Tiny Transgender Tale - Story 02

Thank you for reading my stories. I am trying out a few new ideas and would like to see what my readers think. I have written these tiny tales in the hope they will be a quick enjoyable read. If you like the story please vote and leave comments so I know which ones to continue and which ones I should abandon.

Corporal Casey

Union Field Infirmary: near Baker's Creek MS. May 18, 1863

"Oh, Oh. Manfered," called Mrs. Hawk to her husband from behind a portioned-off section of the infirmary.

"She's waking." Mrs. Hawk reports by whispering into her husband's ear.

Dr. Manfered Hawk nods. He had been dreading this moment. He ties a cloth around his face and moves behind the screen. "Corporal?" whispered Dr. Hawk. "Corporal? Can you hear me?"

The doctor took the soldier's pulse. Both eyes shot open in a frenzy, and the Corporal called out, "Let go a me."

Dr. Hawk whispers, "Please calm down. You're safe."

"I'm Corporal Harry Casey. 33^rd Ohio," The Corporal winces in pain. "You ain't getting anything else out of me."

"We are not Rebels, honey," Mrs. Hawk begins while Dr. Hawk continued to examine his patient's head wound.

"You were brought here yesterday," Dr. Hawk said stepping back. "What is the last thing you remember?"

"I was out with a company of skirmishers," Corporal Casey began, "suddenly we were going through a stand a trees. This bear of a guy leaps out from behind one a them. I thought I was done for. His musket miss fired. So, he grabbed a log. I shot him in the chest but he kept coming. I gave him the bayonet. I thought he was dead but then he took a swing at me. I dodged the first blow. He must-a got me with the second."

Dr. Hawk rubbed his chin. "You are one very lucky young lady."

"I ain't no lady, Doc. I'm Corporal Harry..."

"Casey. 33^rd Ohio." Dr Hawk finished for her, "Yah, yah. I know. I also know that you are a woman. They teach us that sort of stuff in medical school."

"Please, sir," Corporal Casey's anger quickly turned to fear, "Don't turn me."

"Combat is no place for sightseers," Dr. Hawk said condescendingly.

"I ain't no sightseer," Corporal Casey responded with steel back in her voice. "I've been in ten differed engagements over the last two years. I have been wounded twice." She pulled up her pants leg and lifted her shirt to show them the scares.

" in the world have you kept this up for so long?" Mrs. Hawk asked truly shocked.

"shuck's ma'am. These ain't nothing," Corporal Casey smiled. "I have two older brothers. We done way worst than this to each other."

"Why aren't you at home?" Asked Dr. Hawk.

"Ain't got no home." Corporal Casey explained, "Ma, passed in the winter of 48. Pa followed her in 53. We were just croppers, gypsies really. After Pa died, my brothers and I just kept moving on from place to place, finding work where ever we could."

"Didn't your brothers make arrangements for you?" Asked Dr. Hawk.

"They sure did," Corporal Casey winced, "I was to be nanny to the eight Gruber children."

"That sounds lovely," said Mrs. Hawk, "Why for heaven's sake didn't you stay there?"

"You obviously ain't acquainted with the Grubers," responded Corporal Casey with a snicker, "I'll take my chances with the Rebs."

Dr. Hawk thought. Mrs. Hawk mumbled to herself in German. Corporal Casey, licked her lips. "Excuse me ma'am," Corporal Casey eventually asked, "Could I trouble you for a drink?"

"Yes of course." Answered Mrs. Hawk getting up going to the desk for a canteen.

Corporal Casey took a long drink. The water was cold and fresh and very refreshing. Corporal Casey managed to sit up. Her head was really starting to clear. "Thank you, ma'am," said Corporal Casey politely handing the canteen back. "What's with the cloth over your faces? I mean do I stink or something." Corporal Casey smelled herself. She was a little ripe she had to admit.

"No," Dr. Hawk answered. "When I discovered you were not a...you know, we had to separate you from the other soldiers, until I," He looked at his wife and correct himself, "We, could figure out what we were going to do with you. I said you might have yellow fever and that we need to isolate you."

