The Way of All Soldiers (Gone For Soldiers)

by Jeffry S. Hepple

  “Oh. Do it again.”

  “I can’t now. There’s a fire going.”

  “Can’t you stop it?”

  “No.”

  “The fire trucks use water.”

  “If I throw water in the fireplace we’ll be awash in ash and suffocated with smoke.” He put the matches on the mantle. “You’re either the stupidest creature on the face of the earth or the cleverest.”

  “And you think you can discover which with that comment?”

  “I think I just did.”

  “Are you going to hook my dress?”

  “No. But I’ll help you take it off.”

  She smiled and walked toward the bedroom. “Do you know how to make up a bed?”

  “Yes, but why don’t we just throw the bedclothes on the floor and let your new housekeeper make up the bed when she gets here?”

  “Umm. Sounds promising.” She walked into the bedroom, then turned around to look at him. “I expected you to put up more of a fight. What happened to change your mind?”

  “I got word last night that General Grant intends to launch an offensive on Vicksburg. It’s going to be long and bloody and I might not come back.”

  “Vicksburg. When?”

  “Immediately. I’ll be leaving today at noon with the forward party. Sherman will follow me on December first.”

  December 2, 1862

  Washington, D.C.

  Nancy was sitting alone on the living room couch as Robert came in. “How did it go?”

  He dropped his gold-braided hat on the foyer table and came in to sit beside her. “Ginger is now officially a Merchant Marine nurse aboard a newly commissioned United States Navy side-wheel steamer that’s been converted to a floating hospital.”

  “A floating hospital? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

  “It’s a new idea.”

  “What’s the ship’s name? Or do you know?”

  “Red Rover. Crew of forty-seven and a medical department of about the same. Four of the ten nurses are nuns, three are Navy enlisted men. Ginger and two younger women were accepted into the Merchant Marine program and I didn’t even have to do any name dropping.”

  “That’s marvelous that they’re letting colored women serve, even if the men aren’t permitted.”

  “I’m not sure if the Navy or Merchant Marines know that Ginger’s colored. Her hair was fixed like yours and she was wearing face powder and a very stylish dress when I picked her up this morning. I think Anna may have had something to do with that.”

  “If she did, she didn’t tell me about it. What will happen if Ginger’s passing for white and she’s found out?”

  “Nothing serious. Nobody at the Navy Department asked her race and it wasn’t on any of the forms she signed, so she didn’t lie.”

  Nancy looked dubious.

  “If she has any serious trouble, she knows how to reach us.” He smiled at her. “Did I mention that you look good enough to eat?”

  “Promises, promises.” Nancy moved closer to him and he put his arm around her.

  “Is that a new dress?”

  “Yes. Do you like it?”

  “I like what’s in it.”

  “That’s an evasion. Do you like it or not?”

  “I prefer the low-cut ones that show this pretty, soft valley.” He pulled the neck of her dress out and tried to look down the front. “It’s unfair that the style changed so quickly.”

  “Stop that,” she giggled. “You’ll pop my buttons.”

  “Promises, promises.” He sat back against the cushions.

  “Did you see Jack?” she asked, snuggling closer.

  “I saw him briefly. He must still be at the War Department. They’ve offered him a brigade, but he’s holding out for a corps. His last permanent rank was major general, but I’d be surprised if they’ll give it back to him.”

  “Is there any chance that he’ll take something less?”

  “There’s almost no chance that he won’t. Jack’s the real soldier in the family; the rest of us just followed his lead.”

  “How’s the court-martial going?”

  “I had to swear an oath that I wouldn’t talk about it to anyone.” He eased his hand down inside the front of her dress and caressed her breast with his fingertips until her nipple was erect.

  Nancy closed her eyes. “Umm, that’s nice.”

  He kissed her neck and rolled her nipple between his thumb and index finger.

  “Harder,” she said in a throaty voice.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I want you to hurt me. Pinch my nipple. Hard.”

