Silently Beats the Drum will be released in January of 2005 with ISBN 1-59453-603-1. Check the Blog often for more information on the actual release date.

My online store will open on January the 1st 2005. It will have all of my books available for purchase and for the first two weeks, if you order a book, you will get a discount!

The store will be at http://wrbenton.vstore.ca and I will be accepting paypal payments.

Go to my writing site, http://www.wrbenton.shyper.com and download FREE Christmas Graphics for personal use. More than 30 pages of FREE original Art by WR Benton.

CHAPTER 3© 2004 W.R. Benton, All Rights Reserved.

Jeb rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around. Dawn had come with a cloud covered sky and the threat of more cold rain. Many of the men were still asleep. Getting up he realized how poorly he had slept. His back was stiff and he could hardly move. Slowly moving over to the campfire, he pushed a way the ashes until he found a red coal. He blew on the coal and placed some small pieces of kindling on it. Soon he had a fire going, but he didn't know for how long. Already he could see the sergeant moving quickly down the line waking the men up. Oh, well, for now he was comfortable. He noticed the sergeant walking across the field headed straight for him.

"Patton, get yer men up and ready to go." Said the sergeant.

"My men? You must be mistaken sarge. I ain't got no men." Replied Jeb.

"Well, you do now. You are the only one left of your men who can read and write some. The corporal got kilt last night. Yankees caught him carrying a message for the General. So, you can consider yourself a corporal." The sergeant turned his head and sent a chocolate colored stream from his mouth. "Now, get 'em moving Patton!"

"Sarge, I don't want no men! I got enough to do to keep my own ass alive! Yelled Jeb.

"Patton, open yer mouth against this order once more and I will beat the -bleep- outta. You understand Patton? I am telling you boy, this ain't a question or choice! You are now the corporal. Now, get these -bleep- men moving, and I MEAN NOW!? With this last burst of anger, the sergeant turned and walked away, leaving Jeb cursing to himself.

"Well, now if-un that ain't the ding-dangest thing I ever heard of...Patton's a corporal." Wilkes said as he gave Patton a mock salute. "All accounted fer and ready to whop some Yankee ass Corporal Patton!"

"Wilkes, shut the hell up." moaned Patton, as he started gathering up his gear.

Within an hour the company was up and moving east, toward the rising sun. The weather had cleared and light breeze blew from the north. Birds were chirping and the men appeared to be a good mood. The road was still muddy from the last few days of rain, but thought Jeb, at least the sky was clearing. Maybe tonight he could sleep on dry ground.

They entered a small town, not much more than a village actually. Jeb could see the poverty the city owned. The buildings were clean, but all of them needed a coat of paint. The streets were a quagmire of mud and potholes of water. People, obviously frightened by the Yankees and the Rebels, were peering at Jeb and his men behind closed shutters and doors. A cute little girl of about nine years old waved at Jeb, but her mother quickly pulled her away from the window.

"Ok, Patton," yelled the sergeant, "We are spending the day here while our supplies play catch-up with us. Y?all find an empty building and lets get outta this here mud."

"-bleep-, the army wakes me up at five in the mornin? and walks my ass two miles to stop fer the day." complained Wikes.

"Wilkes, yer the damnedest thang I ever did see. Ain't ya never happy boy?" asked Moreland, obviously confused about Wilkes? behavior.

Jeb ignored the small chatter as he looked for a place for his men to spend the day. Across the street was what appeared to be an empty livery stable. If it was empty, the hay could make for some very warm sleeping. Jeb and his men needed a good night sleep so he walked to the door of the building. Feeling extremely self-conscious, Jeb knocked. Not hearing an answer, Jeb opened the squeaking door and looked inside. It was dark, even during middle of the day. The strong odor of horse droppings, green hay, and leather filled his nose. It was then he heard the click of a hammer on a pistol being pulled back.

"If-un you is wearing Yankee blue, you are a dead son of a -bleep-." Said a low female voice.

"Hold it lady. Me and my men are southerners. We are just looking fer a place to spend the night. We won't hurt ya none."

"Move over to the side of the room and light the lantern. The Lucifer's are on the table next to the lamp. I meant what I said. If you are wearing blue, you are a dead man."

Jeb moved to the table and picked up the lantern. As he lighted it he wondered what this woman with guts would look like. What he saw both surprised and sickened him.

"What?s the matter boy, ain't you never seen a raped woman before?" the lady asked.

I just finished the draft of Red Runs the Plains last week.

In Red Runs the Plains Jarel Wade, a young southwestern Missouri boy starts his day like all others, but soon his entire life is changed when a group of Blackfoot Indians on the war path kill his family. Rescued from certain death by two old mountain men, Jarel discovers a new but dangerous way of life. Jarel becomes a mountain man.

Read More at http://www.wrbenton.shyper.com