Charlie let go of the horse’s forefoot and stood up. “This your horse, Mister?”
“Might be.”
Charlie opened his jacket to show his badge. “Yes or no.”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m here to arrest you for murder.”
“I don’t think so.”
Charlie took a step closer and the man pulled his pistols. “Now hold on,” Charlie said. “I was just getting a better look at you.”
“Then you don’t intend to arrest me?”
“Not until we talk about it.”
“I’m not much of a talker.”
“You were the last time we met.”
“When was that?”
“When your brother Tom and I busted you out of the loony bin in Williamsburg.”
“Ah yes. I thought you looked familiar. Do you intend to let me go?”
“I can’t do that. I took an oath to uphold the law.”
“You’d taken an oath when you helped Thomas.”
“Yes, that’s true. But this is different.”
“That’s too bad for both of us, but it’s especially bad for you.” He aimed a pistol at Charlie’s face.
“Now hold on.” Charlie raised his hands. “I’m married to your sister.”
“That’s even worse for you. I never liked that bitch.” William shot him between the eyes then mounted his horse and rode out of town.
August 22, 1847
West Point, New York
Quincy Van Buskirk, dressed in the gray uniform of a West Point plebe, kissed Anna on the cheek. “Bye, Mother.”
“Don’t forget to write.” Anna stifled a sob and dabbed her eyes with a lace handkerchief.
Quincy raised his hand to Nancy Vreeland who was standing a step behind Anna. “Bye Aunt Nancy.”
“Bye Quince.” Nancy moved up beside Anna and took her hand. “Write to me too.”
The two women watched until he was out of sight, then turned to walk back to the steamboat dock.
“We used to live here when I was little,” Anna said. “I don’t remember much about it except fighting with William. I think I’ve always hated him.”
Nancy laughed. “You’ve always been smarter than me. If he’d asked I probably would have married him and been his first murder victim.”
Anna shuddered.
“Oh dear,” Nancy gasped. “That was a callous thing for me to say. I’m so sorry.”
“No, no. It wasn’t that. It was just the idea that my own brother is a murderer. I’ve had more trouble getting my mind around that than accepting that Charlie’s dead.” She smiled at Nancy. “I wish you could have met Charlie. You’d have liked him.”
“I’d like anybody that you love, Anna, just because I love you.” Nancy looked toward the steamer. “We have a half hour before we sail. Do you want to walk or sit on one of these benches?”
“Sit. I didn’t sleep a wink last night and my knees are like jelly.”
The two women walked to the front row of benches and sat down.
“Are you going to stay at Van Buskirk Point or go back to Texas?” Nancy asked.
“I was thinking about finding a house or an apartment somewhere close to your house in Manhattan until the Mexican War is over.”
Nancy smiled nervously.
“What?” Anna asked.
“I have to tell you something.”
“I’m listening.”
“I don’t live alone,” Nancy said.
“I wasn’t hinting that I wanted to move in with you, Nancy,” Anna said with a giggle.
“No, no. You could if you wanted. You’d be very welcome.” Nancy took a deep breath. “I live with another woman.”
Anna shrugged. “I think you mentioned that.”
“I didn’t mention that she’s my lover.”
Anna stared at Nancy for several moments then looked out at the river. “How long has this been going on?”
“Almost sixteen years.”
“No wonder you never got married.”
“Do you hate me?”
“No. Don’t be silly. You’re my best friend and always will be.”
“You were my first lover,” Nancy said.
“Me?” Anna giggled. “You have me confused with someone else. I love you dearly, but not that way.”
Nancy shook her head. “Don’t you remember the time when we were about twelve and we practiced kissing?”
“Oh Lord.” Anna laughed. “Yes, I remember. How embarrassing.”
“Not to me. One of the reasons that I was so promiscuous when I was a girl was that none of the boys I kissed ever gave me the thrill that I got from kissing you.”
Anna hesitated. “I really don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything. Nothing has to change between us. But I thought you should know the truth about me.”
“Do me one favor?”
“Anything.”
