Dave’s Anatomy: My History As a Writer, #80: “The Witch’s Sniper”

Arkansas regional map

I was born in Arkansas, though my family moved north and I grew up and settled in Indiana; I’ve lived in Indiana and Michigan ever since. My family, all moved back down South but I stayed North. I don’t like hot weather and didn’t want to leave what I knew so well for a different culture (and it is an entirely different culture). But the South is part of my personality even if I didn’t grow up there. From my parents, from spending summers with my relatives, from the stories and tales I’ve heard, that part of the United States is in my memory and in my blood. I don’t write about it a whole lot, but out of nowhere, the idea for the story “The Witch’s Sniper,” came to my imagination.

Sugar Loaf Mountain

Witchcraft of varying degrees exists in Southern culture—a hang-over from the old days. There are people who “charm,” as it is often called. In my story, a full-blown witch lives on the top of a small mountain called “Sugar-Loaf Mountain,” which is a real place, so called because the top of it is rocky, not tree-covered, and does resemble a small loaf of bread—like banana bread or some other sweet bread. In the past, the people of the town were going to lynch her for her sorcery, but three local men argued she ought to be spared if she agreed not to use sorcery against anyone in the region and never come to town. In thankfulness, she sends a letter to the three men who saved her life. The letter states she will never harm them nor their families and kin. And, she says, she’s owes obligation to them and will do what they ask—to their families and kin as well.

James Chastine, the son of one of the men who saved Lucy’s life, and a sniper in the Confederate Army, comes to her to ask a favor. The Yankees are drawn up near-by and there will be a battle soon. Chastine has no illusions about who will win and, taking their cue from Sherman, the Union Army has been plundering and destroying as they recapture areas of the South. He has sent his children away and wants Lucy Butler to give the Confederates a victory so the Grand Army of the Republic does not overrun the region and destroy his farm. She says she will help but wants some in return. Chastine protests.

I saw the letter you wrote to my Daddy. You said you didn’t expect”—he could not think of the word.

            “‘Without reciprocation’ is what I said. That means you don’t me owe me anything—like what Mr. Garrison owed me. I was happy to do favors for your Daddy because he saved me from hanging. But he always brought something when I did magic for him. I’ll do magic for you, and you won’t owe me your soul, but that doesn’t mean I’ll do it for free.”

            He licked his lips. “Times are hard—the war. My family is barely got enough to eat.”

            “I know that. I’m asking you to do something for me—quid pro quo, something for something. You won’t be in the kind of danger. You won’t be risking your soul. I promised your Daddy I would never take the soul of one of his kin and I keep my promises. I want you to do something for me. And what I want you to do is not even a sin.”

Religious Service for Union Soldiers

What she wants him to do is kill an evangelist who is leading a revival among the Union troops. Despite what the novel and movie Cold Mountain presents, troops on both sides of the Civil War were very religious. A revival had swept the Confederate Army early in the war; a similar religious awakening occurred in the Union ranks later on. Lucy Butler feels “squeezed” by a lot of religious people around and wants him to take the evangelist leading the religious movement (his name is Kirchner) out. Since it is war, she says, it won’t be murder. Kirchner is a Union Chaplin and wears a uniform. Chastine doesn’t like the idea but thinks of his farm being destroyed and his family put in danger. He agrees, returns to camp, and gets his sniper rifle ready for the task at hand.

But before he returned to the front he was able to spend a night with his wife. Knowing him, as a wife does her husband, she asks what is troubling him and he tells her. She urges him to do what is right. He sneaks into the Yankee camp, sees Kirchner preaching and takes aim. But suddenly he sees Lucy Butler, who is passing herself off as one of the prostitutes who follows the Union camp, standing, waiting to see the killing. He takes aim—not at Kirchner but at her and, as he is a skillful sniper, drops her and steals back to the Confederate camp.

Lucy Butler

Chastine awakes the next morning to the sound of celebration. His comrades tell him Lee has surrendered and the war is over. Their unit will turn in their arms later in the day and the Army will be demobilized. Although somewhat sad they have lost, the men are elated that the war is over and they will go home. Chastine walks back to his quarters and happens to hear the Union and Confederate commander talking about a woman who was inexplicably shot last night. They wondered if anyone might know who she was. Chastine speaks up saying she was from his area but had no relatives. “She was not a very reputable woman,” he says. The Confederate officer gives authorization for her to be buried. Lucy Butler is dead. The war is over. Chastine, who has done right, will return to his farm, his family, and the way of life he knew before.

The story appeared in a literary journal, Oberon’s Law, no longer published and with no archive. This may be a story to resubmit.

Looking for gifts? Have friends and relatives who read? Check out my Writer's Page for some great books that they will thoroughly enjoy; some very good texts are listed on my Amazon Page.

My main recommendation is Sinfonia: The First Notes on the Lute: A Vampire Chronicle, Part I. Nelleke Reitsma is a world-renown lute player and classical guitarist. She should be good at what she does. She's had 300 years to practice. A vampire story that does not follow the cliches some such tales often fall into. A vampire from the Netherlands who eventually locates in London.