t was the winter of 1864, a very cold winter in the United States. The Civil War, America’s most violent era, continued on. Fierce fighting
had been seen on every battlefield, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties, burned homes, ravaged farmlands, and hungry, uncared for animals
wandering aimlessly about the countryside.
But most distressing of all was to see the displaced women and children who had no place to go. This winter was the coldest in the hearts of men.
On a small southern farm, about one hundred miles from Shiloh where more than ten thousand men from both Northern and Southern Army were killed recently, Sandra Johnson stood by a window looking toward the sky, watching the snow fall. She was quite an attractive and pleasant girl, who possessed a sincere and compassionate character.
Sandra was only sixteen years old, but she knew about the ravages of war and its influence; killing and separating families. She had learned this from the people around her and from the first-hand experience of her family. Her father had gone to fight for the south side almost two years ago. During that time, he had retuned home only once to see his family. Since that visit, there had been no news from him; nobody knew where he was.
Missing her father very much, Sandra spent many evenings remembering the times she had had with her father. They had been very close, talking and enjoying the end of the day together. They were walking around the farm until dusk. Now as a tear ran down her cheeks, she wept silently. Sandra often noticed her mother’s red eyes and knew that she felt the same; but her mother tried to conceal her distress from her. Longing for her father’s immediated return, she envisioned running to him, greeting him, holding him, and being held by him, and especially hearing his stories about his adventures on the battlefield.
And now Sandra missed her father increasingly so, since Christmas drew near.
Wiping the tears away, she called out to her mother, “Mama, there are only three more days till Christmas.”
“Well, Sandra, I’m looking for the manger, so we can decorate the living room,” she replied.
Mrs Johnson was busy on the other side of the room looking through a closet for a miniature manger which her family had had for many years. It was the custom of her family to decorate the center of the house with the manger each Christmas. Hearing this, Sandra happily ran over to help her mother search.
Before the war everything had been arranged neatly, but now everything was chaotic. The possibility of having to escape was imminent. Preparations had to be made to flee the fighting and the enemy. The possessions of every family was divided into two categories; precious and necessary as opposed to unnecessary and cumbersome.
The former were packed and ready to go, while the latter were stored away. The manger was precious but not necessary, so it was hidden among the clutter. Since the room was in such dissarray, Sandra and her mother searched a long time without success.
While they were looking, Sandra asked her mother, “When is daddy going to come home? Don’t you think he will be home for Christmas?”
Mrs. Johnson was so moved by the emotion of Sandra’s question that she could not speak.
Her husband had gone to battle two Christmas Seasons ago. But now she did not even know if he was alive or dead. Three months ago a very fierce battle occured. Both sides saw many casualties, dead and injured. At this point, she hoped that John was among the wounded, so he would be sent home to be with his family. Then she could take care of him. She considered being wounded better than being killed. She longed for his return, but he still did not come. Now she was almost certain that he had been killed but that she just had not been notified.
Anytime Sandra asked about her father, Mrs. Johnson would always tell her that he would be home soon. Weeping silently, she tried to conceal her tears from Sandra.
She thought, “Just a few more days till Christmas, will John be home this time?”
If he did come home, they would be very happy. And eventhough the war dragged on, Mrs. Johnson would try to prepare a good Christmas dinner for her family by taking one of the few hens left on the farm. She had managed to save a little flour and sugar for a cake; but she would be without many things, such as butter and cheese. No matter, what she had would be enough, for the most important would be having John home. She needed him, Sandra needed him; everything else was unimportant.
The war had disrupted everything, even the very necessities of life were scarce. Production of food stuff had ceased, so shortages prevailed. Mrs. Johnson knew many families who were in a worse situation than they; these families even lacked bread to eat.
“Well, why don’t you answer me?” Sandra asked.
Her daughter’s voice awoke Mrs. Johnson from her daydreams and remindered her of the question addressed to her. Then she said, “Maybe your father will come home this Christmas.”
“Everytime I ask you about daddy, you always tell me that he is going to come home soon. But now I don’t believe you anymore.” Sandra complained mildly, wanting to be reassured.
