by Aileen Fish
He took her bag and escorted her off the ship. The flurry of activity on the docks should not have surprised her, but she felt particularly vulnerable at the moment, as if she must protect her child, and she covered her belly with her hand.
Captain Clark acquired a wagon and horse, and they traveled through the besieged city, a wreck of what must have once been a lovely city perched on bluffs above the Mississippi River.
Anna had never seen a Confederate soldier before, but she saw hundreds and hundreds that day—standing, seated, milling about in clusters, all disheveled, dirty with tattered uniforms hanging from thin frames. Federal soldiers watched them with rifles at the ready.
After stopping for inquiries, Captain Clark finally found the headquarters for the Ninth Iowa Infantry, a tent where several officers relaxed at a long table. The flaps were lifted to allow an exchange of air.
He helped Anna climb down from the wagon and approached.
“Good day, gentlemen, and congratulations on your victory. Major Carpenter, this is Mrs. Anna Damon, wife of a Lieutenant George Damon. Mrs. Damon has come all the way from Iowa and is searching for her husband. Do you know of his whereabouts?”
The officers jumped up on her approach. In her eyes, they all looked remarkably similar, dark-haired with long beards, blue uniforms and tired but satisfied expressions on their faces.
One spoke.
“Captain Clark! Welcome. We do not see you off your steamer very often. You will have heard of our victory here in Vicksburg. We have also had a great victory at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania!”
Major Carpenter turned to greet Anna with a bow. “Mrs. Damon. How may we be of assistance?”
“My husband is not attached to your unit, Major Carpenter, but I address my mail to him with your unit, and he has always received it. I have not heard from him in three months. I addressed a letter to the commander of the Ninth Iowa Infantry, but I received no response.” She tried to subdue the accusatory note in her voice. It would not do to alienate one of them.
“I am sorry, madam. Mail has been very sporadic of late, even more so as the war progresses. Please sit down.” Major Carpenter pulled out a chair for her and Captain Clark.
Anna noted that the officers looked at each other as if imparting some sort of unspoken message.
“Do you know where he is?” she asked, her voice breathless.
Major Carpenter looked over his shoulder. A sentry stood by the tent.
“Corporal, please take twenty steps out and ensure that no one comes within hearing of this tent.”
The corporal did as he was asked.
Anna’s heart thudded.
Major Carpenter leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. The other officers followed suit to listen in.
“Mrs. Damon, I am so sorry to have to tell you, but your husband was taken prisoner almost three months ago. We do not know the particulars of his capture, but I believe he has been transported to a Confederate prison.”
Anna stared into the kind dark eyes of Major Carpenter, and while she heard his words, she found she could not comprehend them. Neither could she breathe. She pulled at the button at the neck of her dress.
“But he is alive?” Her voice was hoarse.
“He was alive when last we heard. That is a most fortunate occurrence. Normally, he would have been executed.”
Captain Clark rose quickly and poured water from a jug into a cup. He handed it to Anna, and she clasped it but did not drink. To say that she felt faint was an understatement, but she marshaled her wits about her.
“Where is he? What prison?”
“We heard they sent him to Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia. But that is all we know. We do not know his condition now,” he added. “We have heard nothing since he was first captured.”
“Is there anyone who will know?” Anna asked. Her throat ached, and she longed to scream.
Major Carpenter shook his head with sympathy. “No, not that I am aware of. I am sorry, Mrs. Damon. I hope Lieutenant Damon survives prison, but I must be honest—there is much disease and pestilence in these prison-of-war camps, and prisoners receive very little care. Our prisons in the North are no better.”
Anna pressed both hands around her cup to prevent them from shaking.
“Can I purchase his release?”
“I do not know,” Major Carpenter said. “He is not a regular soldier. I think you must know what I mean. They may not wish to parole him for any reason, especially given that he was born in the South.”
