B00HSFFI1Q EBOK

by Unknown

  “He didn’t make it sir. We passed his body in the bottom of Plum Run.”

  I suppose he would have wanted it that way. He had followed Colonel Boswell loyally and he had followed him in death. It was the end of an era.

  The Sergeant Major’s face was grim when he returned. “There are thirty men outside who are unwounded and these fifteen wounded sir. We have less than fifty men.”

  I looked at Harry and realised that I was now the senior officer. David wiped his hands on his apron and came over to me. “I hear you were knocked down. How are you?”

  “I feel fine.”

  “Take off your jacket and let’s have a look.”

  I reluctantly did as I was told and David examined me. He shook his head. “You will be black and blue in the morning but you appear to have survived intact.”

  “How are Dago and Harry?”

  “Dago will be up and about by tomorrow. Harry? I am not sure. I took a ball out of his back but he has not regained consciousness yet.” He looked sad.

  I patted his arm, “I am sure you have done your best. Make sure you get some rest too.”

  “What now Jack? We are finished as a regiment.”

  “I know.” I began to wonder what I would do. “I will put any decision off until we are back in Virginia.”

  There was an air of severe depression along the whole of Confederate line. We had not lost but that was not enough we had had to win and in that we had failed. I took the remaining troopers down the hill to bring back our dead. We saw Union troops doing the same but it was not the time to fight. It was the time to bury. We laid the dead out in a line close to Codori Farm. Hopefully Dago would be able to help me make decisions the following day.

  Sergeant Major Mulrooney was a tower of strength. He organised food and tents and even managed to send Sergeants Jones and Ritchie to collect ammunition. As he said to me, “Well sir, it seems to me that the generals always seem to use you and this regiment to do its dirty work. We had best be prepared.”

  I must have dozed off for David woke me, “It’s Harry. He’s awake.”

  I went to Harry. He had been my oldest friend. We had been equals from the days of the Wildcats: both sergeants, both lieutenants and now both captains. He had been from England and I had come from Ireland but we had shared much in our lives. We had had an easy friendship with little need for words. It felt sad to see him laid so low.

  He gave me a brave smile. “Still Lucky Jack eh?” I nodded; too full for words. “You did well today. Your attack saved a lot of lives.” He tried to shake his head but failed. “The colonel made some bad decisions today and the boys paid with their lives. I should have stayed with you. Well he has paid the final price. It’s a shame about Danny. He should have been colonel. He knew how to look after men.”

  “You know he never would. He was the colonel’s man through and through. He lived for James Boswell. He couldn’t have lived in a world without him.”

  He coughed I noticed gobs of blood on his chest. David dabbed them off and gave me a sad look. “What will you do now Jack?”

  “What will we do more like? We will wait until you are fit to travel. I daresay the army will be moving south soon. We weren’t licked but we can’t stay here.”

  “You’ll be going back without me then.” He gestured to David. “I know the laddo here is a good doctor but he is no miracle worker. I’m dying; it’s just that there are bits of my body that don’t know it yet.” He closed his eyes briefly. “David says you got that Mick who was trying to kill us.”

  “Aye, well we got him. I knew which guns he was working and I found him when he was gut shot. He would have died slowly.”

  “Good. It’s bad enough fighting without someone trying to collect your head as a bounty.” He closed his eyes again and was quiet for quite a time. He opened them again. “I think I’ll sleep for a while. Give me your hand Lucky Jack.” I gave him my right hand. “You have been a good mate and I am proud to have had you for my friend. Don’t waste your life on a lost cause. Find that girl and get yourself a life.”

  “I will and you will come to the wedding.” He smiled and then closed his eyes.

  David and I stood and went outside. The air was marginally cooler than it had been but I needed air. “He’s dying. He knows it. That was goodbye.” I felt choked up and I found I could not speak. I nodded and fought for control. I was now the senior officer in the regiment and it would not do to break down. But I wanted to.