“Don’t tell Quincy until he gets over the crush he has on you.”
Nancy laughed. “I promise.”
“I wasn’t sure that you noticed.”
“I noticed and was very flattered but I thought it would be prudent to pretend that I didn’t notice.”
Anna looked up toward the Academy. “I worry about him. He’s grown up in an armed stockade and had almost no female social contact for most of his adult life. The only women he’s ever known are family members, whores, servants and an occasional Indian squaw.”
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. He was always polite, charming and appropriate with me. Besides, West Point is an all-male school where his martial upbringing should be an asset.”
Anna sighed. “I suppose you’re right. He’s just another Van Buskirk gone for a soldier.
September 2, 1847
Chapultepec Castle, Mexico
“You will read this captured document to me in Spanish,” Santa Anna demanded.
Marina took the document from him. “Very well but let me read it to myself first so I am familiar with its contents before I try to translate it verbally.”
“Be quick about it.”
She gave him a bored look and began reading to herself.
From: Major-General Winfield Scott
To: HON. WM. L. MARCY, Secretary of War.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, TACUBAYA, AT THE GATES OF MEXICO, August 28, 1847.
Sir:
My report, No. 31, commenced in the night of the 19th instant, closed with the operations of the army on that day. The morning of the 20th opened with one of a series of unsurpassed achievements, all in view of the capital, and to which I shall give the general name Battles of Mexico.
In the night of the 19th, Brigadier-Generals Shields, P. F. Smith, and Cadwallader, and Colonel Riley, with their brigades, and the 15th Regiment, under Colonel Morgan, detached from Brigadier - General Pierce found themselves in and about the important position the village, hamlet or hacienda, called indifferently, Contreras, Ansalda, San Geronimo half a mile nearer to the city than the enemy’s entrenched camp, on the same road, toward the factory of Magdalena.
That camp had been, unexpectedly, our formidable point of attack in the afternoon before, and we had now to take it, without the aid of cavalry or artillery, or to throw back our advanced corps upon the direct road from SAN AUGUSTIN to the city, and thence force a passage through San Antonio.
Accordingly, to meet contingencies, Major-General Worth was ordered to leave early in the morning of the 20th, one of his brigades to mask San Antonio, and to march with the other six miles, via SAN AUGUSTIN upon Contreras. A like destination was given to Major-General Quitman and his remaining brigade in SAN AUGUSTIN replacing, for the moment, the garrison of that important depot with Hartley’s brigade of cavalry, as horses could not pass over the intervening lava, etc., to reach the field of battle.
A diversion for an earlier hour (daylight) had been arranged the night before, according to the suggestion of Brigadier-General P. F. Smith,
received through the Engineer, Captain Lee, who conveyed my orders to our troops remaining on the ground, opposite to the enemy’s centre the point for the diversion or a real attack, as circumstances might allow.
Guided by Captain Lee, it proved the latter, under the command of Colonel Ransom of the 9th, having with him that regiment and some companies of three others the 3d, 12th, and Rifles.
Shields, the senior officer at the hamlet, having arrived in the night, after Smith had arranged with Cadwallader and Riley the plan of attack for the morning, delicately waived interference; but reserved to himself the double task of holding the hamlet with his two regiments (South Carolina and New York Volunteers) against ten times his numbers on the side of the city, including the slopes to his left, and in case the enemy’s camp in his rear should be carried, to face about and cut off the flying enemy.
At three o clock A. M. the great movement commenced on the rear of the enemy’s camp, Riley leading, followed successively by Cadwallader’s and Smith’s brigades, the latter temporarily under the orders of Major Dimick of the 1st Artillery the whole force being commanded by Smith, the senior in the general attack, and whose arrangements, skill, and gallantry always challenge the highest admiration.
The march was rendered tedious by the darkness, rain, and mud ; but about sunrise, Riley, conducted by Lieutenant Tower, Engineer, had reached an elevation behind the enemy, whence he precipitated his columns ; stormed the entrenchments, planted his several colors upon them, and carried the work all in seventeen minutes.
