Horrible Harvest

“The boy is a sour mark on the Miller name,” Mr. Stockton said. “And you, Tennyson. He’s infected you. Weakened you. Feminized you.”

I bounced up on my toes. “Care to see how weak I am – Colonel, sir?”

Mr. Stockton looked to me and belly laughed “You think you can take me, do you, private?”

I give a pause before I let loose a smile. “I hear it in you. Ain’t never thought it was there, but there it is.”

He cocked his head to the left. “Hear what?”

“Fear. You’re scared, Mr. Stockton. I hear it plain as day.”

“You’re a fool, boy, and refer to me by my rank.”

“I ain’t speaking your name with no kind of rank, coward.”

“Mr. Tennyson,” Captain Docherty yelled. “I must insist – There are rules – The military is nothing without them. The colonel is not to be spoken to with such disrespect.”

“There,” Mr. Stockton said. “You see, Tennyson? They rob you of the rage you need to fight this war. They insist on discipline and structure and yank the heart of the Miller man out from your chest.”

Captain Docherty said, “Colonel, sir, permission to speak candidly.”

Mr. Stockton rolled his eyes again. “Fine. Speak. Candidly. Just get on with it.”

“This is battle fatigue, sir. Your conduct is – It is outside the realm of military code, sir. I can arrange for reassignment – ”

Mr. Stockton sent a fist to Captain Docherty’s left temple with such force I swear on all that’s holy I heard bones crack. Fist or face, I couldn’t tell.

As the captain crumbled to his knees, Sergeant Hicks entered the tent. “What the devil is going on here?”

Mr. Stockton stood up straight and shook the pain from his hand. “Who are you? Who gave you permission to enter my tent?”

“Captain?” Hicks said, sounding confused.

Captain Docherty fell limp to the ground.

“Damn,” Mr. Stockton said. “I never got to discuss my proposal with him.” He snapped his fingers at the sergeant. “You there – Bring him to .”

“What happened? Why is he naked? Why’re you naked, Tennyson? Why was the others?”

“The colonel ain’t well in the head,” I answered.

The sergeant placed his hand on the butt of his revolver and stood ready to draw his weapon.

“None of us are well in the head,” Mr. Stockton said. “War has made us all gloriously unwell, and I rather enjoy this sickness. Do you not? It is survival of the vicious, and the ferocity of this brigade is unmatched. Your captain he’s of no use. Sergeant, you will stand in his stead since he’s so rudely managed to lose consciousness.”

“Sir?”

“Have you all been so inadequately trained? Rank, sergeant.”

“Rank?”

“My rank? What is it?”

“Colonel, sir.”

“And that is how you shall address me – Colonel, sir.”

“Yes, sir – Colonel – Sir.”

“As the highest ranking member of your company in this tent who is not currently lacking in consciousness, I am informing you that one Private Augustus Tennyson is henceforth and forever more a member of the Miller Brigade.”

“If you’re fixed on calling folks by rank, you best address me as corporal, and you can shoot me dead right here and now, because I ain’t never gonna be a part of your brigade. Mr. Stockton.”

“I am confused, sir?”

“Are you impaired, man? What did I say about rank? Get dressed, Tennyson. As a soldier under my command, you’re never to allow yourself to be subjected to such humiliation again.”

“Now, hold on – sir – colonel, sir – or whatever the hell it is I’m to call you. I don’t know much about nothing, but I am of the mind that you can’t snatch up one of our fellas without official papers and the like.”

“Are you defying an order by a superior officer?”

“I ain’t defying nothing. I’m saying it ain’t an order without documents that spell out the this and the that of such a transfer.”

I pulled on my trousers. “This was nothing but a fool’s errand. Sending us here. Mr. Stockton, you’re crazy as they come. You never had much sense to you, but you’ve gone half-brained. Sure as shit.”

“Am I to be insulted by your observation, corporal, or should I say Major, your transfer comes with a promotion.”

“And that ain’t nothing but half-brained craziness. I ain’t but fifteen. I ain’t led but morning drills, let alone a single uniformed soldier into combat. Not for real. Not official. You would put me in your command?”

“We believe in you, boy. We trained you. I’ve seen you manage pain and strife. I’ve seen you kill. You are a leader that has committed the greatest of sins by choosing never to lead. I aim to wash this sin away.”

I laughed as I slipped my suspenders over my shoulders. “I am Corporal Augustus Tennyson, member of Company K –

“How do you fail to recognize an order? You do not have a choice in the transfer.”

“And how do you fail to recognize that your orders do not carry any weight? Your entire brigade is a laughingstock. Worse. Y’all’re bad for the Confederacy entire, and you ain’t being sent to fortify our coastal interests. Y’all’re being sent southward to get-cha out the way. We’re here to access the fitness of your troops, to cull from your ranks any man worthy of serving in a real brigade under the leadership of actual, bona fide commanding officers. You, sir, are what they call decommissioned. They think so little of you they sent but a single company to snuff you out.”

Mr. Stockton stepped to me. “That is a lie.”

“I don’t give a damn enough about you to lie to you. Colonel, sir.”