In a sense of awe, I approached with caution. I reached out my hand to run my fingers across the detailed embroidered flowers when I heard the giggle again. As I turned in the direction of the voice, a horrific scream filled my ears, along with the sound of an explosion. I opened my eyes, as I sat up to find myself on the icy-cold dirt of the fort. Bodies and blood were everywhere. All of time seemed to be slowed just for me to be able to take in everything that had happened while I was unconscious.

As I turned I felt wetness on my neck and left arm, I raised my hand to find blood on my neck. I examined it on my hand. The world around me sped up to normal pace, and I felt my heart race. I wanted to sit, scream and cry, hoping my dead mother would suddenly appear to comfort me, but a part of me forced myself to my feet. Keeping a firm grip on my rifle, I picked a direction and forced movement out of my cold shocked body. I was running toward the North-Eastern corner of the Fort, left and right, men were falling down in gruesome lumps around me.

A cannon round burst through the Eastern wall and impacted close enough that I was knocked off my feet. Covered in dirt and completely dazed I stumbled to my feet and changed direction. I began moving toward the North-Western wall, as I neared the wall I turned and looked back. It was in that moment that I really was able to take it all in.

The Fort walls were riddled with splintered holes, the ground was laid with a deep red sheet of blood and bodies of men and animals. My shock was interrupted when the Union forces came crawling over what was left of the Fort walls. There was a soldier who pointed in my direction, which drew the attention of many other Union soldiers.

I got up and made my way briskly to a door on my right just as shots were fired at me. This door led outside the Fort, I had never used it before but was thankful to God it was here. I felt tired, my head and neck felt very wet, but I brushed off any thought of injury since the rest of me was soaked in water and blood from the ground inside the Fort.

I kept moving away from and made my way to the Marsh-Lands to the North-West, a rather eerie pre-cursor to the Cape Fear River. As I broke free of the Forts shadow I could see the Union’s ships in the river firing non-stop on the Fort, even hitting their own men. To the East in the Atlantic were more Union ships, with landing boats all along the banks. It was like an ancient battle brought to light in front of my eyes. I had to peel myself away from the sight as Union soldiers were closing in on me.

Continued Next Week...