Crossing the Line

The Accursed Soldier

It had been a deep probing thrust, a quick in and out affair that had went terribly wrong.

The probe went too deep, traveled too slow, and never made it out.

An enemy officer stood over the poor captured soldier looking down. “I’ve a few questions soldier! You can play hard headed if you choose since I will not torture you but sadly some other somewhere else will. I am afraid this will be the case whether you choose to cooperate or not.”

The soldier did not act as if he had even heard, as still as a stone wall he sat.

The officer frowned. “Well so be it… it is sad… your accomplishments were a thing of legendary stature even if you accomplished little to speak of.”

As the officer started to turn the soldier slowly looked up. “All dead… all of them… and we were never to come this far.”

The officer stopped. “So you do speak after all… that is good! As I said earlier you’ve nothing to be ashamed of… it was… well, let us say impossible.”

The soldier shook his head then started to speak his tale.

“We were to cut south from Hasdorf to Tandin along the Embrey River. It started fine and we cut through the Sykes Hussers like butter.

Then it started to rain, and the river level came up so fast that the Tandin ford was a torrent. Lieutenant Wilkins sent out scouts who returned with news that the way to any other fording places down river was impassable and heading back the way we came no better to us.

Too heavy the enemy presence and closing from all sides.

We started across and seven men and horses were instantly lost. There was no fording the river, so we headed west to pass between your Lord Patton Infantry on the north and some unrecognized other forces coming from the south. We got through alright then turned north riding hard toward Durham on the Old Kings Road. It was then we ran into the North Mountain Cavalry and had to fight it out…”

The officer smiled as he interjected. “Ah yes our poor lads were soundly thrashed… good soldiers too but how could they know that your force was an enemy so far behind their own lines. Captain Hadin was a dear friend and now... what for his poor wife and son?”

The soldier looked down.

“Many a man for whom one could ask the same! It was not our aim to do battle there… never a thing but escape!

A tiny seam through which to steal… and that is all we sought.

We lost twelve dead there another five were wounded and they had no choice but to ride on with the rest of us. Coming onto Durham we took food and what other things we needed but did no other harm to the folks there abouts.

When dawn came we cut toward the North Lake Forest but had to stop and bury one of the wounded who fell and died on the road. It was then that some farmer levies tried to challenge us. Many there were who came on in disarrayed rank and shoddy file to stop us.

Farm tools as weapons and stone and whatever else came to hand they aimed to fight.

At least a hundred we killed but not without loss of sixteen good men of our own and another twenty wounded. We repaired our column as the farmers finally ran away and pushed on with no time to morn our dead or look after the wounded.”

The officer nodded.

“The Levies did their job since the seam you sought after was closed during that fight… and then you had to turn west once again!”

The soldier grimaced as he nodded in return.

“Aye… West it was… when your regular infantry arrived at the end of our fight with the levies. At that point we knew not anything of the road, and as we cleared the crest of the hills we were forced to cross the road turned back to the north.

We made good time and the way seemed clear but then we came to the swampy ground outside Hull Township. There we detained and questioned a peasant lad to find the only track lay in crossing through the south edge of the mire for to try and reach firm ground where we might once again find our way open to the east.

We were by then hotly pursued by two unknown brigades and also by then five of our wounded had died to be left in the road where they fell.

We came upon insurmountable mountains then; blocking our way to the east and north. We had no choice but to take the way south without any idea what that meant.

The officer smiled.

“That was when you first encountered my Rangers… We were waiting!”

“Aye… From every hidden spot from then on we were harassed… and they never made a fight but melted away as we turned to face.

They steered us away from the mountains killing some more of us as they did... then into the open plain where we are now.”

The officer shook his head as he still smiled.

“Into the path of the Forth and Fifth mixed brigades… and with sixty-five men you chose to fight it out.

A sad choice that was for your officers to make!”

The soldier stood.

“ We were given no choice… they swept in at the gallop and we made our meeting just over there.

Charge and counter at first but your Fifth Mounted Infantry not understanding the danger hit en-massed as our lanes were set and we butchered the lead element with the few we had left.

Then… when the entanglement came on and all our force was scattered… we were picked apart until here I stand alone!”

The officer held out his hand. “You had us worried the whole of the time since we expected your thrust was a harbinger of a greater general assault… Yet it was a simple mistake as these things so often happen in war."

The offocer shook his head.

"I’ll be giving you to Sergeant Timmins now for transport and dare say that we shall never meet again… I can offer you a little hope that you might survive this after all, and am in my way sad for those you have so permanently lost.

“Sergeant Timmins to front and take this man as I have so directed!”

The Soldier shook the Officers hand then turned to the large smiling Sergeant.

“Take me and do as you will since I no longer care!”

As the officer walked away the Sergeant spoke.

“Come with me… And remember you..., unlike my Officer I do not make small talk.”

The soldier was hand bound and placed on a mount then led off on the lonely trail as evening set in.

The ride was slow and few were met traveling south on a road that led to who knew what, at least in the mind of the Captive.

The time passed and when it was well on dark Sergeant Timmins halted the trek and helped The captive soldier to the ground. They sat for a while silently as a troop of infantry passed by slowly marching toward the hostile front lines, then as the road became clear the Sergeant pulled out a knife as he spoke.

“My officer is a kind man… were I to deliver you to the interrogators you might surly die at their hand and he knows this.”

As the knife came out The captive was sure it was to take his life but wondered at Timmins’ words.

“Then kill me and have done… As I say, I care not!”

Timmins laughed.

“My officer bad me set you free… When that is done you must pass between those rock just to our left there and follow the path you find. There will be no one on it and it will take you east to a place where you can cross the frontier safely.

Don’t return to this land combatively for such an event as this will not take place again.”

Timmins cut the soldiers bindings and pushed him solidly toward his mount.

The Soldier turned back momentarily to issue thanks only to see the ranger was already mounting his horse.

“I thank you sir… And I promise never to return. You can tell your officer that!” Timmins laughed. “Just you be gone, since I know a soldier can not make any real oath as you now feel true to make. You will return and a fellow countryman of mine will die due to what has happened here… Still as soldiers we can share a moment of kinship and I bid you fare well.”

Timmins spurred his mount and dashed off to the north as the former captive quickly did as directed; turning down the path to the east. Once again alive, once again with hope, and committed to remember an unusual kindness given from one he did not know, offered during a hostile state of war.