Anna set down her cup with cold hands and rose. “Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you, Captain Clark.” She picked up her bag and began to walk away unseeingly, with no destination in mind.
A hand caught her arm, and she turned to see Captain Clark.
“Anna, you cannot simply wander away into a war-ravaged city with no plan. Come back to the ship with me. I will take you back to Iowa.”
Anna’s throat ached, and she did not trust herself to speak, but she forced words out.
“I have to find a way to see my husband, Captain Clark. Richmond must be over a thousand miles distant.”
“How do you propose to do that, my poor girl?”
The sympathy on his face threatened to weaken her fragile hold on tears.
“I have had no time to think. Clearly, I must return with you as far as St. Louis. Then I think I must take a train to Washington. From there, perhaps I can reach Richmond.”
He shook his head. “At least I know you are planning on returning to the ship. Perhaps I can talk some sense into you before we reach St. Louis. We leave tomorrow morning.”
Anna allowed Captain Clark to hand her up into the wagon, and they returned to the dock. She returned to her cabin, ignoring Archie’s startled gaze. There, she sobbed and sobbed until she could cry no more.
She thought to refuse dinner that night but thought again of the child. It would do the baby no good to starve herself. She asked Archie to bring a tray to her room and prepared to force herself to eat.
“Missus?” Archie began.
“Yes, Archie,” she said dispiritedly.
“I heard Cap’n talking to the pilot ’bout your husband.”
Anna stared at the tray of food on the desk, hoping it would become appetizing.
“They say he’s in a prison in Richmond, Virginia,” Archie said.
Anna nodded again.
“You ’member I said my sisters was in Washington?”
Anna lifted her eyes to his face.
“They can help you get to Richmond. They can take you there. Suzy can anyways. If you can get to Washington, she can help you. She’s been working on the Underground Railroad since she got there, and she knows how to get from place to place.”
Tears poured down Anna’s face, and she rose to grasp Archie’s hands.
“Oh, Archie! Thank you! Thank you!” she cried.
Archie stepped from side to side and stared down at their hands. He pulled his from hers.
“Sit down and eat now,” he said almost gruffly. “That baby ain’t gonna grow on its own.”
Anna sat down obediently, wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve and grabbed a piece of bread from the tray, but her hand stilled as she thought about Archie’s words.
“How do you know I am with child?”
“I been around a lot of women on the plantation, missus. I know a woman who’s expecting when I see one.”
Anna sniffed and bit into her bread. “I am so glad I met you, Archie,” she said.
“Just paying back a favor, that’s all, missus. My sisters will be pleased to see you. Now, don’t go telling the Cap’n, missus, or I’ll be in big trouble. He wants you to go home.”
Anna gave him a watery smile. “It is our secret, Archie.”
Archie left the cabin, and Anna finished the tray of food with renewed appetite. Though she could not bear the thought of George in a prison, at least she had a plan in place to see him, and for that she was grateful.
&
nbsp; Despite Captain Clark’s protestations, Anna left the paddle steamer in St. Louis some days later and booked passage on a train bound for Cincinnati and ultimately Washington. Her funds were running low, and if the opportunity to purchase George’s parole presented itself, she did not know how she would find the money, but she would worry about that when she got to the prison.
Surely they were not liable to arrest and incarcerate the grieving wife of a prisoner, Northerner or not, especially since, as Captain Clark informed her, much of Virginia had now fallen to the Union, leaving only enclaves of Confederate control.
She arrived in the capital several days later—weary, dirty and very hungry. Unprepared for the train trip, she had brought no food with her, and the dining room had run out of food quite quickly, she supposed due to the large number of Federal troops aboard the various trains.
She stepped off the train with her carpetbag and looked around. In the sea of bluecoats, she could see almost nothing. She made her way to the station and scanned the faces in the depot. Still, no one looked familiar.
With a sigh, she stepped outside. It appeared that Suzy may not have received the telegram she and Archie had sent together from St. Louis. Fortunately, Archie had given her his sisters’ address, and she had written it down.
