The Deserter by Jane Langton

dressing the stump to his steward and turned around to glower at the woman.
    She was deathly pale, but still standing. “Sir,” she said quickly, seizing the moment, “I’ve come to Gettysburg to find my husband. His name’s Seth Morgan. He’s a first lieutenant in the Second Massachusetts. No one seems to know where he is. I tried to find Colonel Mudge, but they told me he was killed at a place called Culp’s Hill.”
    â€œOh, yes,” said the doctor, who had received some of the wounded from that criminally stupid attack. His grim look softened. “There must have been a muster after the battle,” he said kindly. “Do you know who took Colonel Mudge’s place? Surely someone will have a list.”
    The boy on the table whimpered, and the surgeon spoke testily to the steward, “Keep it up, keep it up.” Obediently the young man dripped more ether on the cloth over the soldier’s face.
    â€œOh, yes, there was a list in the paper, the Philadelphia paper. I saw it, the casualties for the Twelfth Corps, and my husband was listed as missing. And I met a corporal in his company just now, but he hadn’t seen Seth since the fighting. I’m not sure, but I think that’s what he said. I believe the corporal wasn’t very well.”
    Drunk , guessed the surgeon. “Well, of course the roster of the wounded isn’t complete yet.” He looked at her doubtfully. “If your husband was wounded, you might find him in the hospital for the Twelfth Corps. You see, they sort them out by corps.”
    â€œWhere?” she said quickly. “Tell me where to go.”
    For a moment he considered, looking at her silently. “Are you sure? Perhaps it would not be wise for a woman in your—”
    â€œWhere is it? Tell me.” Then she had to stand aside because the next case was coming in, slung in a blanket between two young women.
    Carefully they rolled the new patient onto the table. It was a head wound this time. The boy’s face was flushed with fever. He was thrashing from side to side.
    With relief the surgeon dismissed the woman. “I believe the Twelfth Corps hospital is in a barn somewhere south of town.”
    She said something, probably “Thank you,” and he heard the swish of her skirt against the frame of the door.
    The poor woman is in for a shock , thought the surgeon, handing the can of ether to the steward. If her husband’s name was not on the muster roll of dead and wounded after the fracas at Culp’s Hill, and if he hadn’t been seen since the battle, most likely he was a deserter.
    The surgeon grimaced at Sally and Sarah. “Go on home, you two. William and I’ll get along first-rate.”
    Sally folded the blanket and shook her head. Sarah said softly, “Sir, I’m afraid there’s two more have died.”

A TIDY LITTLE
VILLAGE
    My, but the white went quickly. None of us had any white petticoats as it was all cut up for bandages .
    â€”N ELLIE A UGINBAUGH, G ETTYSBURG
    S econd Massachusetts?” The officer was in a hurry. His tent was being dismantled. There was a thump, and one of the canvas walls collapsed. “Here, ma’am, we’d better step outside.” He took Ida by the elbow and led her out into the hay field, where the flattened grass was wet and and the harvest spoiled.
    â€œThe hospital for the Twelfth Corps, it’s way south.” He pointed. “It’s Mr. Bushman’s property, a big barn, way down the Taneytown Road, and then you go east.” He gave Ida a sidelong glance. “In the morning maybe somebody’ll be going that way.”
    â€œI can walk,” said Ida. “Which way is the Taneytown Road?”
    â€œWell, this here’s Baltimore Street. You go south a little way and you come to a fork and you take the right fork, and then pretty soon there’s another fork and you go left. Then you go on about