This gives a background to the soldier whose belongings were found by Joey in Camp. I'm not completely satisfied with it, but feel that this is as good as it's going to get without a complete rewrite. Thanks to Alison H for the information I needed on the soldier (even if it did require me to change what I'd already written!
)Friedrich and Johan groaned as they pulled the deadweight of their unconcious friend into the surgeon’s tent.
“The problem?” was all he asked. It was clear, from his weary tone of voice and his pale colouring, that he, like all of those members of the medical profession attending the battle, was close to collapsing from exhaustion.
“There is a musket pellet. Lodged in his stomach,” replied Friedrich, between laboured breaths. He too was injured – a gash on his arm, which he feared was infected. The surgeon bent over Gottlieb and cautiously examined him, noting the pained face, deathly pallor and the harsh breaths he took. After a minute, Johan asked the inevitable question – “Well?”
“I am afraid that your friend is dying. There is nothing I can do to prevent his death,” the surgeon replied, with no intent of callousness, but simply an inability to care about the many dying men he examined. “The bullet is lodged in the stomach lining, and the wound has become infected. I have no way of extracting the bullet, and no way to eradicate the infection. I am sorry.” And he turned away, to deal with the many injured still waiting in the straggling line outside his tent.
Friedrich looked at Johan. Both had suspected that Gottlieb was indeed dying, and had been somewhat reconciled to his death by the time they had managed to get him to the surgeon. But neither relished the task of telling their lifelong friend that he, like so many in Andreas Hofer’s brave, out-numbered army, had to make the final journey to meet the Lord. With a suppressed groan, Friedrich lifted the legs of his friend and helped Johan to carry Gottlieb to the chaplain’s tent.
*
“Gottlieb. Gottlieb!” Gottlieb struggled into consciousness as Friedrich shook him.
“What? I feel awful! Leave me be, let me go back to sleep.”
“No Gottlieb, you must listen.” A tear rolled down Friedrich’s grimy face as he watched his friend struggle blindly, with glazed eyes, to distinguish his face from the sky. “The chaplain is here to…to prepare you.”
“What? Prepare me for what? Friedrich, I am so tired. Can’t I go back to sleep and be prepared lat-“
“Herr Schuster. I am sorry to say that you, like so many good Tyroleans in this war, have paid the ultimate sacrifice for your rebellion against Napoleon. I am here to prepare you to meet the loving God and the Blessed Lady on the other side, when all pain will be gone and all suffering over.” Friedrich looked on gratefully as the chaplain proceeded with his small dedication. At the end, he said,
“Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Schuster. God willing, we shall meet again in heaven.” And he left, before Friedrich could thank him for taking the thankless task of telling his dying friend exactly what his fate was. With tears swimming in his eyes, he bent down to Gottlieb’s side, watching his face as he came to terms with death.
“Gottlieb. I am so…so sorry, my friend. Johan has gone to fetch a cart, so we may take you home one last time. Is there anything you would like?”
Through his tears, Gottlieb said, “Some water, please. And paper and pen for writing a letter.”
“Of course. We shall deliver it, if you cannot. And your family shall know how bravely you fell.”
*
Neither Friedrich nor Johan would forget that cart journey, through the bright, mocking sunshine. Johan drove on in the midday sun, while Friedrich talked with Gottlieb of past misdeeds and adventures, of home and family, and of Friedrich’s sister Madel. And deep in his heart, Friedrich knew that although Gottlieb did not want to leave the Earth, at the same time he was glad of death because he would be able to be with his beloved Madel for eternity.
*
And then, as they were driving through the forests near their home village, Gottlieb said,
“Friedrich. Do you remember…do you remember…so long ago…when you, and me, and Madel dug that hole in these forests? Please Friedrich – leave me there. Leave me there! Then, I can die remembering the glory of my childhood, and of our friendship, and of Madel.” And Friedrich, noting that his friend was very close to death, replied,
“Of course Gottlieb.”
“And Friedrich. You must promise…must promise not to watch me die. Go, before that happens, and let your last memory of me be in happiness in our childhood hide-away.”
“Yes Gottlieb. If that is what you wish, then we will respect it. And I will remember you as you say. I promise…” And Friedrich turned to Johan, and directed him to the pit.
As they lifted their friend for the final time, both Johan and Friedrich noted how much lighter he had become recently – from fear, and sadness, and loss. And both wondered how they would survive without their oldest friend, as they embraced him for the final time, and said “Auf wiedersehen” in choked whispers.
Only as his friends drove away, with tears streaming down their faces and sobs racking their thin frames, did Gottlieb remember his letter to his family. And he tried to call out, to bring his friends back to deliver his final message to his family. But his voice was too weak, and his cries were lost on the wind and did not reach the ears of his friends. So Gottlieb wept, weeping over his missed chance to say goodbye to his family, and over his loss of everything. With his final few breaths, he added a shaky final line to his letter, hoping that his friends would return to collect and deliver it, then crawled slowly and painfully into the forest…
*
My dearest sister Marie,
This is it. I am dying. I am a soldier, and I died so that Andreas Hofer may force Napoleon from our lands, so I do not fear dying. Yet, I have you, and the rest of my family, so I do fear dying, because of all I lose. And yet, again, I do not fear dying. Because finally I will be with Madel again. Do not cry too much for me – I died as I wished, and I look forward to heaven. And do not forget me – remember our happy childhood, and remember me as I was then. I wait for you, with God and Madel, in heaven.
With all my love,
Gottlieb
Alas, I have forgotten to give this letter to Friedrich! I fear that it will now remain unread, unless he returns to collect and deliver it. I must hope that he does – otherwise, you shall never know that I thought of you at the end.
*
Friedrich and Johan both died soon after Gottlieb, in battles of the short war of Andreas Hofer’s Tyrolean rebellion. Neither visited their home village, and neither remembered Gottlieb’s letter. It remained undelivered. Marie never knew how bravely he fell.