Across Five Aprils

The papers carry news of another disastrous defeat in May 1863. In Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s superior military leadership wins the battle even though the Union forces vastly outnumber the Confederate forces. The hard-drinking, hard-fighting Union General at Chancellorsville, Joseph Hooker, represents the kind of leadership the North wants after the disastrous mistakes of McClellan and others throughout the winter—at least according to the newspapers. Yet Hooker “fold[s] helplessly” in the battle, after which 17,000 Union soldiers are either dead or prisoners of war. Fear for Shadrach’s life and safety haunts Jethro and Jenny until a letter finally arrives in late June.

Shad’s letter reflects his amazement at surviving Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville, and he sternly warns Jenny that she must not count on their luck continuing. Many a sweet girl’s heart has been broken amid the “massive waste of life” in these three battles. John sends a somewhat more cheerful letter, and Eb—somewhere near Vicksburg— writes to tell the family of his gratitude for being able to rejoin his unit, despite the hard work of soldiering and the prevalence of malaria among the ranks. Eb contends that the Confederate forces in Vicksburg are “beginning to sweat,” but the newspapers don’t share his optimism—their opinion of General Grant has remained low since the previous spring.

The Union forces still lack the leadership of a general like the Confederacy’s Robert E. Lee, who seems to be preparing to attack Washington, D.C. itself. Worried Northerners start to wonder whether they can win against him. Then comes the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. As the dust from that roaring clash settles, it becomes clear that the Union forces have achieved another key, if imperfect, victory. Despite—or perhaps because of—the immense loss of life on both sides, the Union Army allows the Confederates to retreat and fails to take advantage of the opportunity to deal a decisive blow. Then, within days of Gettysburg, Grant’s forces take Vicksburg. People with short memories turn to praising Grant almost as much as they recently disparaged him.

Shadrach’s luck runs out at Gettysburg; after the battle his Aunt Victoria sends word to Matt via letter that he was wounded there. He has arrived at a hospital in Washington, but his wounds have become gangrenous, and she fears he will die soon. She offers Jenny a place to stay, should Matt allow her to make the long trip out East. Ross Milton, visiting on the same day Aunt Victoria’s letter arrives, encourages Matt to let Jenny go and volunteers to accompany her himself, despite the pain such a long trip will cause him. Even if Shad has just one chance in a hundred of surviving, Matt decides to send Jenny to him, in part to make up for his refusal to allow their marriage before.

Ross Milton and Jenny set off early the next morning. Jethro can’t bring himself to work after their departure and finds himself at the schoolhouse, surveying the mess that the terrible teacher who replaced Shad has left there He considers trying to clean it up for Shad’s return, then he shakes his head and reminds himself how unlikely Shad is to recover.

Miraculously, over the course of the summer, letters from Milton and Jenny keep the family apprised of Shad’s slow recovery. And, by mail, Matt finally consents to Shad and Jenny’s marriage. As the new Mrs. Shadrach Yale, Jenny finds herself happy and busy in Washington, caring not just for her new husband but other soldiers recuperating in the hospital alongside him. Jethro treasures her letters and the overwhelming sense of relief he feels with the knowledge that Shad will survive. He writes Jenny a letter, using Ross Milton’s grammar book to check his spelling, telling her how much he misses her company and congratulating her on her marriage.