Joshua Chamberlain walked into the suite at the Willard
Hotel. He was in his brigadier general dress uniform. His brother Tom who was
the commander of the 20th Maine after him was by his side. Just as
he had been in the hospital where he forced him to live. The terrible wound he had
obtained at Petersburg. The only reason that he had survived is that his
brothers will to force him to live and the skill of his regimental surgeon Shaw who had saved his
life.
There was a short square man sitting in chair in a mussed private’s
uniform smoking a cigar. It was Grant. General of the Army. The man who had
finally defeated old Bobby Lee and won the war. In fact there were several Generals.
More stars than to be found in the summer’s night.
General Sherman sat on a settee sipping a cup of tea. “Step
in Chamberlain” he said.
Suddenly a balding lanky figure came up to him. Some called
him a google eyed snapping turtle. He was his old commander at Gettysburg.
General George Gordon Meade. Despite his reputation as a sour and cantankerous man he was very solicitous of
his old subordinate. “Come in Joshua and
sit for a moment. How is your wound? I hope it does not pain you still.” He was
in fact a kind man. To people he valued.
“It is tolerable General. I can make do.” He turned to
General Grant. “I am at your disposal
General.”
“Sit down General you are among friends here. Admirers as
well. Right Cump?”
General Sherman grunted. “Yes you are right Grant. General
Chamberlain we have a task for you. President Johnson has directed that he have
a Grand Review of the Armies that won the war. We want you to lead off with the
First Division. What is the status of your men?”
“We are rough but ready General. When will this parade occur?”
“On the 23rd son. We just wanted to know the
status of your wound” replied General Meade. “I want you to be there with me. I
am leading off with the Army of the Potomac. The plan is to ride to the
reviewing stand and then join the rest of the staff. You will lead our boys
past the President and the rest of the dignitaries back to camp. Can I rely on
you son?”
“It would be my honor General Meade.”
“I knew we could count on you General” replied General
Grant. “I am not an admirer of parades but President Johnson wants to change the
mood in the country. I hope it works. There has been a sense of dread ever since poor Lincoln
was shot. We are riven apart even more than during the war. The South fears retribution and the North craves revenge. We need to unite the country. I don’t think anything could be better to make a start than a big patriotic parade.”
“I will do all I can to help General. Just say the word. I
will have our boys ready to go.”
“I reckon that is fair enough. You are dismissed General.
You have two weeks to get ready. We will be in touch.”
Joshua and Tom walked out of the room and down the stairs. They passed a freedman lighting a gas light. At least they thought he was a freedman. Most all of them are these days. It was for them that they had bled.
“I wish old Buster were here to see this Joshua. He would
have been proud of you.”
“I wish he was here too Tom. Too many of them are gone.
Buster. Ellis Spear. All the rest. Gone but not forgotten. I remember every
face. They will be marching with us. We have to do them proud.”
“We will Joshua. We will.”
They had reached the mud of the street and walked to the
stable to get their horses.
They had too much to do before the Grand Review of the Armies of the Union.
