by Ginny Dye
Moses looked around and noticed, with deep satisfaction, that a thick fog was rolling into the area. At least it would slow the rest of the men down. As fast as he could, he tied Adams’ clothes behind his saddle and leapt onto the horse.
Now if he could just make it in time.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Carrie stood on the porch and watched as a heavy fog crept in to blanket the plantation. Right now it was low to the ground; soon it would thicken and make travel impossible. Would it slow down the Union troops? Did an army travel at night? Frustration welled up in her as she struggled to know what to do. There had been no letters from her father - not since the one telling her of McClellan’s arrival at Fort Monroe. She had stayed so busy it had been easy to convince herself all was well. The Confederate Army must have indeed been able to push them back. As she watched the fields explode with new growth, she worked harder to plant even more. It had been enough to keep her mind occupied. She had decided to stagger the planting times. That way crops would mature all the way through to the end of fall. She had felt good about her decision to stay on the plantation.
Now she wasn’t so sure. The pounding sounds of guns and artillery from the direction of Williamsburg two days ago had both startled and frightened her. The slaves were absolutely terrified. She was doing everything she could to keep them calm. She carried a weight of responsibility for them now that often threatened to overwhelm her.
The roar of guns had erupted early that first morning and continued long into the afternoon. A steady rain and gray skies had done nothing but increase the sense of foreboding that had crept over her as she listened. When the day ended and the guns were silent, she was left with nothing but questions. Who had won? Were there Union soldiers on their way to Richmond? What about Cromwell Plantation?
Somehow she had made it through the long day that followed. Now, another had come and almost gone, and she was no closer to knowing what to do. Her mind screamed at her to leave immediately. In spite of the fact she hadn’t heard from her father, she knew he must be worried sick. She had no idea whether she was in actual danger or not, but every nerve in her screamed she was.
Her heart told her to stay. She had a job to do. But this time it was much more important than just raising food. The slaves on Cromwell looked to her for care and protection. Sam had been right. The ones who had chosen to stay rather than to escape were those in need of the security and safety the plantation offered. The battle sounds had sent them into a state of panic. How could she go away and leave them?
“You out here, Miss Carrie?”
Carrie turned and smiled weakly at Opal. “Yes, I’m here. Come on out and join me.” Opal and the children had moved into the house a few weeks ago. They had been fine down in the quarters, but Carrie had finally admitted she was lonely and asked Opal to join her. Having the children around was indeed a blessing. They were gradually emerging from the shock of losing both their parents and were beginning to take an interest in life again.
Susie, especially, was a joy. The sixteen year old reminded her so much of Rose. When she wasn’t taking care of household chores, Carrie could find her in the library. She devoured everything she could get her hands on.
“What you thinking about, Miss Carrie?”
Carrie shrugged. “I just don’t know what to do,” she said helplessly.
A stern voice sounded behind her. “You need to be gettin’ yo’self to Richmond, Miss Carrie. I don’t reckon it be too safe for you ‘round here right now.” Sam moved toward them from the yard.
“You scared me to death, Sam,” Carrie gasped. “What in the world are you doing sneaking around in the yard?”
“I ain’t sneakin’,” he protested. “I’m watchin’. Ain’t no soldiers gonna get past me iffen I got somethin’ to do ‘bout it!”
Carrie smiled in spite of herself. She could not imagine her elderly friend being able to do much to stop determined soldiers. Then she frowned. “You really think they’ll come here, Sam?”
Sam shrugged. “I don’t reckon I be knowin’ much more than you, Miss Carrie. Ain’t no way of knowin’ who won that battle yesterday. But I figure if the North done won, they’s gonna be headed this way.”
“Are you scared?” Carrie asked.
Sam shook his head. “Not for me I’m not. It’s you I be scared for.” He paused. “Them Union soldiers ain’t got a fight with me. It’s you they got a fight with. I heard enough to figure them soldiers ain’t gonna do nothing to us slaves. But to you...?” His voice trailed off grimly.
