Rain Upon the Blinding Dust

The men fired as one. Smoke rolled up covering the black men. A slight breeze moved the smoke away rapidly. "Reload!" Shouted Sergeant Garner. The men pulled their muskets down by their sides. There was a loud clank of metal as the men packed the charges with their ramrods. "Ready!" The men raised their muskets for a second volley. But all that could be seen was a few riderless horses galloping around the scrub brush without direction. The men held their muskets ready for several minutes. Moses' arms began to burn. Sergeant Garner took a step forward then turned to face the men. "Rest!" Moses lowered his musket, resting his aching arms. Several minutes later Lieutenant Hayes came riding back up. "Good job, sergeant. Form your men back into columns and move them out." He turned the horse and rode back down the line. Within minutes the column was moving east again. "Guess we showed them," gloated Napoleon with a snicker. "Hush, boy. We wus doin' a job an' they was jus' doin' a job," snarled Plato.