The End of the Civil War

 The End of the Civil War

His heartbeat was racing, would they come for him? No they couldn't, he was only 12 after all, but the thought of him going off to war sent chills as cold as ice down his spine.

   ~~~

He eagerly waited at the table, he couldn’t wait to see what his mother had sent him from Northern Florida! 

“Jonathan, Stop bouncing your leg please, you're going to knock over the syrup! I know that you want to open gifts, but you have to eat first!” Said his father. He was a kind hearted man, he truly was, but he was in the slave trade, and with Jonathan in school alot of the time, he almost never was home at the same time Jonathan was.

Jonathan stopped bouncing his leg, and instead quickly ate breakfast. “Woah there boy! Don’t you eat too fast now, the presents will still be there waiting for you!” his father said, chuckling. His laugh echoing throughout the small cabin in which they lived. Jonathan had finally finished breakfast, got up and ran to the gifts laying on the floor. He picked up a package wrapped in newspaper. He read the headline,

“‘War at Its Peak, Confederates Bound to Win!’ That's good, I think.” Jonathan thought to himself. He carefully untied the string, trying hard not to break it, and picked up the card under it. The front read, “To Jonathan.”  his face brightened up, for he could recognize his mothers handwriting anywhere. He hurriedly opened the letter, and read it.

‘Dear Jonathan,

Happy Birthday hun! I can't believe that my little boy is already 12 years old! I wish I could be there with you, but you know that I have to work up near the north. I hope to see you soon! 

Love, Mother’

Yes he knew, but he didn’t want that. He wanted his mother home with him and his dad! What if there was to be an attack in Florida, then his mother might fall into the hands of the rebels! He gingerly placed the letter off to the side so he could see the present she had left for him. He unwrapped the newspaper covering the box, and opened it. Inside lay a journal, its’ leather cover shone in the sunlight cast down in ribbons from the window. 

Just then, there was a knock at the door. His father got up and answered. His cheerful expression fell into a grave one. Jonathan could not see the man, but he could see his hand, black, and in it a letter was held out to his father, who took it. His father gave a slight nod and walked over to his chair. “Who’s it from dad?” asked Jonathan. 

“I don't know,” said his father, “but whoever sent it, sealed it with a gold leaf wax.”

“Then that means that they must be rich, right dad?”

“Good thought, but not necessarily. All I know is that they must be an important fig-” his fathers face fell as he looked at the seal. 

“What is it dad?”

“It’s from the general.” his father said gravely. His father quickly opened the letter and read it aloud, 

“To all families with a boy who can fight,

The war will be coming to an end soon, but we are not there quite yet. With the rebels close on our trail, and the recent surrender of our ally, we are bound to come across one last fight, We will require any help we can get. If you can, send your child to Snyder Lane immediately.

    From, General Scott”

No, his father wouldn’t, he couldn’t! He was his son! “Come on bud, we have to go get some food for dinner.” Jonathan grabbed his Journal, and with that they left out the door. 

After a few minutes of walking, they came to cross roads. His father took the left one, and didn’t bother to look at the sign, but Jonathan did, and it read, ‘Snyder Lane.’ Jonathan froze. He knew he couldn’t run, so he stepped back into the woods, and hid in a bush as his dad kept walking. After his dad was out of sight, Jonathan turned, and sprinted across the road, and into a corn field. They wouldn’t find him running in a corn field, right?

He didn't know where he was running, but all he knew is that he wanted to get as far away from his father, and his home as possible. His heartbeat was racing, would they come for him? No they couldn't, he was only 12 after all, but the thought of him going off to war sent chills as cold as ice down his spine. As the hours went by he slowed to a walk. Marks on his hand from holding the journal where visible, and red in the darkness. 

He was on the edge of a forest, but in the distance he could see a town, his only beacon of hope. As he got closer to the town, he could see lanterns swaying in the breeze. He could hear the cannons in the distance, and gun fire sounded like a faint hum to him. He was not even a mile from the town, when he could see clearly that the lanterns he saw had all disappeared. Dawn was breaking, and a new day was ahead of him. As he walked, he imagined what it would be like without this war going on, I mean it would be good, wouldn’t it? 

The edge of a big building was in front of him. He had reached the town without realizing it, but something was off, he could see gray and blue uniforms on soldiers. Who had joined who? He crept up to the door of the building, and read the nameplate, “Appomattox?” Jonathan said. He had never heard of this town before, even in school. He stared at the building in the daylight, pondering what was in it, after some heavy thinking, he went inside. As the door creaked open, Guards grabbed him on either side, but that's not quite what shocked him. The thing that did shock him was seeing general Robert E. Lee shaking hands with Ulysses S. Grant.

His jaw dropped, the Union leader, their enemy with his Confederate leader! He fell to his knees, trembling. Robert E. Lee looked at him, his eyes locked on him. “I understand that you ran from us, Jonathan.” His voice was deep, and strong.

“Y-yes sir.” 

“Well, you're the first witness, the war is over.”

Jonathan gasped, shocked at these words, for 4 years they had been locked in a bloodthirsty war, all to be ended by a handshake?! Jonathan got up, and sprinted from the building, not knowing where he was to go, he headed out toward Northern Florida.