Finding North: A Tale of Surviving the Civil War

By Ruby Gardner

Finding North is a story of the Civil War and the civilians caught in the crossfire.

Brookneal Virginia, 1864...
The clash of swords, the boom of cannons, all mingled with the screams of men and horses as the battle raged across the meadows. Trembling, Kim and Jamie huddled against the back wall of the dim cellar. Kim sobbed and Jamie prayed. A horse had ridden over the roof. The roof, old and made of dirt and sod had given way and the horses leg had snapped. For hours, the leg hung there kicking, sending clods of dirt raining down on their heads.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ruby Gardner
• Release date: Dec 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463080887

Book preview

Finding North

A Tale of Surviving the Civil War

By: Ruby Elaine Gardner

Transcribed By:

Her Granddaughter Rebecca Gardner

Edited By:

Aimee LaRue

Original Manuscript Written Circa 2009

Published: 2019

Copyright © 2019 by R. L. Gardner

For all inquiries please email:

[e-mail]

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2019

Ruby Elaine Gardner

1937-2009

Ruby Gardner was born and raised in the Catskill Mountains of New York. She married Harry Gardner and together they raised 9 children whom she loved dearly. Those of us lucky enough to have been able to call her mom or grandma know just how special a woman she was. Ruby was a gifted maker of everything from stories and fairytales to quilts, paintings, clothing and even wedding cakes. She was always creating something new but the thing she loved the most was spending time with her children and grandchildren.

This book was given to me by my grandmother before she died in the form of multiple handwritten spiral notebooks. Grandma was a gifted storyteller but her cursive handwriting and faded notebooks were a massive project to decipher, which is why it’s taken me a decade to finally sit down and transcribe this. We tried to keep the editing to a minimum to preserve the essence of grandma’s story. The vast majority of this book is straight out of grandma’s handwritten notebooks.

Special thanks to my husband Michael for helping me decipher grandma’s handwriting.

Chapter 1

Brookneal Virginia, 1864…

The clash of swords, the boom of cannons, all mingled with the screams of men and horses as the battle raged across the meadows. Trembling, Kim and Jamie huddled against the back wall of the dim cellar. Kim sobbed and Jamie prayed.

A horse had ridden over the roof. The roof, old and made of dirt and sod had given way and the horses leg had snapped. For hours, the leg hung there kicking, sending clods of dirt raining down on their heads.

Jamie had pulled Kim close to the door. He had been afraid the roof would give way, sending a pain crazy horse down on them. Kim had screamed with every kick. Nothing he could say would quiet her. Jamie heard the shot that put the horse out of its misery. Blood had run all over the floor inviting a swarm of flies that drove them both into a frenzy of swatting.

Finally, they had given up. Neither had the strength left to fight. This was the fourth day they had been without food. Thankfully there was a spring here, the water in the basin ran red with the horse’s blood but the pipe that fed it was beyond where the leg hung suspended and still provided fresh water.

Jamie moved some of the baskets from a back shelf. He had helped Kim get settled and in no time she had fallen asleep. He couldn’t see how she could sleep; the fighting had grown louder.

Above him, the dead horse lay sprawled across the roof. Its mate lay across the other way, the cannon that they had been forced to pull now hung across the outer cellar door. Jamie and Kim were safe but they didn’t know it. There was no way to see. In there it was as dark as night. They had used the last of their candle. Jamie lay waiting for the doors to be opened. There would be nothing he could do about it. His gun had been lost while crossing a rain swollen creek. Now all he could do was wait to be found. He hoped his size and age would save him. He was all Kim had left.

Kim awoke to movement. Sitting up, she was about to scream. The shelf she lay on was definitely moving. Terrified, she screamed and hung on as the shelf swayed.

Jamie!

Kim! Jamie cried. Where are you?

Here Jamie! Here! she tried to get off the moving shelf.

Jamie stumbled through the dark towards Kim’s voice. All at once, the ground fell away and he sprawled on a stoop of stone stairs, whacking his knee on the sharp sides.

Grabbing for a hold, he stopped himself from falling. His hand came away wet and muddy. An underground spring he thought. A hidden spring! Above him he heard Kim ask Jamie? in a terror filled voice.

I’m here, below you. There’s a hidden run off for the spring. It’s been all laid up with stone. I wish I had a light.

I do to, came Kim’s tear filled voice. Help me down, she begged, hiccupping.

Jamie felt his way back to the door. He wondered if there might be a lantern or candle on a shelf there.

Naw, he muttered That would be too much to ask.

What would? Kim sniffed, feeling safe now with Jamie’s hand in hers. They stood listening for sounds from the spring run. There were none.

You hear that? Jamie whispered holding his breath to listen again.

Hear what? Kim breathed close to his ear.