Mrs. Hawk brought a bowl of water and something that looked like soap root. Corporal Casey began to unbutton her shirt and took it off. Dr. Hawk turned away. Mrs. Hawk grabbed another cloth and started to wash the girl's back. "What is your name, Liebchen."

"Harry Casey ma'am." Corporal Casey responded automatically and received a reproachful look from Mrs. Hawk. "No really ma'am. That's my name, Harriette Louisa Casey. I was named for my aunty. Sep no one calls me Harriette, because I don't look or act girly. So, everyone just been calling me Harry for as long as I can remember."

"Didn't the doctor at the enlistment post notice you were a girl?" Dr. Hawk asked incredulous, "Or did you have one of your brothers enlist and take the physical for you?"

"My brothers think I'm at the Gruber's," Harriette said while putting on a fresh shirt, provided by Mrs. Hawk. "I headed towards the Gruber's farm, after they went to enlist with the 7^th West Virginia. Then I crossed the river and joined up in the next town I came to. There wasn't no physical. Just an old guy who asked me if I ever had the pocks and did, I have my front teeth."

Dr. Hawk shook his head in aspiration. Corporal Casey stood up. Mrs. Hawk watched her closely to make sure Corporal Casey didn't pass out. Dr. Hawk walked over and looked Corporal Casey in the eye. "I have to turn you in," he put up his hand to cut off her protests, "My first duty is to see that you come to no harm and if you go back, you could get hurt."

"If you turn me in, I'll come to more harm," Corporal Casey remarked, parroting the doctor's refined speech on the last part of the statement, "I'll be dead."

Mrs. Hawk gasped. Dr. Hawk stammered, "W-what do you mean."

Corporal Casey finished buttoning her shirt. "The Army don't take too kindly to being lied to," Corporal Casey explained, "After I got shot the first time, I thought about leaving. I asked my best friend Kenny about it. He's real good at reading on account of he's studying to be a lawyer. He said they call it, 'Stealing valor' or something like that. I don't rightly recall exactly what he called it, but I do remember what he said about it being punishable by death. So, if you have to turn me in Doc, I'd prefer you just put that there scalp to use," she made a cutting motion across her neck. Dr. Hawk face went pail. He stepped away from the instrument as though it had suddenly become a poisons snake.

"Quicker than a rope." Corporal Casey said with gallows humor.

Dr. Hawk steadied himself. Corporal Casey examined her cap, and found a thin crusting of blood on the inside of the headband. Dr. Hawk started to think about what to do when there was a commotion on the other side of the screen. "What in heavens name?" Dr. Hawk said to the room at large and went to investigate. Mrs. Hawk and Corporal Casey followed.

The trio emerged to find a barrel-chested man with captain's bars on his shoulders walking among the wounded and giving a speech. "...The Rebs are all hold up in Vicksburg and we are going have a devil of a time getting them out. Truth is, we need every man we can get so, if any of you feel up to it, we could really use you."

Several men got up and started to get dressed despite slings and bandages. "Well done, Lads. Well done," said the captain, patting a few the men on the shoulder as they passed him. Others tried to get up but couldn't and fell back on their blankets. Not wanting the other men to feel ashame, the captain added, "The rest of you just rest. You have already done your duty and we are proud of all of you."

The captain turned and was about to leave when he saw Corporal Casey. The captain smiled and walked. He took Corporal Casey hand in his and gave it a good firm shake. "Casey you luck bastard. How are you?"

"Fine Sir," Corporal Casey reported. "Ready to rejoin the company. If the doc here, gives the word."

Everyone looked at Dr. Hawk. Dr. Hawk caved under all of their stares. "You're clear to return to your unit Corporal."

Mrs. Hawk grabbed Corporal Casey's arm and spoke to her as she would a daughter, "Try to take care of yourself."

Corporal Casey hugged the woman. Then whipping away a tear, chuckled, "I'll do my darndest, ma'am. I promise."