Richard Brian Clark

Goodbye For A While Richard Brian Clark

Love won - then set aside through gallantry, self-sacrifice, and loyalty to a divided country! Ebenezer fingered the point of his bayonet as he watched the early morning's light creep slowly across the sky. Not a breeze stirred the leaves on the trees, not a bird was to be seen or heard. Men snoring as they slept on the ground nearby, squirrels scampering upon the ground stealing any food that had been overlooked or left out in the open, Ebenezer saw all this and smiled as he dug the toe of his right boot into the dirt. This Virginia soil was not anything like the soil on his homestead back in Vermont. In Vermont he'd have instantly turned up black soil, rich and dark and begging to be farmed. Here the soil was just the opposite, bland and lifeless. It was really nothing more than just simply dirt. Ebenezer could imagine his homestead as he saw it for the first time; a forested hillside area with lots of potential. His mind had planned out where he would build his cabin for the best breeze in the summer and the best protection from the winter winds, where he could watch the sunrise from the front porch and the sunset from the back porch. He visually walked around looking for the fresh spring where his water needs would be met and where he would house his animals. All this, while close in his memories, was far away from this battle site. With thoughts of family foremost in his head, he sat down to write a letter to his darling wife, Remembrance.....