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The American Civil War: A Short Story

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American Civil War Short Story Sweat dripped down my brow, the dusk sun shimmering slightly through the trees. The light cast an orange glow on everything. The gnats and mosquitoes began their hunt for food as everything settled down. neither I nor the other men would settle. We couldn 't. My musket rested lightly on my shoulder, ready when needed. We were all on edge, each noise stirring our sense of security. Their were six of us, each carrying a musketrespectivly, constantly on high alert. I thought back to a month ago. Never did I think it would turn out this way.
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I sat in my chair, a paper in my hands, a coffee at my side. The day 's long work was over, allowing my strained and worked muscles to rest. Nothing interesting was …show more content…

"Mrs. Jackson told me her husband had heard about the south talkin ' about war," she said, trying not to look frightened. "Oh Martha, the old Jackson 's just talkin ' out his rear. The south 's just fussin '," I replied. Nothing like war would happen in America. Right? "I 'm just worried, Tom."
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Something nudged my arm. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes, only to see one of the men looking down at me. "What 's the time?" I yawned. "It 's 'bout half past five now," he sighed. He layed down and I sat up. My watch was the last of the night. I was to wake everyone up at half past six. I picked up a branch and poked at the ground. Please, please be uneventful.
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My wife was a pacer. Whenever she worried over something, she would pace. So when I walked in at noon, I knew something was bothering her. She turned to face me and, without waiting for me to speak, she said it. "The south just declared war."
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I heard it clearly. The tree next to me shattered, splinters flying in all directions. The sound echoed for a short time and it woke the others. "What 's going on?" one cried. I swallowed hard. I knew what it was. Whether I wanted to or not, I knew that sound. The cold, familier sound. "Enemy fire," was all I could manage to say. The American

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