Almost Home
A Civil War Love Story
by
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Eliza could not think straight for worrying about Henry. She could hear the gunfire throughout the morning and knew from the soldiers that Henry was among the men who had gone in the middle of the night to investigate the commotion of gunfire. She prayed he would be safe and would return soon. As she did her daily work, all she could think about was Henry. He had come only a few days earlier, but she felt as if she had met her soul mate. She kept watching the road that came into their farm so she would see him as soon as he returned. The battle was over early in the day but it was late before Henry and the others arrived back to the Tucker Farm. They had joined the battle about 8:30 that morning when they arrived with Croxton’s regiment. The men were weary, but unharmed. They learned that the Confederates had captured two men from their company K. Eliza felt her heart pounding when she finally saw Henry and the others returning, and ran to meet them as they rode in. Henry was exhausted, but the sight of Eliza running to meet him gave him renewed stamina. The hours Eliza spent worrying had accelerated her feelings toward him. They embraced without reservation or caution. Henry knew he had found his soul mate. Leading his horse they walked together to the barn. Eliza asked him what had happened and he told her about the battle. They talked about how dangerous the times were and how uncertain the future was. One thing was certain though, they believed they were soul mates and even though they only met a few days before, they were in love and committed to each other. They walked a while, then because it had been an exhausting day for Henry and emotionally draining for Eliza, they said goodnight. Henry walked her to the house and then turned in for the night, hoping for a full night’s sleep. There never was enough time for Henry and Eliza to spend together. The war had brought them together, but it was also making their lives very difficult. The Kentucky neighborhood boys were supportive of Henry and Eliza’s budding romance and they allowed them some privacy. Just being associated with their relationship raised the morale for all of them. Eliza learned much about their lives in Kentucky and understood the close brotherhood they had with each other. They welcomed her into Henry’s life and respected her. Before going to bed Eliza spent time visiting with her parents, telling them about Henry’s day. She was upset about the danger he faced every day, and felt the effect of the war personally. She realized Henry was vulnerable to being captured, being wounded or being killed, but she could not change her feelings about him. He had told her some of the Federals had been captured and some were wounded and some killed in the day’s battle. She was so thankful he was safe. She prayed for comfort and finally fell asleep. She dreamed the war was over and she and Henry were married.
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About the Book
Curiosity about my great-grandmother’s name, Margaret Henry Hughes, was the force behind the writing of this book. Searching what few records survived, I was surprised to discover her parents were a Volunteer Union Kentucky Cavalry soldier, Henry Hughes, and the daughter of a farmer in Confederate Georgia, Eliza Anne Tucker. Coming from opposite worlds, they met, fell in love, and married during the Civil War. The Union troops, of which Henry was a part, were occupying Eliza’s small hometown of LaFayette, Georgia, in the summer of 1864. The circumstances that allowed them to meet, fall in love, and marry are fascinating. This story tells how the war brought them together and also how it made their lives very difficult. Their time together was cut short when the Union forces left LaFayette shortly after they married. For months Henry was involved in military action, facing the dangers of the war. They drew strength from the letters they received from each other. After my research, my curiosity was satisfied to find out why their daughter was named Margaret Henry Hughes. At the end of the war in 1865, Henry was involved in a dramatic event that most Americans have never heard about. Henry Hughes was among the thousands of soldiers who served our country during the Civil War. Since that time, many of those soldiers have become nameless, faceless, and forgotten. Like my great-great-grandmother Eliza, it is my hope that Henry Hughes’s service and memory will not be left in the forgotten cobwebs of history.
About the Author
Proud to live in the state where she was born, Beth L. Davis calls Texas her home. She is self-employed as a seamstress and dressmaker. Sewing is the activity she enjoys the most, and for many years, she has had a successful business sewing for the public. She is also an award-winning watercolor portrait artist, and she writes poetry. She takes pride in what she creates, whether it is an original dress design, an emotion-provoking portrait, or a book. She is married and has three sons and two stepsons, whose families include ten grandchildren and step-grandchildren. Inspired by a strong sense of family history, Beth has researched much of her family ancestry. Her research has revealed ancestors who traveled from England on the Mayflower, ancestors who traveled from Scotland, ancestors who served in the American Revolutionary War, ancestors who fought in the American Civil War, both Union and Confederate. Her parents, brother, and son have served in modern military conflicts with the US Navy and US Army. She has been captivated and thrilled by some of the dramatic stories she has found in her family research. So much so that she has suggested to her family members that they begin writing their own stories so that current family history and significant events will not be lost from the next generation's knowledge. She recognizes it takes only one generation for a family to forget those life-changing events. Preserved legal documents are valuable for the facts they represent, but the stories written and told by one generation to the next are the priceless insights into their personal experiences. Her writing is intended to preserve and pass these family stories to the next generation.