Wind in the Willows

   Wind in the Willows

Suzanne Marsh

The thundering of hooves coming toward the Willows, awakened Annabelle Loving. She knew from things she heard that the Yankee’s were quickly approaching her area. Annabelle, quickly pulled a pair of her fathers old pants on, grabbed the musket he had left behind for her use. She would make her stand inside the house, no Yankee was going to set foot in her home as long as she lived. The Willows was her home now, her brother and father were off fighting somewhere with General PGT Beauregard. She prayed every night for their safe return. She moved with the stealth of a cat, no candle, no lamp simply darkness. The thundering hooves went by quickly; she listened until she was sure they were gone. Annabelle heard twigs snapping, a horse was coming into the Willows.

The big chestnut with the white blaze halted, a rider slumped, sliding off the horse. Annabelle’s eyes widened: that was her brother Jessie’s horse, but the man was not her brother. Her nightdress tumbling out of the pants she ran to the man on the ground. He opened his eyes for a second, she had no idea who this Yankee was. He was dressed in the ‘blue’ must be a Yankee running and hiding from something. She dragged him into the house, there was blood oozing from the shoulder wound he had sustained earlier that day. Annabelle, hated the thought of helping a Yankee but still he was human being, she couldn’t just let him bleed to death. The young man was white as a sheet, he regained conscienousness momentarily:

“My name is Private Willie Thorton, your brother Jessie gave me his horse, told me to

come here. He drew me a map.”

He lost conscienousness, Annabelle felt dread, was her brother Jessie dead? Why was this Yankee here, to tell her that her brother died fighting? She pushed and pulled Willie Thorton until she was able to put him on Pa’s bed. She took off his shirt to look at the wound, the moment she did that he began to bleed profusely once again. She had to stop the bleeding before she could remove the mine ball. He began to groan as she ripped up a sheet for bandages. This Yankee appeared to be about the same age as she was, seventeen.

Willie Thorton, began to moan, asking for water. He was dilerious, his fever was up, Annabelle knew that meant an infection, tonight she would attempt to remove the ball. She kept his forehead cool while she recalled helping when Jessie was shot during a duel.

Later that night, she got Pa’s bottle of whiskey, more bandages and water. She sterilized the knife she was going to use with some of the whiskey. She pushed Willie over onto his side, she had to find an exit wound before she could do anything more. She gave Willie some whiskey, enough to help with the pain. She then looked for an exit wound, the ball had not gone clear through. She took the knife cutting a short distance into the muscle of his shoulder. He screamed as pain soared through his body. Annabelle, waited as Willie regained his composure, then she began to probe for the ball once again. Finally the knife struck the ball, she slowly worked the ball out of his shoulder.

Two days later Willie’s fever broke, he gave Annabelle a crooked smile:

“I guess you are wondering how I got here dressed in a Yankee uniform.” Annabelle looked wryly at Willie:

“The thought has crossed my mind, how did you get my brother’s horse? Steal it?”

Willie, felt ranter awkward, lying in a strange bed with Jed’s sister:

“We were in Elmira prison together, my name is William Thornton, your brother Jed and I

escaped before that crazy Captain could kill us. I stole a horse, your brother Jed stole his own

horse. His horse was being used by that Captain. Anyway, we escaped. My horse was slower

than Jed’s so he told me to ride his horse. We split up in Ohio, he gave me directions to come

here to The Willows.”

Annabelle, sat silently for a few moments:

“Willie, did my brother say when he was going to come home to the Willows? How did you

manage to find an entire Yankee uniform?”

Willie seemed reluctant to answer either question:

“Miss Annabelle, Jed did not say when he would be here but if he is alive he will be here. We

stole the Yankee uniforms because if we got caught it would be easier to be a Yankee in

their locations. Elmira, New York is a long way from Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, there were

to many chances to run into Yankees, then I got shot by a Reb unit that thought I was a

Yankee.”

Annabelle, smiled:

“That is a crazy story no one could have made that up. You can stay here til you are healed

maybe Jed will be here by then.”

Willie smiled a crooked grin:

“Maybe Miss Annabelle, maybe.” He then fell asleep once again.

Time passed and Willie was healing, he helped Annabelle with mending fences, watering the stock and hiding the livestock when the Yankees were approaching the Willows. The Willows was hidden from the road by more than a half mile of dirt road, so no one ever stopped there except family., that knew the exact location.

It was a clear night, the moon so bright, the stars shining, the wind whispered through the willow trees. Once again Annabelle was awakened by the thundering of hooves as a Yankee patrol rode by. Willie awoke with a start, he heard a horse, a whinny, then he heard Annabelle scream loudly. He jumped out of bed, raced toward the scream. Annabelle was hold a lantern high up gaping at the Yankee standing in front of her. She had a pistol in her other hand:

“You stand right there Yankee and don’t move, you hear me!” The pistol wavered, as her hand shook:

“Jed? Jed is that really you under all that hair and beard?” Jed smiled:

“Annabelle, put that damn pistol down before you accidentally shoot me.”

Annabelle, put the pistol down as Willie stepped forward:

“Jed, we thought something happened to you, what happened after we split up?’ Jed, with sigh began:

“I found my way into Pennsylvania, got ambushed by some Yankee’s, three of them and one of

me. I killed them and rode on through. I stopped in Richmond, to see Pa, he is working

directly with Jeff Davis. I stayed a couple of nights then rode on. I was almost into Louisiana

when I found more Yankees. I waited till dark, snuck into their camp and swiped a uniform

turns out it was a Captain’s. That made the rest of trip easier. Finally I arrived here. I

don’t think I was followed; I need a place to hide for a few days, the Yankee patrols are

all over this area.”

Willie and Jed went off toward the barn to take care of his horse. They heard hooves heading toward the Willows. Both men hid in the barn as a young Captain and a column of Yankee’s rode into

the Willows Annabelle, hurried out, lantern in one hand and pistol in the other:

“Git out before I shoot you, I despise Yankees.” The captain was taken aback:

“Young woman, now see here, you put that pistol down, these men are trigger happy

none would regret shoot a rebel. Have you seen a man on a big bay? He stole my uniform

and was last seen heading toward this area.”

Annabelle modulated her voice as best she could;

“No sir, I have not seen anyone riding a big blood bay, even if I had I would not tell you.”

The captain sensed she was hiding something, he turned to his sergeant:

“Sergeant, take a quick look in the stable, see if that big bay is there, he should still be

wet from galloping in this general direction.”

The sergeant quickly dismounted, motion two other troopers to dismount, guns at the ready the moved toward the barn. The sergeant opened the door strode through the barn, all he saw was a mule no horses. The sergeant and the two men returned:

“Ain’t nothin here Captain, all that is in that barn is an old mule.” The captain turned:

“Very well sergeant, move out troops.”

Annabelle sighed with relief, she also wondered where Willie and Jed had hidden the horses. She did not have to wait long. The two appeared from deep in the brush leading the horses:

“Jed, Willie that was close, now that we know they are looking for you, it will be safer

if you two stayed here at least until the Yankees give up looking for you.”

Later that night as Annabelle slept she heard the wind in the willows, somehow it seemed so peaceful.