The Mockingbird's Ballad

Lou finished up on a skinny, gaunt bay and walked over to a tree with Alex following, excitedly telling her his headquarters' news. She reached into her haversack and gave Alex a big greasy biscuit and strip of dried beef. Alex automatically offered his canteen to her in exchange for the vittles.

"Good, good brother, that's fine, just fine," Lou said absently responding to her brother's chatter. She surveyed the dozens of tents and campfires around them. The smell of a wood fire gave her chill bumps as it reminded her of her mother's fireplace at home in Tennessee.

Frustrated, Alex protested, "Oh come on Lou, this is exciting." He paused and noticed the look in her eyes. "Where'd you just go, Lou?"

Lou said quietly, "Home."

"Oh," Alex paused and looked at what Lou was seeing. They observed the strange sight of a roughly organized cavalry encampment set against the background of a setting sun - days' ending. This time of day, just before dusk was a melancholy time for Lou and had transported her to another place and time.

"Oh yes, Mockingbird, I see, too," Redbird confirmed.

Lou cleared the vision, but savored the feeling. " Yes, we're going about what we came to do, for sure," she said. Her spirit returned to her body as she sat beside her twin brother under the big locust tree in the moonlight under the violet sky of a fall night in North Alabama.

"How's your bugling coming along?" Lou said after a few moments, offering a lighter mood to their shared homesickness. "You know all them fancy brass horn calls yet?"

"Not all of them yet," Alex smiled, his spirit restored. "You know there's over a dozen calls: 'To Horse', 'Assembly', 'To The Standard', 'Charge', 'To The Left', 'To The Right', 'About Face' 'Rally on the Chief', and some others," he counted off. "Sure has made my lips and tongue hurt something awful. Still think my old horn has a clearer, fuller sound. We've been practicing for hours over in the woods east of camp. The Major has me working with a tall, fancy guy from Charleston. Get his name, George Henry Pinkney, II. The guys call him 'Pinky Two.' He's been a bugler since the summer of '61. He claims he's from a rich rice-growing family in South Carolina. He is supposed to have run away from home to the war when he was sixteen. He first hitched up with "Cajun" Pierre Beaugard down south 'fore this. He says the major is a good officer. Only when the major wants something or gives an order, best not to be tardy about getting too it. He ain't got much on patience. He's cheery and full of fun except when on the attack according to Pinky Two. He says the major served with Zach Taylor at Buena Vista. Didn't Grandfather John L. say he voted for 'Old Rough and Ready' once. Oh, never mind. The major is from over Fayetteville way. Joined up for the Mexican War and stayed in."