The General sat at his camp desk. A cold wind crawled about the floor of his tent. Around him the battle raged. His troops were ill fed and freezing cold. Their boots were in tatters. Supply trains had bogged down in the mountains and ammunition was in short supply.
The General had not eaten in days and his brandy flask was empty. He reached for his pen and attempted to write but the ink was frozen. He rose wearily and stood at the tent flap.
``Hold in there lads!'' he called into the wind and chaos. He held his Luger high.
``For King and Country lads!'' he shouted. His Adjutants were gone. Crawling ignominiously to the rear. Let them freeze!
Some time in the night the battle turned. Perhaps not a victory. The enemy had slipped away to the mountains. Gone home to their secure places. He walked among the wounded and dying. Freezing solid before they died.
``We will prevail!'' he assured them.
The charts and maps were useless. Snow obliterated every landmark. Their only hope the supply train now days overdue.
A brief consultation among his officers, then sleep. He warmed the ink bottle against him. Perhaps all hope was gone.
In the morning his men cut up and ate some of the dead. Their spirits lifted. The enemy did not appear.
As the day deepened there came a brief moment of sunlight and in that moment the cry came from the sentries.
``The supply train is here!''
The General stood at the periphery of camp and felt his heart lift as the supply line approached. How beautiful! How beautiful indeed.
Boots. Beef. Beer. Bullets. Blankets.
The General cast aside the dispatches written weeks ago. He cast aside letters from his wife, his mistress, and grasped at last the one he had so long awaited. He held it in shaking hands. Could hardly open it.
When he read the words within his heart broke. Failed again. Turned down for publication. His sonnets. His life. He crumpled the letter and flung it on the ground. Then he picked it up and smoothed it out and slipped it into his inner pocket.
He drank down his brandy and walked out into the wind.
Tears frozen on his cheek.