Conducted by Lieutenant Beauregard, Engineer, and Lieutenant Brooks of Twiggs’s Staff both of whom, like Lieutenant Tower, had, in the night, twice reconnoitered the ground Cadwallader brought up to the general assault, two of his regiments the Voltigeurs and the 11th ; and at the appointed time Colonel Eansom, with his temporary brigade, conducted by Captain Lee, Engineer, not only made the movement in front, to divert and to distract the enemy, but, after crossing the deep ravine, advanced, and poured into the works and upon the fugitives many volleys from his destructive musketry.
In the mean time Smith’s own brigade, under the temporary command of Major Dimick, following the movements of Riley and Cadwallader, discovered, opposite to, and outside of the works, a long line of Mexican cavalry, drawn up as a support. Dimick having at the head of the brigade the company of Sappers and Miners, under Lieutenant G. W. Smith, Engineer, who had conducted the march, was ordered by Brigadier-General Smith to form his line faced to the enemy, and in a charge, against a flank, routed the cavalry.
Shields, too, by the wise disposition of his brigade and gallant activity, contributed much to the general results. He held masses of cavalry and infantry, supported by artillery, in check below him, and captured hundreds, with one general (Mendoza), of those who fled from above.
I doubt whether a more brilliant or decisive victory taking into view ground, artificial defenses, batteries, and the extreme disparity of numbers without cavalry or artillery on our side is to be found on record. Including all our corps directed against the entrenched camp, with Shields’s brigade at the hamlet, we positively did not number over four thousand five hundred rank and file ; and we knew by sight, and since, more certainly, by many captured documents and letters, that the enemy had actually engaged on the spot seven thousand men, with at least twelve thousand more hovering within sight and striking distance both on the 19th and 20th. All, not killed or captured, now fled with precipitation.
Thus was the great victory of Contreras achieved ; one road to the capital opened ; seven hundred of the enemy killed; eight hundred and thirteen prisoners, including, among eighty-eight officers, four generals ; besides many colors and standards ; twenty-two pieces of brass ordnance half of large caliber, thousands of small arms and accoutrements; an immense quantity of shot, shells, powder, and cartridges seven hundred pack mules, many horses, etc., etc. all in our hands.
It is highly gratifying to find that, by skilful arrangement and rapidity of execution, our loss, in killed and wounded, did not exceed, on the spot, sixty among the former the brave Captain Charles Hanson, of the 4th Infantry not more distinguished for gallantry than for modesty, morals, and piety. Lieutenant J. P. Johnstone, 1st Artillery, serving with Magruder’s battery, a young officer of the highest promise, was killed the evening before.
One of the most pleasing incidents of the recapture, in their works, by Captain Drum, Artillery, under Major Gardner, of the two brass 6- pounders, taken from another company of the same regiment, though without the loss of honor, at the glorious battle of Buena Vista about which guns the whole regiment had mourned for so many long months ! Coming up a little later I had the happiness to join in the protracted cheers of the gallant 4th on the joyous event and, indeed, the whole army sympathizes in its just pride and exultation.
The battle being won before the advancing brigades of Worth’s and Quitman’s divisions were in sight, both were ordered back to their late positions : Worth, to attack San Antonio, in front, with his whole force, as soon as approached in the rear by Pillow’s and Twiggs’s divisions moving from Contreras, through San Angel and Coyoacan. By carrying San Antonio, we knew that we should open another, a shorter and better, road to the capital for our siege and other trains.
Accordingly, the two advanced divisions and Shields brigade marched from Contreras, under the immediate orders of Major-General Pillow, who was now joined by the gallant Brigadier-General Pierce of his division, personally thrown out of activity, late the evening before, by a severe hurt received from the fall of his horse.
After giving necessary orders on the field, in the midst of prisoners and trophies, and sending instructions to Harney’s brigade of cavalry (left at SAN AUGUSTIN) to join me, I personally followed Pillow’s command.