The fighting, I don’t hear it. We’d better hide behind the door. Pushing his feet ahead of him, Jamie eased down on the wet stones. Turning to help Kim, he heard the outer door creak open. Men’s voices could be heard coming toward the inner cellar. Cold sweat broke out on Jamie’s face. He slipped his hand over Kim’s mouth. Kim nodded and pushed it away.

I’m ok, she whispered, easing down on the wet steps. Jamie had the door almost closed when three men entered the room. A shaft of light fell across it and around the edges of the door.

Jamie took a quick look around before the crack of light was shut off. To the right and down the steps, he had seen another door. He pulled gently on Kim's hand.

Come on, he breathed, There’s another door!

But Kim stopped him.

I saw a lantern behind this door, she whispered.

Thank God! he breathed. Can you reach it? Don’t make a sound

Kim felt for the lantern. There was a tinderbox beside it. She gasped as the box slid through her fingers. It hit her foot, making her cry, then slid to the stone floor with a loud clunk.

From the other side of the door a man said, Yah hear that?

It went quiet for several seconds. Then another voice stated in a worried manner, Might be this here roof’s a-caving in. There’s two horses and a cannon up yonder.

Ain’t nothing to eat here no how anyways, another added disgustedly. I’m for heading home. This here army ain’t got no food and I’m thin as a wheat stalk.

Musta been someone else got here before us. I know there was food here last week. I checked. The first man said.

Let’s get a-going another muttered, Gives me the creeps.

In minutes, there was quiet from the rooms beyond. Jamie took Kim’s hand and stumbling along, his other hand on the wall, he felt for the door. Quietly he took the lantern from Kim’s hand. She retrieved the tinderbox from her pocket and Jamie lit the lantern. Jamie was amazed to see that the stairs ran up past the cellar door. The door in front of them was narrow and short. He pushed it open carefully lest it squeak and someone hear.

The room beyond was small but filled with food. This must be the food the men in the cellar were talking about. Someone had moved it all down here.

Watch for snakes, he warned Kim. He needn’t have worried. Snakes had been on her mind since they had first entered the outer cellar.

Once inside, the two surveyed the store of food. Someone had gone to great lengths to hide it. Along the back wall stood shelves of canned food. Jars of meat and fruit gleamed in the lantern light. Along one wall were crocks and barrels. The smell of brine and the earthy smell of potatoes mixed with apples and hams that hung from the rafters and stone ceilings made their stomachs growl.

Fear held them dead in their tracks. Where were the people that owned this food? Would they be mad enough to kill them if they found them here?

One thing’s sure, Jamie said with a huge sigh. If we don’t eat soon, we’re gonna die anyway.

Kim moved forward as if in a dream. Food, food everywhere and she didn’t care if whoever owned this food came home or not. No one should starve if there was food to eat. Kim took a jar of what looked like chicken from the back shelf. With great care, she removed the lid and the lovely smell of chicken filled the room. Between them, they cleaned the jar. They ate an apple each and sat back, full and just a little sick with guilt.

Jamie, exhausted from his long nights and days with nothing but water, lay back on the straw filled carrot bin.

Better put out that light, he mumbled. I put a bar in that door. Ain't nobody gonna walk in unannounced.

Kim pulled a burlap bag over herself and blew the lantern out.

I was afraid we’d starve, she breathed as she, too, fell asleep.

The smell of smoke filtered down through the tunnel. Dirt sifted down on the two as they slept. Jamie awoke and lay still as death. He thought he had heard voices. Now he smelled smoke. Confused and still almost asleep, he wondered if the house was on fire.

Rearing up, he almost fell from the carrot bin. The feel of straw and carrots brought back the real world and he grunted, sweat beading his face in a slimy film.

Kim! he called into the dark, Wake up, there’s a fire someplace, we gotta move!

Kim came out of a deep sleep with a jerk.

Grab the dog! she shouted.

Following her voice, Jamie made his way across the room. When he touched her foot, she screamed.

Shush! Jamie ordered, Where’s the lantern?

Still groggy with sleep, Kim gave the lantern and tinderbox to Jamie. With the light lit, Jamie looked around. He could smell smoke, but just faintly.

Must be a fire near the spring, he said. You stay put, I can’t keep watch over you and do a quick search, too. I’ll be back as soon as I can.

Before Kim could give him a hard time, he was gone. Kim felt cut off from the outside world and filled with terror as she put the bar to the door back in place. At least no one could get in.

Turning the lantern almost out, she huddled among the bags. The flickering light sent long moving shadows across the room. Several times, she thought she heard voices, but when she opened the door, the voices seemed to disappear.

Jamie had been gone for a long time. Kim wanted to go looking for him but the sound of voices kept her seated. Finally she rose, turned up the lantern and started feeling the wall. Going to the shelf of cans, she looked along it. If the cellar had a wall that moved, maybe there was one here.

