where to buy Lurasidone onlineTennessee Twins, Isaac and Asa, were the pride and joy of the family brood, however as they got older, they had to decide whether to be Smokey Mountain Blue or Gray. They looked so much alike, that even brothers, sisters and the father had a tough time telling them apart. Mother could always identify who was who and the twins could never fool her, when their pranks would demand the switch. Father always felt that young boys were like mules, they had to be hit between the eyes on occasion, just to get their attention. When one or the other got in trouble, both got whacked, to make sure the right one got his due. The Tennessee Twins, were the babies of the family and some might say, they were spoiled, but living in the wild’s of the Smokey Mountains, just attempting to survive day-to-day, was a trial unto itself. Everybody had to pull their share of the load, it was taken for granted, if one wanted to eat, you had to work the field or hunt or trap, providing food and goods for the survival of the family. Father always said, that family was really all one had and it had to be sustained.
Isaac and Asa enjoyed their Smokey Mountain remoteness, they had each other and neither went anywhere without his mirror image. The boys explored the Tennessee wilderness, swam in the cool clear pools of the creek up the cove, hunted and fished every day, supplying fresh critters for the table. Occasionally they adventured, several miles from the homestead, down to the crossroads to listen and learn the gossip and rumors from the old men that lounged in the shade of the General Store and Livery. The old fellas got a kick out of seeing the Tennessee Twins, a Smokey Mountain Apparition, they called them. Kinda spooky to some. Neither boys ever said a word, they would just stand their staring and listening. Pretty soon, the porch sitting regulars, got use to the twins, didn’t pay them much mind and concentrated on jawing over the current events of the day.
As the Tennessee Twins got older, the adventure of visiting the crossroads became a more frequent destination. Isaac and Asa still never joined in the old fella’s pontificating, but moved closer, where they at least could lean on the building, out of the sun. The main topic on one such visit concerned some sort of disagreement between Tennessee and Kentucky and North Carolina, something about slavery, whatever that was. The old fellas were arguing whether to keep it or stop it and they were deadly serious. Isaac and Asa could hardly wait to get home. Don’t spout off to father, but to ask mother, about slavery and why the old fellas were arguing about other states and what did that mean to them.
Mother answered their questions calmly, she knew her boys had no way of knowing the evils and dissent of the outside world. She lovingly explained what slavery was and how some folks, owned others, that did their work for them and some of their very own neighbors and kin were angry with each other and that dangerous times might be heading their way. The leaders of the states were choosing sides and didn’t much care what most folks of the Smokey Mountains wanted. Like so many families, mother said, they just wanted to be left alone.
On their next trek to the crossroads, Isaac and Asa were surprised to see a finely dressed young man , on horseback, making a speech to the gathering of old fellas. He was decked out in a floppy brimmed hat, with some sort of feather in the brim, brass buttons, a red sash at the waist, thigh high boots and the most beautiful sword, hung smartly from his belt. The dandy was extolling the virtues of Tennessee manhood and how the soldiers from the North were going to invade their Smokey Mountain paradise and change the way of life, that all cherished. His speech was inspiring, with tales of glory and honor, but most of the old fellas just grunted and told him to ride on. They derisively called him General and bid him good riddance. This General on horseback, mosied over to the Tennessee Twins and drawled, you boys are half growed, come with me and I’ll make men of you. Asa reached up, swinging up behind the General and Isaac ran off towards home. As Isaac looked back the last he saw, was Asa and the General disappearing in the distance.
When Isaac told his mother of the events at the crossroads, she dropped to her knees and began weeping. The remaining Tennessee Twin had never seen her like this and as he ran out the door, he promised that he would find Asa and not come back until he did. The lone twin traveled day and night, finally reaching Sevierville and slept that night in the barn at the smithy. The morning dawned bright and hot, a group of men were gathered at the Post Office, listening to another finely dressed young gent, extolling the virtues of Tennessee manhood, detailing their founding fathers legacy and how the Union needed to be defended. Asa ran forward and tried to explain about his brother, but all this General would say was, congratulations, you’ll do!
Both Tennessee Twins got fine new clothes, belts, buckles, shoes, blanket, cap and best of all, an almost new musket. They heard drums and bugles, marched and inspected, slept out in the cold and ate the worst food they had ever eaten. Both Smokey Mountain brothers started marching with their separate armies, one north the other south, each praying that they would find their mirror image some way, some how.
Asa was with an army led by General Albert Sidney Johnston and Isaac’s army was commanded by General Ulysses S. Grant, both were preparing to face off at the Tennessee River’s, Pittsburg Landing and which would be known as the Battle of Shiloh. Both Tennessee Twins kept searching for each other, thinking that they were probably somewhere in the same army. Little did the Smokey Mountain brothers know that they were about to discover each other in a most deadly way.
It was early April 1862, it had been raining for several days, but this morning promised an early Spring, sunny and warm, birds singing, boys walking carefree, shooting occasionally at rabbits or deer. Asa and Isaac had never been in a battle before or seen the carnage, horrors and death to come. All was right with God and the world on this beautiful morning, when Isaac and Asa heard a strange sound, like a tearing of cloth, to the front of their individual columns. Isaac had dug a hole, in line with his comrades and he couldn’t seem to get it deep enough. Asa’s group had spread out and started trotting in a line, some said towards the river. The further they ran, the louder they yelled. No one was firing their muskets, they were just running and yelling. Asa was trying to ask the boy running and yelling next to him a question, when the youth exploded in a red mist, that drenched the horrified Asa and just made him run faster and scream louder. Isaac peaked out of his hole and saw the screaming mass bearing down on he and his comrades. The lone Union Tennessee Twin and his neighboring hole mate, both leapt out and ran for their lives and just as Isaac was asking his comrade where to go, the only answer he got, was a loud moan and the Union youngster disappeared in several puffs of dust.
It hadn’t taken much of this Civil War nonsense, to make believers of the Tennessee Twins and both were making their way home as fast as their weary legs and shattered nerves could carry them. Isaac and Asa swam the river and hid in the woods, neither of the Twins had seen each other, all either knew for sure was they had to get home some way, to the safety of their Smokey Mountains.
Both battle shattered boys were trudging home, traveling mainly by night, hiding out in the woods or an abandoned barn, eating green corn or begging vittles. They had shed the telltale military trappings, both had abandoned their muskets, kept the knives and shoes, but little else. Folks asked where they had been, where they were going and they only answered, going home. One evening, as Isaac neared Pidgeon Forge, he prepared to spend the night in a small grove, when he smelled smoke and saw a figure crouched in front of a flickering fire. He approached quietly, not knowing who or what to expect. The glow of the flames, revealed something familiar, almost like a Smokey Mountain Apparition, Isaac saw the mirror image of himself, enjoying the warmth of the fire and then realized it was his Tennessee Twin Asa, they were together again, safe and sound at last.
The Smokey Mountain reunion was beyond belief, they both talked at the same time, explaining where they had been and how long it had taken to get back. Neither of the Tennessee Twins ever shared their individual horrors at Shiloh, nor the experience of the Smokey Mountain Blue or Gray.
Bummer