April 1st, 1865

George Pennon was frustrated.
 
As he trudged aimlessly along an alley in Petersburg, he tried to block out the groaning and muttering of his fellow comrades along dilapidated walls of the town, their faces all but wasted in agony.

  The Confederate Force had been under siege at Petersburg for months now. But it wasn’t really a proper siege, however much the press wanted to call it so.

In some ways they were at a stalemate.The Union army had cut off the five rail lines that led to the city, leaving no way for supplies to reach the Rebels. But the Appomattox River made it impossible to surround it completely, as it flowed right through the heart of Petersburg.


Pennon’s stomach cramped ferociously as he huddled in a corner, out of the wind.

“If only old Lee would order attack on the blasted Yanks! The men here would rally their last bit of strength for any mode of action” George thought “If not that, we could at least cross the Appomattox River and head toward the Carolinas. I’ve heard  of plenty of food at the Amelia Court House.”

 He exhaled shakily. “All we do is sit around all the time, like lame ducks, and wonder which day is going to be our last!” he grumbled out loud.

His friend, Matthew Sandler slumped down beside him.

“I agree, George, what’re we waiting for? Are we all just going to die here?”

Pennon whistled through his teeth and shook his head. “Matt, I’ve been thinking that if we just lit out across the Appomattox and marched to Amelia Court House, some of us at least would survive to eat the bounty there. But we’ve got to do it now, before it’s too late!”

Sandler nodded his head. “Just think about all that food we could be eating, sitting there! It's enough to drive a man mad!

George leaned toward Matthew and wheezed under his breath, “I hear some are just handing their guns over to the Yanks, surrendering, just to get a mouthful.”

Sandler leaned his head back against the wall and sighed. “Sometimes I start considering that myself, George.”

George Pennon wrapped his arms around himself tightly and groaned with a fresh hunger pang.

 “Me too, Matt; By Jove, me too.”