  A messenger arrived just before midnight. It was a sergeant and he looked at the handful of men before him. “Sir,” he said looking at me, “General Hill wishes Colonel Boswell to report to him at headquarters.”

  I said, flatly, “The colonel is dead. I am the senior officer.”

  The sergeant face looked crestfallen. “I am sorry sir. Would you…”

  “Of course sergeant.” I turned to David. “Until Dago is awake I am afraid you are in charge.”

  He smiled, “You really mean Sergeant Major Mulrooney; well we are in good hands then.”

  I went to pick Copper up from Sergeant James. Sergeant James had not been the same since his wounding. “I am sure glad the horses weren’t used today sir. It’s bad enough men died but at least they have a choice. These dumb animals are too brave for their own good.” His voice broke a little. “Ask the general if we can go home sir.”

  “I will do sergeant, I will do.”

  Copper and I endured a dispiriting ride through broken men. They appeared to shamble as though in a trance. I saw grown men crying on the side of the road. They were without wounds but inside their spirits had been broken. As I reined up outside the headquarters tent I heard three shuffling soldiers moaning. “If Tom Jackson had been here today it would have been the Yankees who would have been whupped!”

  The sergeant gave me a lopsided smile as he rode off on his next errand. “It’s what a lot of the boys are thinking sir. Good luck sir.”

  General Hill was sat at his table when I entered. He was alone and he looked ill. I had heard that he had not been well. He was a good general but perhaps his illness had prevented him from being able to influence the battle as he would have wished. He looked at me in some surprise.

  “Colonel Boswell?”

  “Dead sir, along with Major Murphy.”

  “Damn shame. They were fine officers.” He took a deep breath as though dreading the answer. “How many men do you have left who are fit for duty?”

  “Thirty sir and another fifteen or so who are wounded.”

  “Dear God! That must be hard to bear sir.”

  I nodded. “Sir, most of us joined Colonel Boswell when he was Captain Boswell and we fought as the Wildcats. We just sort of ended up as the 1st Virginia Scouts. The men are broken sir. They want to go home.”

  I expected a reprimand but he nodded. “I can see that. I’ll see General Lee but I will recommend that the 1st Virginia Scouts be disbanded and any men who wish to join another regiment can do so.”

  “Thank you general.”

  “There are many of us who would hope that you would do so Captain Hogan.”

  “It is too early to say sir but at the moment I am not inclined to fight any more.”

  “I see. Well I have another task for you.” He held up his hand. “It is not a hazardous task; at least I don’t think it is. I want you to go to Williamsport and ensure that we can cross the river. The army will be retreating soon.”

  Inside I sighed with relief. We could do that. “Yes sir. How long will it take to get the army across the Potomac?”

  “That depends upon the Yankees and what they do here but I reckon no more’n ten days.”

  “Very well sir and you will make our case to the General?”

  “Of course Captain Hogan. It is the least I can do. I will send the wounded with General Imboden and they will go a longer route to avoid the enemy. We must get our wounded home and you have to hold the bridge.”

  I nodded, “You have my word sir.
I will not leave the bridge until I am relieved.”

  “That’s all that I can ask.”

  I returned to the farm in higher spirits than I had left but soon I was plunged into despair. As soon as I dismounted I knew there was bad news. David and the Sergeant Major were waiting for me with grim expressions.

  “It’s Harry isn’t it?”

  “Yes Jack. He died half an hour ago. He just slipped away. I think he only waited to say goodbye to you.” Lieutenant David Dinsdale looked on the brink of tears himself. “I am so sorry.”

  I was unable to speak. My eyes fell upon Cecil who nodded. “Leave it to me sir. I’ll see to his body with the lieutenant here.” He took a bottle of whiskey from the table. “Here sir. It won’t be a true wake but have a drink to the captain. He was a lovely man.”

  I went outside and sat watching the battlefield and remembering my friends who had perished that day at Gettysburg.

