Visiting old friends

It was all much more real now. His uniform neat, and red only on the cuffs and his collar - bright red as it could be - with the red green, still felt somewhat out of place, all too new. He was humming to himself merrily as he approached the accommodations that the 33rd had occupied for the night. There were a few of the men that he knew and held as friends and departing earlier that day from them without much of an explanation, it was now time to surprise them.

He smiled brightly and approached the first of the familiar faces , with a :" Hullo." And a grin. Before a question could've been uttered, he added:" 's me, Zack." After a few blinks, the man looked the youth up and down before uttering a simple: "So you've done it?"

"Yep! 's been real fine with em! They've a most friendly captn' n' all that." It didn't take long before their talk had moved to other topics. And as a few others joined, they sat together, the youth high spirited, them their usual selves.

"So yer leaving us fer good, eh Zack?"

"I'll still come about." The youth grinned, leaning to the side as he received a friendly punch.

The evening had become or rather continued to be a pleasant one, and some drink was shared, to which the youth declined his share. But for a small sip, that is, telling that he was not to have more since they were leaving rather early the next day. They asked for the time and he'd explained, but thought no less about it.

"You've already got dirt on you." One commented as he'd noticed some of it in the dim light. "I'll have it brushed!" The youth replied merrily.

"You'll fight on the floor... that's not.." There were of course some who'd thought their way to have been the right and better one and found to tease the boy with his new affiliation. He had done nothing but grin and smile with them, taking no offense at any time. As a yawn drew him to his feet he looked about at his once fellow 33rd and straightened a little.

"'s time. Good night." With a few nods, and a few raised mugs as a goodbye, Pye left the group of redcoated men, making his way past a few who had been returning from the town and those who skulked about on either of their errands. With the voices dying down, he continued with the soft hum, glancing up at the moon as if she was his company, joining him for the walk to his new home.

"Oy, Pye boy. Didn't wait, did you?" The man, with the uniform of the 33rd approached. He might've been a wee bit drunk, but not to the point that there would be trouble. Just the normal kind. A stocky man, with a receeding hairline, he must've survived a good deal of fighting. He had of course scars, some visible and some hidden. to tell the tale.

It had been the drink that gave him a merry composure, for usually he had been serious, and when in line, a blank canvas, never to be painted, never to carry emotion with it.

"Couldn't. Need t' sleep." Pye grinned and shrugged. " Glad t' see ye though. They tol' me you was still in town, busy sum'place."

"Sleep so early, boy? Well, good luck on it. You'll see we's the better ones. But good luck in learnin' that." The man smelled of alcohol and could probably have spilled some on his coat all by accident too. If he were in a brawl, Pye wouldn't have been surprised either quite possibly.

"Well, see ye then. If they don't loose yer head tommorrower'" He held his hand out, waved a little and stumbled. He tripped on a stone.

Zachary helped steady the man and smiled. " If it will be me turn, so it will be." He answered with a shrug. " I'll be out, n' I chose it, t' be a rifleman! n' choosin' is good!..havin' a choice is. Not with orders!.. but..well'm... with t' coat!"

" Silly boy. S' t' army. t' only thing ye choose here is.." He craned his neck a little, had his brows together in thought and shrugged. "..well, wot' ye can do when nobody's lookin' right after the battle has been fought fer' some time n' walls broken." His mind wandered a little. " T' only thing. But even that ain't choosin' fer long." He patted Pye on the shoulder.

"Be gone before Sarg'nt sees you. He won't be likin' t' see you wear that."

Pye smiled and shrugged. "Won't notice I think. Me gone that is."

He glanced in the direction of the 33rd, and adjusted his coat a little, dusting at the front where he'd been warned about the dirt. "Well, take care, Johnny. As always."

"Him?..." The man shook his head and said no more. He wouldn't, who knows where that sergeant was, he was all ears, everywhere. "Be gone, whelp!" He laughed softly.

"Was tryin' t'." The youth held his hand up in goodbye and turned , continuing in a light step. As some distance was between the man and him he veered to the left of the path. walking past the bush and few trees he listened but needn't try to hear where the river was, to know it was in the direction.

He crouched down at the bank, and reached into his coat, producing the canteen that needed filling. A glint of light as the moon's own had reflected on it and then it was lowered in.

Not too far from where Pye was, he could hear some singing that was went on till somebody had yelled for the man to be silent, then the song began louder for a moment and then there was silence again. Hurried feet and apologies in a stream of slurred words. Nothing that would really mean much to the boy, as it was, as most sounds, not too out of the ordinary for the days in town.

