Sarah Campbell: The Tale of a Civil War Orphan
By Nancy Dane
Award-winning author Nancy Dane presents this 14-chapter serial for the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation literacy
program. For more information on Ms. Daneʼs books, visit www.nancydane.com.
T
Chapter 5 – The Prisoners
hey had just taken seats on large rocks in the
shade when a group of soldiers marched past. In
the middle of the procession walked four prisoners, young men bound with iron manacles.
“Wonder what they did?” questioned pudgy
Henry Jordon.
Williamʼs chest
swelled with importance. “Theyʼre rebs.
They stole our uniforms, put ʼem on, and
then rode into camp
and killed eight soldiers in the 1st Arkansas. I heard all about
ʼem this morning at
the chaplainʼs office.
Theyʼre heading for the guardhouse because
theyʼre gonna get shot by a firing squad in a few
days.”
“So young,” whispered Miss Nelda. “Tragic.”
Williamʼs eyebrows drew together. “They
donʼt look so young to me.”
Miss Nelda gave a sad smile. “I suppose not,
but I doubt thereʼs a one over twenty,” she said,
“and I imagine that last one is closer to sixteen.”
Sarah watched until they were out of sight.
Her jaws hardened as she remembered Ma and Pa
lying on the ground. The men might be young
and they might be soldiers, but they sounded like
bushwhackers. She felt no pity for them.
Miss Nelda had a pleasant voice. However
Sarahʼs mind wandered from the story. She hoped
someday the army would catch the men who had
murdered Pa and Ma.
Miss Nelda shushed the boys who were whispering. Sarah had overheard William and Henry
planning to watch the firing squad. Her eyes grew
big when William leaned over to ask if she wanted
to come too.
A few days later Sarah was delighted when
William asked if she wanted to go fishing. She
loved fishing, and besides Kate was determined to
make her life miserable. She avoided her as often
as possible.
Now in hot morning sun they passed near the
tall stone walls of the fort. William stopped to
stare at the guardhouse. “Wonder how it feels to
know youʼre gonna die?”
Sarah had no idea. But she knew how it felt to
watch loved ones die. She kept walking, and soon William caught up.
“Too late in the
day for good
fishing,” grumbled Henry.
“Aw, stop bellyaching.
We
had to finish our
chores.”
Henry was right.
The fish werenʼt
biting. Sarahʼs
line floated on
the sun-sparked ripples without even one tug. She
didnʼt mind. It was nice sitting in the shade, far
away from Kateʼs nastiness.
Finally William lifted the cane pole to pull in
the line. “We better get back. Weʼre supposed to
shuck corn for dinner.”
Sarah held back a sigh. She didnʼt mind the
work, but she dreaded working alongside Kate.
Her arm was black and blue from yesterdayʼs
pinches.
As they trudged past the fort walls, a voice
made them halt in their tracks.
“Not biting, huh?”
Sarah looked up to see a young, smiling face
at the barred window. She tried to drag William
away, but he stayed rooted to the spot.
“Youʼre one of them Reb prisoners, arenʼt
you?” he observed.
“Sure am. Bill Careyʼs the name. Hey, tell
your friend to shut his mouth or heʼll start catching flies.”
When Henry ran away, the man actually chuckled. Sarah wanted to run too, but she wouldnʼt
leave William.
Next Week:
Chapter 6 - A Sad Reality
Some language used in the story might sound odd
or even offensive in todayʼs society, but is authentic
for that era. The Civil War was a violent time, and
to be accurately portrayed must be written as such.