Mrs. Johnson sighed with despair. She did not know how to explain to Sandra John’s long absence. She could only have faith in God and hoped He would bless her family and bring home her beloved husband for Christmas.
Suddenly Sandra yelled, “Mama, here is the manger, I found it!”
Elated the mother and daughter carried the manger to the livingroom to display it on a small table. They lighted two small lamps and stood to observe every detail of the manger. Having arranged the room, a warm and pleasant glow spread throughout the room with the manger displayed.
“Mama, we forgot the holly. Let’s go to the garden and bring some in. We have to make a Christmas wreath,” Sandra said to her mother.
“That’s right. We should go now because it is getting late,” Mrs. Johnson replied.
They went to the garden. Mrs. Johnson took a knife for pruning and Sandra chose one of the most beautiful branches.
As Mrs. Johnson cutting the branch, she heard the gate bell ring. She and Sandra looked toward the fence and saw two Union soldiers on horseback. The girl and woman were terrified, so much so, they were unable to scream or to run away. They stood motionless watching the two soldiers. They were scared because they had heard stories about northern cruelties. Hardly anyone was surprised to hear about their ruthless attacks and assaults against women.
The two men yelled, "Do not be afraid. We aren’t going to do you any harm. We need a place to rest overnight and fresh water. Tomorrow we’ll depart early".
Mrs. Johnson calmed her mind, but still she did not know what to do. She did know that she did not want two Union soldiers in her home. Because she and her daughter were alone, entertaining two strange men frightened her. She knew that, if the two mwn wanted to harm them, she and her daughter could not resist. Being middleaged she thought might help her, but Sandra was young and could not handle the brutalities of the men.
Looking from the two men to Sandra, Mrs. Johnson asked her opinion.
Innocently, Sandra extended their hospitality to the two strangers. She told her mother,”It’s going to be Christmas soon. Give them overnight lodging out of kindness, mom!”
After the two men heard what Sandra had said, they replied, “That’s right, Miss! Christmas comes. We also have families, but we can’t go home. We miss them very much. Give us a place to spend the night. We need the rest. We promise that we will not harm you or your mother.”
Mrs. Johnson noted that the two men spoke politely and kindly. Moreover, they were still young. She thought, “Since Christmas is near, why don’t I do something to offer God?”
With a compassionate heart, she opened the gate for the two men with no hesitation. After they entered, she closed the gate and showed them where to stable their horses. Then she guided them to the living room. She put some more wood on the fireplace and proceeded to care for the visitors.
They removed their guns and place them in the far corner. Then they introduced themselves.
The first, Mark Wilson, was thirty years old and had a wife and son in Illinois. The other, was twenty-one years old, still single, and from Ohio.
The two men seemed tired and hungry. They told Mrs. Johnson that they had not eaten for several days, which worried her because she had little food. Since they were leaving early the next morning, she began looking for some good for a meal. The only thing she had in the house was the flour and sugar that she was saving for her husband’s homecoming; but now she had guests, what she could do now? Eventhough, these men were enemies, she had agreed to their staying overnight, so she was obligated to entertain them kindly. And too they were courteous and respectful and they acted good manneredly with her and her daughter, so she could not deny them food.
“Well,” she thought, “When John does come, I will have to find another way to celebrate his homecoming.”
She then told the two men to relax and make themselves at home. Then she went into the kitchen to begin preparation of the cake. While she was in the kitchen, she heard Sandra asking the two men everything about the battlefield and the soldier’s hard life. She could tell that her daughter and the young man were compatible and that they seemed to like each other very much.
Later, after the cake had been prepared, she invited everyone to the table. Mrs. Johnson and Sandra busied themselves with taking care of the two soldiers. While eating, the two men regained some of their facial color and seemed more joyful and better spirited.
As twilight passed into darkness, they heard a distant church bell ring. The ringing filled the countryside. Mrs Johnson quietly prayed and thought of John.
Suddenly the gate bell rang and everybody looked at each other wandering who it might be. The two soldiers thought that some of their fellow soldiers had come looking for shelter. Mrs. Johnson, not expecting anyone, felt her heart pound in her chest.
