Rifles for Watie

The next morning, Jeff wakes to a sentry, Ben Gerdeon, nudging him with his boots. The soldiers are marching out in 30 minutes, but Ben tells Jeff that he won’t be marching with them because Clardy has put Jeff on ambulance duty. Ben adds, “the cap’n sure must hate you. What did you ever do to him to rate thet stinkin’ duty?” (89). Jeff eats breakfast and then reports to the field hospital. His job was to carry wounded soldiers to and from the amputation tent. As he works, Jeff hears the voice of Ford Ivey, another boy in his squad who Babbitt had seen fall in battle and believed to be dead. Ivey begs Jeff not to let the doctors amputate his leg, despite the intense agony he’s in. Another injured soldier pipes up, reassuring Ivey that amputation is better than dying from gangrene. Ivey tells Jeff that he laid on the battlefield for hours, listening to “the wounded an’ the dyin’ ashriekin’ an’ cussin’ an’ prayin’ an’ nobody there to help ‘em” (91).

When it’s Ivey’s turn to go in the tent, he pleads with Jeff once again not to let them take his leg.