Thinking about the shelf she had rested on in the other cellar, she checked that shelf here. Moving the jars she found what looked like a short board. Twisting it first one way then another she felt the wall give. With heart thrashing, she eased the door open an inch at a time. There, running upward, was another stairway, the steps dry. From above, she saw a glow of light and swirls of smoke. Drawing the door shut, she sat waiting, trembling with fear for Jamie.

The sound of voices had stopped long ago. Jamie wished he had the lantern. Finally, he retraced his steps. Along the way, he felt two more doors. The light shining through the cracks in the door led him to where Kim waited. Jamie tapped the door three times. When Kim let him in her face was white as snow.

Quietly, he slid inside.

What? he asked gently.

Still shaken and afraid Kim opened the shelf. Smoke filtered down the stairs. Must be a fire in an out building or the house.

We’ve got to find a safer place to hide, Jamie whispered. I found two more doors. The voices have stopped. Let’s have a look at them.

Closing the door, he examined the room. It was cool and dry, where the water ran was damp.

You’d think this room would be damp too, he mused thoughtfully.

Unless the stair door leading up was left open most of the time, Kim added, feeling the walls.

It’s like a rabbit warren down here, Jamie told her.

Less afraid now, he led Kim down the damp stairway. Along the way, the two found doors and stairs that led off in different directions.

A person could hide down here for weeks, Jamie said. The rooms were empty. They had been swept clean. Funny these rooms look as though they have never been used.

Chapter 2

The field lay strewn with the dead and mutilated bodies of men and animals. The stench was forever buried in the nostrils of every living man there. Their nights and days would replay the battle over and over until they died.

The living ran from body to body, helping. They wrapped cut arms and legs, heads and feet, in their great effort to save what lives they could. Some stood in utter shock at the carnage, not believing they had done this in their great fear. In the beginning, it had been kill or be killed. No man there had thought through to the aftermath. Had they seen, most would have gone back home. But war was war. And their leaders praised them. And they would fight for their cause.

Jaimeson McGlen lay injured, blood running down his leg. The mangled flesh along his thigh made by a saber slash oozed into the grass. The horse laying on him proved too much for him to move.

Calling to two bedraggled soldiers, he was relieved to be pulled loose. His good leg throbbed as blood flowed back into it, making him groan aloud. They tied a bandage around his cut in minutes and were gone.

The cannon hung off a rise made by a dirt cellar. He hadn’t seen it as he dashed across the meadow. In pain and disgust, he crawled around the dead team to see where the cannon hung.

Below, a door stood ajar. Slowly, he eased himself down to the door. He would be cooler there than in the blistering afternoon sun. Not only would it be cooler, but the flies that now descended on the dead and dying would be less of a pest there.

Dragging his injured leg, he finally reached the door. It took some effort to push the door open enough for him to get through. Once inside, he lay exhausted on the cool earth. Another door stood open and he saw the leg of his horse hanging from the ceiling.

Inching his way along, he saw the spring. He almost drank from it but blood still dripped from the horse's leg. The water wouldn’t be drinkable. The sight of the ruined water made him mad. He was so thirsty he almost cried.

Leaning against the wall he saw the pipe feeding the spring, it ran clear water. Hoping the roof wouldn’t collapse from the horses weight, he drank through lips smashed by the horse kicking him as it pawed to free its leg.

Taking his bandage off, he washed his face and hands. There was blood all over his pants and shirt but they could wait. He was so tired. Jaimeson McGlen had been on the go; fighting, fighting, fighting. There always seemed to be another battle to fight. Now all he wanted to do was go home.

Too weak to realize how hungry he was, Jaimeson slept, the rag on his leg wet with blood. His sleep was filled with the pounding of horses, the screams of men and the smell of smoke. In his dreams, he tried to stop the fighting. His screams seemed to go unheard. Horses plunged at him. He was shooting them as fast as he could but they kept coming.

Had anyone come upon him, they would have thought him mad. His ranting could be heard behind the shelves he leaned against all through the night.

Jamie held the lantern for Kim, her feet swollen from the miles they had traveled this past week.

Far behind them, the ruins of their homes lay in ashes. The band of rebels had burned their crops, what they hadn’t stolen. The farm that Pa had built no longer existed. With nothing to eat or a roof over his head, Jamie had started North and East. His stomach jumped and trembled in fright every time he thought about what they had done to his Mother. Jamie had been squirrel hunting. The smell of smoke and a high pitched scream had made him hold his fire as he took aim at a deer, the first he had seen in weeks.

Leading the way he followed the stairs. Some of the passages led to the river. They didn’t go close to these. It was enough to know there was