“May God bring John home,” she thought. But at the same time she had to forget that; for if he returned home now with two northern soldiers in her house, something bad would surely happen. Her husband had a quick temper and could be hot headed, thus making him act thoughtlessly.
Mrs Johnson told the two men, “Continue eating. Sandra and I wil go and see who it is at this hour.”
As they approached the gate, they saw two men on horseback. Mrs Johnson raised the lantern and stared at the two. Then she screamed, “My God, is that you, John? Have you really come home?”
“Yes, it is me.” He replied. And then he asked, “Are you surprised? Why don’t you open the gate? Why do you just stand there?”
With her dream coming true, Mrs. Johnson worried about the soldiers in the house. Her mind spinned so much that she could not move. Her prayer had been answered, but not under the best of circumstances. Before her stood her beloved husband and both he and his companion were armed and appeared to have just come from battle. This made her think of the guns in the house.
Transfixed, she imagined what would happen when John and his friend entered the house. All she could see was gunfire blasts, people being killed, and blood spreading over her home. Or maybe, her husband would attack first killing the two young men in just a moment.
“Oh my God,” she murmured. She shivered and a cold sweat broke over her, because of the horror going through her mind.
Then she felt Sandra shaking her shoulder. Sandra was saying:”Mama, open the gate for daddy and his friend. Tell him the truth. Don’t fear for Christmas comes.”
John urged from outside of the fence, “Why don’t you open the gate? Is there trouble in our house? What’s the matter, Diane?”
But still Mrs Johnson did not move, so Sandra quickly opened the gate and ran to hug her father.
“I’m so glad to see you. Have you come home to stay?” Sandra asked.
John’s friend stood and watched the father and daughter lovingly greet each other.
“What is wrong, Sandra? Is there something strange in our house?” John asked.
Sandra replied, “I want to tell you the whole story; but first you have to promise me that you will not do anything, especially kill anyone.”
John was greatly surprised, “What’s that? Tell me quickly, “ he demanded.
Sandra then briefly told him about the two northerners. Hearing this, he became very angry.
“That is my enemy. I have to kill them. A lot of my friends have been killed by them. I have to take revenge.” he said.
Turning toward his wife, he said, “You have made a very bad mistake. Why do you entertain my enemy in my own house? I should shoot them first and then ask you about them later.”
Drawing their guns, John and his cohort started toward the house. But his wife ran after him trying to restrain him. She pleaded, “Don’t do this, John. I beg you. They are very nice men.”
He became furious. “You entertained them and now you support them. I don’t want to see you anymore. You are not my wife,” he shouted at her.
He pushed her away and again started for the house with full intention of killing the two northerners. He had made up his mind to kill them right away. But his wife and daughter pursued the father and friend trying to hold them back.
Sandra said, “Daddy, since it is so close to Christmas, please spare them. You know God does not like killing.”
Sandra’s call for clemency finally persuaded her father and his friend to put away their guns.
“I will forgive them this time only because it is Christmas,” John said.
His wife replied, "Not only this time but from now on. You don’t want to disobey God’s law, do you? There had been enough killing".
Then the four of them entered the house. The mother and daughter were very happy, having convinced the unyielding husband and his friend to give up killing.
But when they came into the house, the two northerners were not there. John asked his wife where they were. Assuming they heard the conversation, she thought they had hidden themselves, since their guns were missing; so she called out, “Mark, Tom, please show yourselves. There is no danger. My husband and his friend are unarmed.”
Slowly the two men appeared without their guns. And the four soldiers, two northerners and two southerners, shook hands and sat down to enjoy the modest meal; but nonetheless, it was of the most unforgettable.
With tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, Mrs Johnson toasted her guests, “Eventhough we are celebrating Christmas early, I’m glad to see you and I welcome you. I hope the war end soon and that everybody will become friends, as brothers and sisters, because we live in the same land. May God bless you and my family.”
On Christmas Day, 1865, the civil war was ended, Tom Harrison once again returned to Johnson’s farm. This time, he was not seeking shelter and water, instead he came to marry Sandra. And from then on, the couple had a happy life together.*
Memphis, Tennessee, Xmas 1977
