by Nathan Butler

Created on: February 21, 2010

April 18th, 1861

            Today ends my fourth day stationed here at Harper’s Ferry, and an eventful day it has been. After the recent attack by the Confederate Army on Fort Sumter a group of us were assigned to protect the arms depot here at Harper’s Ferry. With Lieutenant Roger Jones in charge we prepared out defenses in case of an enemy attack. With the rebel’s lack of guns, ammunition and such they were sure to attack us here, as enough ammunition and weapons are stored here for a small war. We received speedy word from some boys up at Fort Sumter that the rebels were on their way here and, as we were greatly outnumbered, we prepared a last line of defense. The armory was rigged with charges, and the Lieutenant, that brave soul, made a line of gunpowder from the armory all the way outside. He was determined that if we were to retreat the confederates were not to gain anything of their victory. As the night began we could hear the sound of the rebels coming, at least 300 strong against the handful of us that were stationed here. It was decided that this was a battle we could not win, even though it could not afford to be lost. We all helped the Lieutenant prepare to burn down the armory, and as we retreated from our post we blew that storehouse to high heaven. Yes, those rebels were not getting anything out of that place but some heat and a lot of ash.

            I can only be glad that in the end we did not have to physically fight. Every battle more friends and familiar faces are lost, and their place is usually taken by some green barely-eighteen farm boy who has never held a musket before. In my time in the war has not been half as bad as many of those that I have heard of though. Stories of brothers, father and son and old friends meeting each other on the battlefield on opposite sides always make devastating tales, and in all truth this entire war is a horrific thing. Countrymen should not have to fight each other. In the end though I guess that someone has to fight the wars in progress is going to be made, and we just have to pray that that progress is in a forward direction instead of a backwards one.

Now that night has fallen I must hastily catch some sleep to prepare for the long day that is sure to follow tomorrow. Another day another battle, another death in horrible agony under the doctor’s knife and another day missing all of those lost and left behind from a past life. Be it God’s will that I live through another day then until tomorrow I rest my pen.

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