  “Like that?” He breathed into her ear.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Don’t stop. I can feel it all the way to my toes.”

  “You should have told me about this sooner.” He kissed her throat and stroked her other breast through her dress with his other hand.

  She met his lips with hers and looped her arms around his neck kissing him passionately, then she suddenly broke away panting. “Okay. That’s enough foreplay.” She slipped from under his arm, stood up and took his hand. “I’ve been waiting for you all day and I’m more than ready.”

  “Anna will be home any minute.”

  “No. She came home after work and changed her clothes. She’ll be at some embassy function until after midnight.” She pulled on his hand. “Hurry.”

  He got to his feet and followed her toward her bedroom. “Do you think we’re a normal couple of our age?”

  “I don’t care. Hurry.”

  “No. Let me watch you undress.”

  “Umm. I like that idea.” Nancy slowly unbuttoned the front of her dress then stopped with one arm out of the sleeves when there was a knock at the door. “Damn it.”

  “I’ll see who it is.” Robert went back through the living room and opened the door. “Jack,” he said, loudly enough for Nancy to hear. “Come in.”

  “I thought you were going to meet me at the War Department,” Jack said as he came into the vestibule.

  “I had to take Ginger to the Navy Department.” Robert closed the door.

  “Oh yeah. I forgot. How did that go?”

  “Without a hitch. She’s now a nurse on the new Navy hospital steamer, Red Rover.”

  “Oh. I read about that. A floating hospital’s a good idea.”

  “I’m going to try to get the Red Rover sent to Cairo.”

  “Yeah. You’re fighting a river-war out there. It makes sense.” Jack walked into the living room as Nancy was coming out of the bedroom. “Did I disturb something, Nancy?”

  “No.” She smoothed her dress and glanced at Robert, then looked back at Jack. “Why do you ask?”

  Jack shrugged. “Just wondered.”

  “As a matter of fact, we were just wondering about you,” Nancy replied.

  “About me?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I see that you’re not in uniform. Robert was sure you would be.”

  “I had a talk with Burnside,” Jack said to Robert. He turned back to Nancy. “That’s Major General Ambrose Burnside, who’s currently the commander of the Army of the Potomac.”

  She nodded.

  “I might add that he’s the commander of the Army of the Potomac because he took a bridge over Antietam Creek that any fool could have carried in less time at less cost,” Jack said.

  “I take it that you and General Burnside don’t see eye-to-eye.” Nancy sat down primly on the couch with her knees pressed tightly together.

  Jack sat across from her and waited for Robert to join Nancy on the couch before continuing. “Mr. Lincoln is pressing General Burnside to attack Richmond. And General Burnside, who is afraid to tell Mr. Lincoln that he’s unprepared, is marshaling troops and materiel on the Rappahannock as we speak. His plan is to cross over pontoon boats and bridges and then to march to Richmond.”

  “Is that a bad idea?” Nancy asked.

  “During a battle, communications and coordination within one’s own
unit is difficult enough,” Jack said. “But a plan that depends on engineers, pontoon bridges, ladders, fascines or coordination with any other external unit is likely to fail. We almost failed to take the castle of Chapultepec because, when we reached the walls, there were no scaling ladders.

  “If the engineers get there before Burnside has the crossing site cleared, they’ll be destroyed. If they get there late, Burnside’s troops will be destroyed. In either case, unless the engineers coordinate perfectly with Burnside, the enemy will know where the attack’s coming from in time to reinforce. Burnside’s a fool to try it. He’d be wiser to try Manassas Junction again. A decent general could have won either of the previous battles.”

  “Burnside didn’t want command of the army,” Robert said defensively. “He only accepted it to keep it from going to Joe Hooker.”

  “Then Burnside has better sense than I thought,” Jack said, “because Hooker’s a disgrace. Do you know that he’s got hundreds of prostitutes traveling with his baggage?”

