Chapter 10 "Blood on the Prairie A Novel of the Sioux Uprising" (continued)

 Background: At this point in the story line, Chief Scout Toby Ryker is visiting the sick and wounded soldiers from the Dakota Conflict and the larger Civil War hospitalized at Fort Snelling. He meets a mortally wounded young soldier named Edwin Balch from Glencoe, Minnesota, and accompanies him on his last journey home. We call him Eddy and have him as an amputee with gangrene. Balch is cited on page 333 of Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-1865 published in 1890 by the Pioneer Press Company, St Paul, Minnesota. The cite states: Enlisted Men Balch, Edwin, age 20, mustered in June 13, '62, mustered out (blank) Died November 27, '62 at Glencoe, Minn. This is our literary tribute to Edwin Balch.

“It most certainly is not!” Becky said, bending over the cot and kissing him. “You are my shining knight, and I’ve waited much too long to make you my husband. I should have done this before you left last June, like you wanted to.”

“Becky, oh, Becky,” Eddy cried. “You have made this the happiest day of my life!”

Two hours later, after Ryker and Henrick had Eddy all tidied up and dressed in a fancy black suit and vest complete with a gold pocket watch on a fob, the wedding party moved indoors at the Balch residence. Becky and Eddy, both looking fine in their wedding clothes, were married. They posed for several pictures that the local photographer took with his big camera, Eddy sitting and Becky standing, and everyone then sat down to a sumptuous feast. It was pot roast with all the trimmings, just like Eddy told Ryker it would be. Later that night, the couple shared the bridal bedchamber and they consummated their love.

Read the entire story of the Dakota Conflict of 1862 in the format of your choice at the links below, as the 150th anniversary of the Dakota Conflict continues.

Amazon Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007O2AMX2

 

Barnes and Noble Nook 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-on-the-prairie-a-novel-of-the-sioux-uprising-sesquicentennial-edition-steven-m-ulmen/1110322785?ean=2940014643931

      Google Books
http://books.google.com/books?printsec=frontcover&id=6rU-6z03smwC#v=onepage&q&f=false