The Christmas Gift

Well we are well on our way to a Christmas Day count down so I am throwing in a Christmas Story I wrote a while back. Hope you enjoy it.

It was an uncommonly cold Christmas here on the Gulf of Mexico. Corporal John Downs was trying to keep warm by the small fire built in the courtyard of Fort Gaines. He knelt down with his tin mucket of strong muddy coffee and sat it once again over the red coals of oak and pine. The smoke rose high above the cold stone walls of the small fort into the strong winter wind blowing just above the stone barrier walls. Guard duty was a lonely job, not exactly the type of position John had envisioned when he signed up with the Confederate States Army last spring. He had a vision of grandeur, as he would march gloriously across a bloody battlefield for The Confederate States of America, the great state of Alabama and Robert E. Lee into a blaze of Glory. Not to be stuck down here in this God forsaken marsh land to protect Mobile Bay from the Yankee Navy.

This had been a very bad year for the confederacy, only last month losing Chattanooga Tennessee to General Grant and the Union Army. John still wonders how President Davis could have ever let General Bragg be in charge of the Army of Tennessee to begin with. The man was obviously a fool. If only he could have been there, he could have showed those Yankees what for. Well time for another pass along the long wall on the gulf side. What he wouldn’t give to be down in the officer’s barracks sipping Kentucky bourbon and smoking a fine Virginia cigar right now. This would be the saddest Christmas John had ever known, he thought, no family, no real friends, no Christmas feast, no gifts and no fiddle music. John really missed his old rose wood fiddle on quiet nights like this.

Suddenly John heard a noise on the beach in front of him, he turned, took a defensive stance with his fifty-four-caliber Enfield musket and yelled, “Halt, who goes there, approach and be recognized”. The figure of a tall man slowly came forward in the dim moonlit night. He was wearing a dark wool suit with a short brimmed hat, a bowed tie and oddly enough no overcoat on such a bitter cold night as this. Not exactly what John was accustomed to seeing out here in the middle of no-where. “Merry Christmas John” the tall stranger said. “Do I know you suh?” John replied. “John I have a message for you, would it be alright if I come in and shared your fire?” John was somewhat panic stricken, he knew he should call the Officer on watch but somehow it just didn’t seem right this time. “Come around to the gate friend, and I will vouch fo ya entrance” replied the nervous and shaken southern born Corporal. Strangely enough, the gate guards were in agreement with John on seeing no harm in allowing the stranger to enter the fortress. John walked back across the gate archway, the steel plates of his brogan shoes clacking like a horse crossing a wooden bridge with each step he took on the red brick floor. The stranger was close behind and oddly enough walking a silent soft step. As John arrived back at his post it was time for the changing of the guard and his replacement acquired his frozen perch upon the wall. John once again walked over to the small fire and picked up his smoke painted mucket to sip the hot liquid once identified as coffee.

“How have you been doing tonight John? ” asked the stranger with concern in his voice. “I’m doing all right I reckon. This ain’t exactly like the stretch of Alabama I’m used ta, there ain’t no wah hea and this shore ain’t Christmas.” Replied a weary John. “John, it does not matter where you celebrate the Saviors birth my friend. Do you know the Christmas story of Jesus?” the stranger asked. “Yea I heared about it in church back home. My ma made me attend every Sunday whether I wanted to or not” was the reply of John. The skies were very clear and crisp this night, as the light in the fort grew brighter.

A star high above began to shine especially bright illuminating even the black 50 pound long range ordinance rifles mounted at the forts Gulf side walls. “John, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, he was without sin. He healed the sick, raised the dead, and John, Jesus died for you and the sins you have committed in your life. Did you know that?” gently spoke the stranger. “yea, I heared about all that, but I reckon I believed it was just a yarn. How do you know all this anyway? Who are you?” retorted a now very nervous John. “John your mother has been praying for you. She is so concerned that you will not make Heaven your home. She has petitioned the throne of God in your behalf. My name is Joshua and I am an Angel sent of God. Do you have a bible John?” asked the stranger. “ yes suh, I got one I been toten here in my havasack my ma ma give me.” Came John’s teary reply. “Get it out John and turn to John 3:16. It reads For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John you are whosoever my young friend. God loves you and all you need do is accept him in your heart, ask him to forgive you for your sin and you shall be saved.” Joshua explained. John was overwhelmed by these words. How could God love him so much and yet in his heart he knew the words of this angel were true. John fell to his knees and cried out “Jesus, I’m sorry I been so miserable and bad. I repent Lord, please forgive me, I want to go to heaven, I give my life to you Lord.” As John opened his eyes he felt like he was a new man. He had so much joy in his heart now; it did not matter that he had nothing to eat but stale bread and old coffee.

It did not matter that he was cold and alone from his family. What matters is that on this Christmas day in 1863, John received a gift more precious than gold. He received eternal life. “Angel this has been the greatest Christmas ever, Angel? Angel? Where did you go?” John shouted looking around but there was no sign of his angelic visitor. John ran to the huge oak and iron gates and asked the guard if he had let the visitor out. The guard said he had seen no one all night. Returning back to the place he last saw the visitor John looked down and saw one snow white feather. He picked it up and placed it in his little testament. With tears in his eyes John thought, as much as his dear ma ma loved him, Jesus must love him so much more to send one of his angels to speak to him. John’s heart was strangely warm and full.

With a huge grin from ear to ear, John walked over to the casemate where two other soldiers were trying to keep warm over a small smolder pot and began to tell them of his visitor and the change he had experienced. John opened his bible and began to read out loud Luke 2:11 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord.” As John read under the light of a dim candle lantern, more soldiers gathered around and listened intently to the story of Jesus. There were no fiery preachers, brush arbor meetings, or heavy religious services tonight. There was only the love of a savior and the open hearts of soldiers and yet tonight there would be another six conversions before dawn. On this night, the celebration of the Saviors birth, there would be re-births here on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico in a little insignificant brick and mortar fortress called Fort Gaines. Where unknowingly in only nine months a Union Navy column of war ships would bombard this sleepy little Fort and send John and his comrade’s into the arms of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This was truly the greatest Christmas gift.


Written by Terry L. Richardson
Copyright © Dec. 6, 1998