Carrie’s heart beat faster. Suddenly, every fog shrouded tree became a Union soldier. She peered around, wondering if she was being watched even now. “What do you think I should do, Sam?”
“You know what you should do, Miss Carrie. You ought to let me take you into Richmond as fast as I can.”
“But what about the plantation?” Carrie protested.
Sam snorted. “You ain’t goin’ to be runnin’ no plantation if the Yankees take it over, no how. And what you think we’s gonna do? I ain’t plannin’ on goin’ nowhere. I reckon I can help take care of this place. Once I get you to Richmond I’ll turn ‘round and come straight back. ”
Carrie shook her head. “But what about all the crops?” she cried desperately. “I can’t just leave them.” She tried to stuff down the bile of fear rising in her throat.
Sam stepped forward and took her by the shoulders. “Now you listen to me, Carrie girl,” he said sternly. “There be some thin’s in life you can’t be controllin’. No matter how used you be to doin’ that. I reckon this be one o’ them times. You done worked harder than any one person I ever seen. You done poured all yo’self into this plantation and growin’ food. But sometimes there be thin’s you just can’t control. This be one o’ them times,” he repeated. “And besides,” he continued sternly. “You already done come up with the worst end to this here story. Who’s to say you won’t be comin’ back? Maybe it was the South who won that battle we heard. You might get yo’self to Richmond and find out you get to come right back.”
Carrie latched onto his last words. “Maybe it was the South who won the battle! Maybe I should wait a little longer to see what happens.”
Sam shook his head in frustration. “You ain’t seein’ thin’s clear, girl. Even if was the South who won that battle, it still means there be a lot of Northern soldiers not too far from here. What’s to stop them from sneakin’ up here? By land or by water. The river ain’t too far, and it sure would be hard to watch all of it.”
Carrie’s heart sank. She knew Sam was right. She nodded slowly. “I promised my father I would leave the plantation if things became too dangerous. I guess that time has come.”
“Now you finally talkin’ some sense, girl!”
Carrie turned and stared out at the fog shrouded fields. “We’ll leave at first light. It’s too dangerous to try it in this fog.”
“That be the best,” Sam agreed. “You got work to do around here, anyhow.”
Carrie stared at him. “What kind of work, Sam?”
“Ain’t there some thin’s here you would hate to never have again?” he asked gently.
Carrie’s eyes suddenly filled with tears. She had never allowed herself to think that Cromwell Plantation might actually be lost. Sam’s quiet question brought the reality blasting home. She took a deep breath and willed herself to stay calm. “You’re right,” she said bravely.
Sam nodded. “I’ll get you a bag you can take with you. Fit whatever you can in that bag. Me and Opal will hide whatever else you find. I reckon that’s the best we be able to do.”
Carrie stared at him again, before she swung around once more to probe the woods with her eyes. Then she turned and disappeared into the house.
“Gol’darn, Captain!” one of the soldier’s yelled. “How we gonna find Cromwell Plantation? I can’t even find my hand in front of my face.”
“My horse doesn’t even want to move,” another complained. “
There’s no way we’re going to find the fork in the road Adams told us about!”
There was a brief silence, and then the captain barked, “Halt! You’re right. We’ll stay here for the night. When the sun comes up and we can see our way, we’ll continue on.”
Moses, riding quietly behind them, smiled as they reached the conclusion he had known they would reach. Only people very familiar with the area would have any idea where they were going. It had not taken him long to catch up with them once he had disposed of Adams. He had been following them, several hundred feet back, for the last two miles.
“Hey, Captain. Where’s Moses?” Joe yelled.
The smile faded from his face. He had known they would miss him sometime. He pulled his horse to a halt, dismounted quickly, and led his horse into the bush. The noise of the men would cover any sound he made.
“Yeah. Where’s Moses?”
In the brief silence, Moses could imagine them all craning their necks to peer around.
