. With the
Chattanooga River less than a mile to their south, accessible drinking water
lay within their reach. Though not perfect, far worse conditions could easily
be remembered, leaving little for the tired soldiers to complain about.

  Heavy
black smoke now replaced the dust bowl that hung menacingly above the soldiers’
heads, as they separated into small groups and cooked their evening rations
over the fires. As far as the eyes could see, the flicker of a thousand flames
dotted the landscape while the soldiers lay and chatted idly by the evening
glow. Others sat in silence, mesmerized by the dance of the blaze, as the warm
fire gently soothed their troubled minds.

  Having
set up their tents and built their own small fire, David and Dr. Morgan ate
their evening ration of salted pork, dried apples and hardtack crackers.
Tortured by intense hunger and cravings from his future, David struggled to
choke down the bland provisions obtained from the now deceased lieutenant who
wore David's clothes not two days before. With hunger pangs suppressed, the two
reclined by the fire, both lost in thought. As the fire crackled with loud
‘pops’ from the still green wood, Dr. Morgan turned his attention to his
newfound camp mate.

 
"David, would you mind indulging me for a moment? What is the future
like?" he asked with childlike curiosity.

 
"The future? Oh boy, where do I begin?" David started with a smile.
"Well, to begin with, the food is like nothing you've ever tasted before.
We have pizza, Chinese, Italian food, ice cream and candy, and lots of
soda."

 
"What are pizza and Chinese?" Dr. Morgan inquired.

 
"Only the main staple in every modern doctor’s life," David joked.
"Pizza is basically flat bread topped with sauce made from tomatoes and
cheese, then baked in an oven. It is possibly the most delicious thing ever
invented. Chinese is short for Chinese cuisine, only it's not bland like one
might expect. It's made with wonderful sauces and intense spices like curry and
ginger that turn ordinary ingredients like rice and vegetables into a
masterpiece of culinary flavors. My mouth is watering just thinking of them
right now," David finished enthusiastically.

 
"Mmm, that does sound interesting," Dr. Morgan replied.

 
"If you think that's interesting, let me tell you about computers and cars
and planes and GERMS!" David said with emphasis, as an epiphany popped
into his head.

 
"Germs? What are germs, lad?" Dr. Morgan asked, now intently curious
with David's enthusiasm.

 
"Germs, my good doctor, are the sole reason for all your patients’
complications after surgery. Germs are the single biggest killer in this war.
Hell, in the whole world for that matter," David replied. "Germs are
tiny organisms or living things that can cause disease. These little creatures
are so small you need a microscope to view them, but you don't need to view
them to know they are there. Signs of germs are all around us, with infections,
sore throats, fevers, coughs; the list goes on."

 
"Tiny creatures?" Dr. Morgan replied, not sure what to make of
David's revelation.

 
"I know it sounds hard to believe, but trust me, they are the number one
cause of every problem we have today – medically speaking, of course,"
David answered back, then elaborated further. "There are four
classifications of germ. Bacteria, which cause illnesses like infections and
pneumonia; viruses, which cause diseases such as smallpox, influenza and
cancer; fungi, which cause a variety of rashes, and finally there are protozoa,
which tapeworms and roundworms are a good examples of."

 
"Amazing. I've never heard of such a thing," Dr. Morgan replied.