  Chapter 16

  The Road from Gettysburg

  I gathered all the men the next day outside the farm. Two more men had died during the night. “We have been given one more task. We have to ensure that Williamsport remains in our hands until the wagons with the wounded cross over the Potomac. I believe that General Lee will then allow us to be disbanded. Any man who wishes to continue to fight will be able to join one of the other regiments. There are many vacancies to fill.” I looked at David. “I would like to take as many of the wounded who can ride.”

  He nodded, “There will be ten who can accompany you.” He paused. “I will join the medical department. I’d like to save lives.”

  I shook his hand, “And we all applaud that sentiment.”

  “All of you can leave with your heads held high. No one in the whole Confederate Army could have fought better or achieved more than you did.” I noticed that it had begun to rain. I looked up at the sky. “In Ireland we believe it is a good thing if it rains when you are burying those you have loved. It is God crying with you. This morning our last act will be to lay to rest all of our comrades and then we head south.”

  The graves had been dug already; the Sergeant Major had seen to that. Dago stood by me as I named each man as he was laid to rest. We buried them with their weapons. It was the right thing to do. David and Cecil had dressed the officers in their best uniforms. They would meet their maker looking like soldiers. We had few troopers left to say goodbye but, after we had all fired our guns we passed by each grave and said goodbye in out own way. It was the most sombre day of my life. I had not buried my mother and father; I felt like I was burying them now for this had been my family since I had come to America.

  We left David to leave with the wagons which were being loaded with the wounded. They would be escorted by General Imboden and were taking the Greencastle route. It would be easier on the wagons and the wounded. We would be talking the shorter route to Hagerstown. We said little as we bade farewell to the wounded and David. We had no doubt we would be seeing them again in Williamsport.

  As the rain pelted down and the two armies watched each other from their respective ridges we left Pennsylvania. We were like the tide which had reached its high water mark and was now ebbing. We ebbed south.

  Our losses meant we had spare horses. We saw others looking enviously at them as we headed south along the rain sodden roads. Each man led two horses. This would be the pay off for men who had received no pay for many months. Most of the men had money we had acquired during our raids and all of the kept it well hidden about them. The horses could be sold for, when they returned to their homes, they would all find such beasts in great demand.

  Dago rode next to me while the three remaining sergeants rode with Cecil at the rear. I knew that they would be doing as we were and talking of our dead comrades.

  “It doesn’t surprise me that you survived Jack. You were born to survive but I feel lucky too. I never thought I would see the war out and I definitely did not expect to ride away from Gettysburg.”

  “It was hell; quite literally.”

  “When the colonel ordered us to fall back I felt relief and then when that ball slammed into me I thought my world had ended.” He looked at me, wiping the rain from his face. “You didn’t fall back did you?”

  I shook my head. “No. It was just the wrong thing to do. Those gunners weren’t bothered about us. They had over twelve thousand Rebs marching towards them. We were like fleas on a dog. I like to think that when we took those few guns out on the ridge we saved a few men’s lives.”

  “No, don’t get me wrong. You were right. More of your men survived than those who fell back.” We rode in silence for a while. We were constantly passing soldiers heading back to the south. Some were patently deserters. We saw the furtive looks they gave us and their hands hovered close to pistols. Others were the ones wounded early in the three day battle. Those too weak to walk would already be heading west in the wagons. We were passing a broken army. I recognised men from the famous Stonewall Brigade, his foot cavalry. They had followed Jackson blindly but now they shuffled home betrayed and broken.

  We crossed Monterrey Pass and I could see why the wagons had taken the longer northern route. It would have been a painful and difficult journey for the wagons filled with injured men. I had already decided to stay for the night in Hagerstown. This was largely a selfish move on my part. I wanted to find Mary. However I also wanted my men out of the rain and I knew that there would be shelter there. Unless, of course, the Union held it.

  We reached the railroad line in the late afternoon and early evening. I gathered the men around me. “Lieutenant Spinelli, stay here with the men. Sergeant Ritchie and I will scout out the town and make sure there are no nasty surprises.”