“Miss Douglas, Miss Douglas!” a voice called out.
Anna swung around as a now plump Suzy ran up to her. Her hair was wrapped in a scarf, and she wore a white blouse, brown cotton skirt and a paisley shawl about her shoulders. Anna would not have recognized the woman who approached her.
“Suzy!” she cried out. She wrapped her arms around Suzy’s midriff. Suzy stiffened, patted her on the back and pulled away.
“There now, Miss Douglas. No call for that!” Nevertheless, Suzy grinned.
“My goodness, look at you!” Anna said. “You look so hearty!”
“I’ve been eatin’ a bit, that’s for sure,” Suzy said. “It’s so good to see you, Miss Douglas. So good. I was ever so surprised to hear you had met Archie! What a small world!”
“It is that, Suzy. How is Sally? And Sara?”
“Both fine, miss. Sally is married now, and Sara has a right proper father.”
Anna smiled. “Good, good! I am married now too, Suzy, to Mr. Damon.”
“That handsome man?” Suzy laughed. “Well, as if I didn’t know that was coming! You two couldn’t stop staring at each other.”
Anna’s smile softened as Suzy reminded her of their time on the road. To be with someone who also knew George felt wonderful.
“Right this way, missus. I brought a wagon.”
Anna followed Suzy, amazed at the change in the woman. She now seemed possessed and self-confident. Perhaps she had always been so, underneath the fear.
Anna climbed into the wagon, and Suzy urged the horses away from the station.
“Jes’ like you and Mr. Damon helped me, missus, I’m gonna help you find your husband. I know a way into Richmond, been takin’ bundles out of there for the past year.”
“I cannot tell you how proud I am of you, Suzy. It must take a great deal of courage to force yourself to return to Southern control to rescue other freedom seekers.”
“Gotta pay it back, ma’am. That’s all I do.”
“I do not think I would have your courage.”
“Oh, you got plenty of courage, missus. I know that for sure.”
Anna smiled. Perhaps she did. She did not feel it at the moment.
“Do you know much about this Libby Prison?”
Suzy maneuvered the horse with a click of her tongue.
“Not much. I heard some, but it ain’t good. I’m mighty sad to hear Mr. Damon is in there.”
“As am I,” Anna said sadly.
“What are you gonna do? Try to break him out?”
Anna wanted to chuckle, but she could not.
“No, I do not think that would be possible. I want to see the commander and ask if he will let me visit George, to bring him some food or clothing or whatever he needs.”
“Could be he might let you,” Suzy said, “if he’s a decent enough man.”
“Maybe.”
“So, you gonna jes’ march right up to the prison and ask to see Mr. Damon?”
“That is my plan.”
Suzy nodded. “You supposed to have papers or a pass to travel in the South.”
“Well, I am a Northerner, and I am presenting myself as one, so I imagine there is no point in trying to pass myself off as a Southerner. If you can get me into Richmond and near the prison, I can talk my way in to see the commander.”
“We’ll go tonight, missus, if you are up for it. It’s best if I go in at night. You know that. It’s about a hundred miles, so it will take us two long nights of traveling to get there. I’ll wait for you in a barn that we use as a jumping off place.”
“A shelter,” Anna repeated. “Suzy, the conductor,” she said softly.
“That’s me,” Suzy said with a grin.
They arrived at Suzy’s humble home, a rundown cabin on the edge of the city. Other modest cabins lined the dirt road. Anna sighed. She had hoped for better for Suzy, but she was free, and perhaps that was enough for now.
Anna entered the small wooden building and saw that Suzy had made it as homey as possible, collecting bits and pieces of furniture and cloth to decorate. She made Anna a cup of tea on a small stove, and it was the best tea Anna thought she had ever had.
She brought out one of the dresses Anna had given her, noting that she and Sally had yet not been to a place fancy enough to wear them.