“I don’t remember seeing him since we left that little store,” a soldier named Albert said in a bewildered tone.
Moses listened carefully. Most of the men riding with Captain Jones had given him no trouble. They had actually seemed grateful for his knowledge of the area and the ease with which he took them from place to place. He was the only one who knew he had steered them a wide berth around Cromwell Plantation.
A rough voice floated back to him. “I told you we couldn’t trust that nigger!”
Moses frowned. It was Clyde, one of the soldiers who had almost accosted him on the boat. The burly, rough soldier seemed to have no recollection of his actions that night, had even pleaded drunken innocence when other soldiers told him, but Moses had known all along what his real feelings were. He had very deliberately given him a wide berth. Now Clyde’s voice shot back to him.
“I bet that nigger is up to no good! I say we send someone back to find out what he’s up to.”
Joe laughed. “You want to volunteer, Clyde? I’d bet you would never even find that store. You’d probably walk right into a batch of Rebel soldiers. Isn’t anybody going to find anything in this fog? It’s as thick as pea soup. I don’t think any of us have to worry about Moses - except to wonder if something happened to him.” His voice thickened with worry. “Maybe that Adams fellow had some backup we never knew about. Something tells me that man wouldn’t be too fond of our friend, Moses.”
Captain Jones spoke then. “You’re right, Joe. Moses can be trusted. Something must have happened.” Suddenly his voice sharpened. “Why didn’t someone tell me before that he is missing?”
A chorus of protests rose immediately. Joe’s was the only voice that floated to Moses clearly. “Finding Adams caught us all off guard, Captain. When you took off, we weren’t really thinking. We just followed you. We all assumed we were all here.”
Moses smiled in the darkness. It was always helpful to listen to people talk about you when they didn’t know you were around. Sometimes it was the only way to know what folks were really thinking. It felt good to know Captain Jones trusted him. Of course, he wouldn’t trust him for long if he knew what he was up to. His smile disappeared.
Captain Jones spoke again. “There’s nothing we can do now. Joe is right. No one could find their way through this fog. We can’t do anything about any of this until we can see. We leave here at the crack of dawn. Cromwell Plantation is our top priority. Then we’ll find out what happened to Moses.” He paused. “He’ll probably show up any time now, anyway. He knows this area like the back of his hand.”
“Yeah,” Clyde laughed. “I don’t know why any of you are worried about that nigger. He’s probably gone hunting for a woman to love.”
Moses face flushed with anger as he remembered Clyde’s exuberant response to Adams’ suggestion about Carrie. His fist clenched as he thought about Carrie under control of the ignorant man. He was dedicated to the cause of the Union, but his dedication and loyalty to Carrie came first. He would do anything to keep her from harm. Even kill a Union soldier if it was necessary. If his plan worked, though, he wouldn’t have to.
Moses thought carefully as he blocked out the rest of the conversation floating down toward him. He was going to have to leave his horse behind. It would be hard enough to make his way through the woods on foot. His horse would never make it past the soldiers. They would take pot shots at any strange noise they heard in the woods, shooting first and asking questions later.
Moses led his horse a little farther back in the woods and moved as quietly as possible. Finally he was convinced his mare would not be seen by the men the next morning. He quickly removed the saddle and bridle then tied the mare loosely to a branch. He knew the rope would work itself free but hopefully not till dawn. He planned on being back before that happened, but if he wasn’t she wouldn’t be left to starve or die from thirst. He tested the rope one more time then turned and slipped into the fog.
All Moses knew to do was head southwest toward the river. He knew there was no trail in this area. He would have to bushwhack through the dark, fog-shrouded woods. The going would be slow but surely he could make it before dawn. If he was calculating right, his southwesterly course should deposit him on the road that led to the Cromwell entrance road. It would be an easy run from there to the main house. He would alert Carrie to the danger and help her avoid the patrol. She should have enough time to make it to Richmond. He would accompany her as far as possible.
