Yankee Belles in Dixie by Gilbert L. Morris Page A

though,” Leah said.
    â€œWell, he’s about the best at getting an army ready to fight.”
    A bluebird lit on a peach tree branch a few feet away. The breeze ruffled his feathers, and he cocked his head to one side and uttered a short querulous syllable, then flew away.
    â€œJust when will we be going back do you think, Pa?”
    â€œI figure about next week.” He shook his head sadly. “We won the battle at Shiloh, but we lost many a good man doing it. I don’t think any of us on either side were ready for those kinds of losses. They say that Washington’s just one big hospital now—even private homes are taking in wounded soldiers.”
    â€œI’m glad Royal got back all right,” Leah said, “and the last letter from Jeff said there hadn’t been any fighting around Richmond.”
    â€œWell, there will be. That’s straight where McClellan will have to head. Like I started to say, President Lincoln has given him an ultimatum. He’ll have to fight or step down.”
    Leah had been reading the newspaper, and all the headlines said, “Forward to Richmond!”
    McClellan had trained his troops well, but he had no respect for the president, whom he called “The Original Gorilla.” It was common knowledge that he treated Mr. Lincoln with contempt.
    Once during the winter, Lincoln went to see the young general to discuss strategy. When he was told that McClellan was out, the president waited forhim for about an hour. McClellan returned and walked by the president without so much as a word. Lincoln waited thirty minutes more, then asked that McClellan be told he was there. The answer came back that the general had gone to bed. Not once but several times, Lincoln tried to see the general and was ignored.
    However, the country was in a furor now. After the victory at Shiloh, people were demanding that Richmond be taken. Now everyone in the country—North and South—knew that the huge Army of the Potomac would soon be headed toward the Southern capital.
    When Mr. Carter finally finished the work on the harness, he put it aside and said, “Let’s go get some hot chocolate—if we can get your mother to make it for us.”
    â€œI can make it myself,” Leah announced, and they walked across the yard to the house.
    They found Sarah playing with little Esther, and she looked up as they came in. “Take care of the baby, will you, Leah? I need to go help Mother with the washing.”
    â€œMorena and I will do it, won’t we, Morena?”
    Morena was wearing a simple white dress, and her face lit up with a smile. She never spoke, but somehow Leah always felt she understood what was being said. She had been told that Morena would never really understand, but she always talked to her as an equal.
    â€œHow’s baby Esther, Morena?” she asked, picking up the child. She propelled her across the floor as if Esther could walk, and the baby chortled with glee.
    Her mother suddenly appeared at the door. “Why don’t you give Esther her bath, Leah? Be sure you don’t get the water too hot.”
    â€œAll right, Ma.”
    For the next half hour, Esther was the object of attention from the family. She loved her bath. She splashed the water and batted her eyes and tasted the soap carefully, then made a face that made them all laugh. She had beautiful rosy skin, and Sarah bent over her, saying, “Lots of women would give everything they own to have a complexion like that.”
    Esther Majors had been something to tie the Carter family together. They had taken the child because Nelson had no place else to keep her while he was in the army, and they had never regretted their decision.
    â€œWhy, she’s just like our own,” Leah said to her mother. “I’ll hate it when Mr. Majors takes her back again.”
    â€œI don’t know when that will be,” her mother had said. “Not till this