Sitting himself down once the canteen was full he looked to the other bank. He leaned back and peered at the sky. There the stars were twinkling, so distant. He had hoped to feel sleepy, but he felt so charged with energy still, that a shut eye was out of the question.

After near dozing to sleep several times, the boy sat up, then stood and brushed his coat clean. He picked the full canteen. He knew some men filled it less just because of it's weight. It was not right, though they did so. He didn't want to do it wrong on his first day with the green coats, so bearing a little weight more would do.

With a stretch and an arch to his neck to get the stiffness from it, he climbed back up the bank, through the bush and trees that were right next to it, then turned for the 60th rifles camp. There he lay down at the first most convenient a place, pulled his rifle close, a hand draped over it protectively. A last sigh followed, as he found a position that suited him. Atleast he was no longer bustling with energy, and it took no more than a short few breaths, before he slept as if shot dead.

18th May : After the March has finished for the day

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The rifle didn't need much additional cleaning, his uniform was a bit dusty from the walk, but with a few pats against the fabric, dust rose and settled elsewhere. Pye sat down a bit further from the main body of the 60th and busied himself with his shoe. A few shakes later and even the finest of stone material was out where it couldn't bother a sole of the shoe's wearer. With the shoe back on, and a gaiter neatly fastened he looked up from his place checking the amount of light and the weather's prospects. He stretched and stood. When he looked at the riflemen they were in the various stages of preparations, mostly for cooking, some just rest.

He had passed the kettle just to drop a whole onion and a carrot which still had some earth to it, beside the cook. With a quick nod he turned and left.

And later approached the 33rd. Just to see if Johnny hadn't lost his way the day earlier and then it would probably be time for food already. Breathing in the clean, fresh air felt good, the uniform much better at blending him with his surroundings.

Johnny was seated with a crowd of the usual kind. A few men further one was seated and tending to his foot, which had been rubbed raw at the side and on his big toe. The men with Johnny were mostly of a typical and less typical kind for the 33rd. Some were not good to mess with and others were less quick tempered at the very least.

When he noticed the green and the small bit of red, it wasn't long that he recognized the young lad with a scar across his cheek. He waved to the youth calling him over.

"Hey." Pye grinned and sat himself beside the men. The others didn't look to mind, and some had to go about before sleep as well, so those rose up and left.

"Hey, Zach. Wos' just thinking of coming over to see your side of the camp. See if t' grass is any greener over there." The man spoke in his baritone, taking a swig from his mug. If Johnny was true to his nature, there wasn't just tea in there. But nothing enough to risk getting caught for. Just enough to send some warmth down where it counted.

"No, no." He shook his head and looking at Johnny he added with a smile: "Well better yer don't , jus' now. Them don't like the 33rd too much. A bit like the 95th. Right? Well, not the whole, but some of 'em. I think." He shrugged for he knew too little of the 60th to know what went on in their minds. He did see Newbury's reaction and Maggie's too, though Cotton didn't look to take much emphasis on it, nor Vickery.

"Oh, now! Our ol' boy don't want us ter tarnish his reputation eh?" Johnny laughed. Pye looked ready to respond as quickly as his breath allowed him, thinking Johnny was serious in his accusations. He already looked to be shaking his head as energetically that the man thought to suggest he be careful or else it might fall off.

"You're lettin' jus' our sergeant go, eh?"

"No, no. Didn't mean that! Sure I'd be glad f' you t' come but... " He didn't know really. People shouldn't dislike each other on the basis of their uniforms. Or faces, of drunk men being a tad bit rowdy.

With his mind less distracted he nodded and answered:"... Yes sergeant Hakeswill's been with us just, well durin' t' march that!" He didn't like how he had spoken to Cotton.

"N' ..I dunno." He sighed. He hadn't wanted there to be any misgivings between the two, the 60th and the 33rd.

Johnny shook his head, took another swig from his mug and reached out with it to have it refilled again. He looked to the boy in silence.

"'s he 'round?" He rubbed his shoulder a little and leaned back. He was relaxed.

"You know him. He's everywhere, anywhere, somewhere, nowhere all the same." The man shrugged and spat a mouthful at the floor. "Didn't see him since we've camped, don't mean he's not about. Why? Sure ye don't want to talk t' him?"

He shook his head. "Nuh u'!! Couldn't talk to him neither! Me'um being a private.."He paused then grinned broadly, brightly and proudly: " A Rifleman! As they'm .. uh we call that." He studied his uniform smiling like there was no trouble in the world.

"..Oh, ye had your feed yet?" He asked curiously, he knew he'd have to hurry for his own. Food, all important!