Four hours later, Moses was still pushing his way through the woods. Frustration was close to choking him. Spring storms had brought down many large trees. The fog made it impossible to tell what direction he was headed once he had gone around them. He lost track of the number of times he had stumbled and fallen. Once his head had struck a rock, and he had lain there dazed for long minutes. Finally he had pushed himself to his feet and kept going. He had to reach Carrie in time.
He pushed aside a huge clump of bushes now and stumbled out onto a road. Anxiously he looked around. Where was he? The curves in the road before and behind him looked like any of a million on a road like this. Moses ground his teeth in frustration. Suddenly he realized the heaviness of the night air was pushing the fog down, compressing it closer to the ground. He looked up and gasped. He could almost make out specks in the sky. He dashed over to a huge oak and swung onto the lowest limb. Climbing nimbly, he was soon high enough to break out from the fog. A quick glance gave him a bearing on the North Star. He breathed a prayer of thanks and swung down. At least he knew what direction to go.
He jumped down on the road and began to run. He had wasted valuable time in the woods. And if the fog was compressing, Captain Jones may choose to press on before dawn. Moses knew how anxious the captain was to find food and report back.
Moses gasped when he rounded a curve and saw an abandoned little cabin on the left of the road. He was barely a mile from where Captain Jones and his men were camped. His four hours of wandering in the woods had taken him largely in circles. Moses gritted his teeth and lengthened his stride. He could still make it.
Moses was gasping for breath when he finally came to the brick pillars that marked the entrance to Cromwell Plantation. He realized his floundering in the woods necessitated a change in plans. He might possibly reach Carrie before the soldiers did, but how was she going to slip past them? He glanced at the horizon and groaned when he saw the first glimmer of light reaching out for him. The fog was now lying close to the ground, a thick cover that would allow men on horseback to ride unhindered. For all he knew, his comrades were right behind him.
A sudden yell from far down the road confirmed his worst fears. He never even hesitated as he dashed past the pillars and continued down the road away from the plantation. He would have to go in the back way. He knew his way through the woods leading to the quarters like the back of his hand. Thank goodness it was a shorter distance than the drive. But once he broke out into the quarters would he be able to find the quickest way to the river? It was C
arrie’s only hope now.
As he ran, he searched for that familiar spot in the road that would lead into the woods. When he found it, he turned into the trees and continued to run down the trail unwinding before him. His lungs burned as he gasped for air, but he didn’t slow down. The vision of Carrie’s face kept him going. Rose’s face appeared before him as well.
Save her, Moses! Save her!
Moses ran faster. He barely even turned his head as he flashed past the clearing where Rose had taught her little school, but the spirits of those who had defied the shackles on their souls, leapt up to encourage him on. Their courage gave him the strength to continue.
The first of the quarters’ cabins appeared to him through a crack in the woods. Praying no one was awake and aware of what was going on, Moses flashed into the clearing, raced along the edge of the woods, and in just moments disappeared again down a narrow trail leading to the river
Could he find it? Was he crazy to think he could actually find something he had never laid eyes on? What if it wasn’t even there? Moses ran on. All he could do was try. Visions of soldiers tramping up on Carrie’s porch - of Clyde demanding his entertainment – drove him on.
Finally he broke out onto the river trail. He struggled to remember everything he had heard Marse Cromwell say that day. His run slowed to a deliberate walk, his sides heaving heavily as he peered into the bank. Would he be able to find it?
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Carrie sat by her window and stared out into the early morning darkness. She hadn’t slept a wink all night. Tossing and turning in her bed had only exhausted her more and had creased deep wrinkles in the dress she had decided not to bother taking off. Finally she had given up the effort and risen to sit by the window. She watched as the thick fog settled down to hug the earth. Now she alternated between staring at the myriad of twinkling stars above her and the dark border of trees facing her. She was watching the stars for courage and strength. Watching the woods was necessary if she wanted to stay ahead of the enemy.