They moved to sit on the porch and were rewarded with a visit from Sally and Sara, now over two years old. Anna held the small girl on her lap and relished seeing her happy face. They whiled away the hours, chatting until dusk.
Sally took Sara home at dark to make supper for her husband, and Suzy brought the wagon around to the front of the house. They climbed in, and Suzy sure-handedly led the horse out of the city and toward the south for the journey.
Anna fell asleep on Suzy’s shoulder as Mrs. Brickman had once slept on her shoulder. She awakened as the wagon stopped at dawn. Suzy had pulled off the road and into an abandoned mill. They ate some of the food Suzy had packed and slept in the back of the wagon.
At twilight, they started out again and reached Richmond just before dawn the next morning, a journey of twenty hours.
“We jes’ gotta take some back roads to avoid Confederate checkpoints,” Suzy said. “That’s more for me than you, missus. I don’t expect they’d do anything to you but send you home again.”
“I appreciate the danger you are putting yourself in for me, Suzy,” Anna said.
“Nothing you didn’t do for me.”
Anna patted Suzy’s hand and watched in admiration as she picked her way through the city. She pulled up to a stone building and led the wagon inside.
“He we are, missus. About one mile that way is the prison. You can’t miss it. Big ugly brick thing. Looks like a warehouse. A canal and river run along behind it. The sun will be up in a bit. I’ll wait for you here, no matter how long.”
Anna hugged Suzy. “If I’m not back by tonight, leave without me, Suzy.”
“I’ll wait, missus, right here. Suzy doesn’t leave without her bundles, and right now, you a bundle.”
Anna nodded. “That is certainly the truth. Thank you, Suzy.” Anna left her carpetbag with Suzy and made her way toward the prison. Dawn rose over the city, and she soon saw the imposing building. Encompassing almost a city block, the prison appeared to be a three-story warehouse of red brick. The lower half of it was painted white. Iron bars on all the windows marked the ominous nature of the structure. A large white sign noted it to be Libby Prison.
Anna saw several Confederate soldiers patrolling the building, but she could see no prisoners. With a pounding heart, Anna moved toward what she thought was the entrance.
“You there! What do you think you’re doing?” a short thin Confederate so
ldier barked at her. He approached with his rifle drawn, though not pointed directly at her.
Chapter 14
Anna ran a hand protectively over her belly at the soldier’s approach.
“I want to see the prison commander,” she said with as much confidence as she could muster. “I am Mrs. George Damon, and my husband is a prisoner here.”
“We don’t have visiting hours here, ma’am. How did you get here?” The thin young soldier looked around.
“I walked.” Anna stared at him as boldly as she could, hoping he could not see the trembling of her knees. She told herself they surely had no real cause to arrest her, not for trying to visit her husband, even if she did not have proper papers.
“I would like to see the commander, please,” she repeated.
He lowered his rifle and scratched his pale-blond hair under a dingy gray cap.
“Wait here!” He turned away and then paused. “What did you say your husband’s name was?”
“George Damon.” Anna’s heart pounded. She was so close!
“Wait.”
He turned away, and she watched as he spoke to another guard who seemed to take up his position. The blond soldier then strode into a doorway.
Anna clutched her shawl tightly about her and searched the windows of the prison, but she could see no faces. Though the hour was early, surely inmates were awake, were they not?
Suddenly, there was a flurry of activity at the door, and the soldier returned, accompanied by two more. The threesome ran down the stairs and toward her, and Anna resisted her instinct to flee. She could not have gotten far, and she would lose any opportunity to see George.
The blond grabbed her by the arm while the other two soldiers took up positions around her.
“Come with me!” he barked.
Anna tried to pull her arm away but could not break free.
“What is the meaning of this? Take your hands off me!” she shouted.
“The commandant wants to see you,” he said.
“And I want to see him, but you have no right to drag me in there like this!”
“We’ll see about that,” the guard said.