Arriving at Coyoacan, two miles by a cross road, from the rear of San Antonio, I first detached Captain Lee, Engineer, with Captain Kearny s troop, 1st Dragoons, supported by the Rifle Regiment, under Major Loring, to reconnoiter that strong point; and next dispatched Major-General Pillow, with one of his brigades (Cadwallader’s), to make the attack upon it, in concert with Major-General Worth on the opposite side.
At the same time, by another road to the left, Lieutenant Stevens of the Engineers, supported by Lieutenant G. W. Smith’s company of sappers and miners, of the same corps, was sent to reconnoiter a strongly fortified church or convent of San Pablo, in the hamlet of Churubusco one mile off. Twiggs with one of his brigades (Smith’s less the Rifles) and Captain Taylor’s field battery, were ordered to follow and to attack the convent. Major Smith, senior Engineer, was dispatched to concert with Twiggs the mode and means of attack, and Twiggs’s other brigade (Biley’s) I soon ordered up to support him.
Next (but all in ten minutes) I sent Pierce (just able to keep the saddle) with his brigade (Pillow’s division), conducted by Captain Lee, Engineer, by a third road a little farther to our left, to attack the enemy’s right and rear, in order to favor the movement upon the convent, and to cut off a retreat toward the capital. And finally, Shields, senior brigadier to Pierce, with the New York and South Carolina Volunteers (Quitman’s division), was ordered to follow Pierce closely, and to take the command of our left wing All these movements were made with the utmost alacrity by our gallant troops and commanders.
Finding myself at Coyoacan, from which so many roads conveniently branched, without escort or reserve, I had to advance for safety close upon Twiggs’s rear. The battle now raged from the right to the left of our whole line.
Learning on the return of Captain Lee, that Shields in the rear of Churubusco was hard pressed, and in danger of being outflanked, if not overwhelmed, by greatly superior numbers, I immediately sent under Major Sumner, 2d Dragoons, the Rifles (Twiggs’s reserve) and Captain Sibley’s troop, 2d Dragoons, then at hand, to support our left, guided by the same engineer.
About an hour earlier, Worth had, by skilful and daring movements upon the front and right, turned and forced San Antonio its garr
ison, no doubt, much shaken by our decisive victory at Contreras.
His second brigade (Colonel Clarke’s) conducted by Captain Mason, Engineer, assisted by Lieutenant Hardcastle, Topographical Engineer, turned to the left, and by a wide sweep came out upon the high road to the capital. At this point the heavy garrison (three thousand men) in retreat was, by Clarke, cut in the centre one portion, the rear, driven upon Dolores, off to the right, and the other upon Churubusco, in the direct line of our operations. The first brigade (Colonel Garland’s), same division, consisting of the 2d Artillery, under Major Gait, the 3d Artillery, under Lieutenant-Colonel Belton, and the 4th Infantry, commanded by Major F. Lee, with Lieutenant-Colonel Duncan’s field battery (temporarily) followed in pursuit through the town, taking one general prisoner, the abandoned guns (five pieces), much ammunition, and other public property.
The forcing of San Antonio was the second brilliant event of the day.
Worth’s division being soon reunited in hot pursuit, he was joined by Major-General Pillow, who, marching from Coyoacan and discovering that San Antonio had been carried, immediately turned to the left according to my instructions, and, though much impeded by ditches and swamps, hastened to the attack of Churubusco.
The hamlet or scattered houses bearing this name, presented besides the fortified convent, a strong fieldwork (fete de pont) with regular bastions and curtains at the head of a bridge over which the road passes from San Antonio to the capital.
The whole remaining forces of Mexico some twenty-seven thousand men cavalry, artillery, and infantry, collected from every quarter were now in, on the flanks, or within supporting distance of those works, and seemed resolved to make a last and desperate stand for if beaten here, the feebler defenses at the gates of the city four miles off could not, as was well known to both parties, delay the victors an hour.
The capital of an ancient empire, now of a great republic or an early peace, the assailants were resolved to win. Not an American and we were less than a third of the enemy’s numbers had a doubt as to the result.
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