Homeland by Barbara Hambly Read Free Book Online Page B

Nashville Female
Academy
Nashville, Tennessee
T HURSDAY , F EBRUARY 13, 1862
    Dearest Susanna,
    Is this how foxes feel, when hunters stop their burrows so that the wretched creatures can find no refuge? Though there can be little comparison, between the inconvenience of being whispered about by one’s childhood friends as a potential traitor, and the frightening presence of armed and drunken men around one’s house. I know your father and your brother Regal can be counted upon to keep Regal’s men on their own side of what is proper, at least insofar as you young ladies are concerned, though I consider it criminally irresponsible, to say the least, not to speak out for his servants. I am so glad to hear you will be returning to Nashville soon!
    At least my cousin Isaiah has come to replace our hired man. He and Oliver—
    [letter discarded—not sent]
    Cora Poole, Southeast Harbor
Deer Isle, Maine
To
Susanna Ashford, Nashville Female
Academy
Nashville, Tennessee
T UESDAY , F EBRUARY 18, 1862
    Dearest,
    Are you all right? The most awful rumors have swept the island that Nashville is being evacuated ahead of Federal invasion and bombardment. It will be next week before we will even have a newspaper story, if then. Please, please, write to me, to let me know where you are, and that all is well.
    Cora
    Susanna Ashford, Nashville Female
Academy
Nashville, Tennessee
To
Cora Poole, Southeast Harbor
Deer Isle, Maine
T HURSDAY , F EBRUARY 13, 1862
    Dearest Friend,
    Rec’d your letter today—so little time to write! I have to hide your letters now, and mine to you.
    My hand and arm are so cramped it’s hard to hold a pen. The whole town is on tiptoe after the Yankee attack on the forts upriver.Mrs. Elliott is on one of the hospital committees, and has the whole staff of the Academy and all the girls washing bandages. I didn’t do badly, but the town girls who’ve never seen anything bigger than a chicken killed got pretty sick. It isn’t just blood, the way it is with a deer or a pig.
F RIDAY , F EB . 14
    Terrible news coming down the river all day. Last night I got Mr. Cameron to escort me (capped and trousered as before) to the landing, to see the wounded from Fort Donelson brought ashore. At home I used to sketch pigs when they were hung to bleed out after slaughter. I didn’t think this would be
so
different. If I am to be an artist—a true artist—I
have
to know. But it is different, and horrible, Cora! I didn’t faint, but Mr. Cameron said, “I shouldn’t have brought you.” Still, I’m glad I know.
L ATER . E VENING
    More bandages. Raining on and off all day. Rumors everywhere, and no way of knowing which are true. People in the street just yell them up at the windows. Half the girls are weeping, and nobody is selling wood to do the washing with. I went to the attic to look for a basket for clean bandages and found Nora Vandyke up there, hiding. She called me all sorts of names and pulled my hair, but I got her downstairs somehow and put her right to work. If I can do it, she can. She’s announced she’d rather kill herself than be “taken” by the Yankees and now about fifteen of the girls are all in a suicide pact.
S ATURDAY , F EB . 15
    Word just came down the river. The Yankees have been thrown back. Mrs. Polk is giving a ball tonight. Just about every house along the respectable end of Spring Street is illuminated in honor of the victory. Mr. Cameron says, you can drink yourself unconscious on champagne just walking three blocks. Nora’s bragging how she knew all along the Yankees would retreat. Did I tell you she is engaged to three Captains and a Major?
    In an hour Mrs. E is taking us up to the State House to hear the speeches of victory. Everyone is talking about the Battle of Marathon. All I can think about is Payne, and poor Gaius—who was killed with Jackson’s men so near Winchester, Virginia, last month—and all those men they were bringing ashore yesterday. Is it over? Will Tom be able to be