  “Sir, let me come too.”

  I smiled, “No Sergeant Major. Lieutenant Spinelli will need your help here. We have a responsibility to all the wounded. I can promise you that I will be careful.”

  Sergeant Ritchie smiled, “Don’t worry, Irish, I want to get home. I’ll keep the captain out of trouble.”

  The troop huddled beneath the canopy of trees adjacent to the woods. It kept some of the rain from them. We rode down the railroad tracks. The rain was easing and becoming the misty mizzle that seems to permeate your bones. For July this sure was wet up here in Maryland. I did not expect any trains. They would be coming from Chambersburg and that was too close to Gettysburg to make it safe for engineers. The station was deserted as we clip clopped along the rails.

  “Sergeant, cut the telegraph wire to the station. Just in case.”

  With that done we rode through the houses just off the main streets. I was looking for signs of occupation. There would be flags or sentries. We saw none. I took us south to the outskirts of the town. I knew that Williamsport was just a few miles to the south. We could have reached it in a few hours but I wanted a day to scout it out. At least that was what I told myself. Besides which I knew that the wagons would not reach it for a couple of days at least. The real reason was I wanted the morning to find Mary.

  “Right sergeant, let’s sweep to the east of the town and approach the railroad from that direction.”

  “Sir.”

  As we rode we talked of our plans after the war. “What will you do when the war is over?”

  “Go back to South Carolina. I have a little money saved. I thought I might earn a living teaching guitar.” My surprised look made him smile, “I know it’s as different as can be from what we do now. I’d just like to make something instead of destroying it. I find peace playing the guitar.”

  “You could always earn a living playing for folks.”

  He shook his head, “No sir. I am too shy. I don’t mind playing for the boys. They are kind enough to like me but strangers? No sir. That’s why I will teach. And you sir?”

  “I suppose I will head back to Charleston and see if I still have a home there.” I shrugged. “I owe it to Colonel Boswell to find Jarvis and tell him what happened to his master. And I will look up the lawyer fel
low who invested my money for me.”I patted my saddlebags. “Like you I am not poor but I had a whole bunch of money tied up in the house and in investments. The colonel seemed to think it was a good idea.”

  “Yes sir, that was back when we thought that we could win.”

  I vaguely recognized the track we were taking. It led to the railroad and was the spot where I had had a run in with the Union troopers. I was alert and, thank goodness, so was Copper. The neigh and the whinny told me there were horses nearby. I held up my hand. Sergeant Ritchie halted and drew his Colt. I did the same. We waited. The rain had stopped but droplets still continued to fall from the leaves and branches. I heard what sounded like a shout. I spied a sort of narrow trail leading from the green road we were on.

  We dismounted and led our horses down it. I saw a glow ahead which indicated a house of some description. The track twisted and turned until it eventually emerged at a clearing and farm house. It was a well made house and not rustic in any way. There was a stoop and a veranda which ran around the house. At the foot of the steps was a pair of hitching rails; attached to one there were four Yankee horses. We tied our mounts to the other hitching rail and I drew my second Colt. We went to the door where we could hear voices from within.

  “Now listen you dumb bitch. We know there is gold in this house. Your husband and your son were too stupid for their own good which is why they are lying there dead. Now stop your blubbering and tell me where it is or so help me I will slit your throat too!”

  I heard a woman wailing, “Oh please, I beg of you. We have no gold.”

  “You live in this fine house and you have a servant girl and you say you are poor! Do not take me for a fool.”

  I then heard a second voice. “Mrs Delancey is speaking the truth you have done enough. Leave us alone. Where is your officer? He would not want you to treat civilians like this.” It was Mary! I recognised her voice. Suddenly everything changed. We had to rescue her.

  “Our officer? He was the first one who we killed. We have had enough of this war so don’t think we will worry about killing a couple of women. After we have had some fun with them.”