  “Yes.” Nancy giggled. “They’re called Hooker girls or just hookers. He may have created a new word.”

  “That’s only fair,” Jack said. “Side whiskers like Burnside wears are now being called sideburns.” He chuckled.

  “What are you going to do now, Jack?” Robert asked, deciding that defending Burnside and Hooker was a bad idea.

  “For now, I’ll go back to Van Buskirk Point and make the house ready for anyone who can come home for Christmas,” Jack replied. “This will probably be our last gathering. After Christmas – I don’t know.”

  “When are you leaving?” Nancy asked.

  Jack grinned at her. “How does immediately sound?” He stood up, walked to her and kissed her on top of the head. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds to each other.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” Nancy protested. “You don’t have to go, Jack.”

  “My brother’s a lucky man.” Jack turned and shook Robert’s hand. “I hope to see you at home for Christmas.”

  “We’ll try.” Robert walked him to the door, showed him out, then walked back into the living room.

  “Did you tell him that he’d interrupted us on the verge of lovemaking?” Nancy asked.

  “No.”

  “Then how did he know?”

  “He might have become suspicious when he saw that your face was flushed and your dress was buttoned crooked.”

  She looked down at her dress and then shook her head. “Damn. Here I’ve had you all to myself every night for two whole months and you can still unhinge me with just a look and a touch.”

  “I’ll bet you say that to all your men.”

  Nancy looked up at him quickly. “I hope you were just teasing.”

  He started to say something, then changed his mind. “People talk, Nancy. Keeping a secret in Washington’s almost impossible.”

  “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but hear this now.” She got up. “I love you with every fiber of my being, Robert Van Buskirk. I always have and always will. You can count on that.”

  “I know that, Nancy. I wish I hadn’t said anything.”

  “I wish you’d take me to bed and ravish me several times.”

  “Your wish is my command.” He scooped her up in his arms, carried her into the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind him.

  December 3, 1862

  Memphis, Tennessee

  The sun was just rising above the horizon when Caitlin opened the guesthouse door. “Who the hell do you think you are pounding on my door like that in the middle of the God damned night?” she shouted.

  “Step outside, please,” the woman on the front porch said.

  “I’ll do no such thing.”

  The woman caught Caitlin by her hair and pulled her from the house. “You’re under arrest for violation of the Federal Espionage Act.” She pushed Caitlin down in the grass on her face and pinned her with a knee in her back.

  “You God damned bitch!” Caitlin screamed.

  “Keep that up and I’ll gag you.” The woman pulled Caitlin’s arms back and manacled her wrists behind her back, then nodded to a man in a derby that had been standing out of sight.

  The man whistled and three other men, who had been surrounding the guesthouse, quickly joined him. He walked closer to Caitlin. “My name is Allan Pinkerton. This is Detective Kate Warne.”

  “Let me go!” Caitlin shrieked.

  Pinkerton nodded to Detective Warne. “Get her on her feet, please, Kate.”

  “I can get up by myself,” Caitlin snarled.

  Detective Warne stepped back.

  Caitlin struggled to her knees and then stood up without any help. “You’ve made a big mistake, Mr. Pinkerson.”

  “I don’t think so,” Pinkerton said. “We learned that Confederate forces were alerted to a major troop movement by General Grant’s forces scheduled for the first day of December.”

  “Congratulations,” Caitlin said. “What’s that got to do with me?”

  “There wasn’t any December first troop movement,” Detective Warne said. “General Sherman moved his headquarters down the road and Colonel Van Buskirk’s at a hotel in Memphis under an assumed name.

  “That son of a bitch,” Caitlin shouted. “He played me.”

  December 11, 1862

  Fredericksburg, Virginia

  Robert E. Lee was standing on a hill next to his horse and watching as Union Artillery rained down on the town. “I cannot understand this senseless destruction.”

  “If you’ll forgive my opinion, sir,” Johnny Van Buskirk said. “The Federals really don’t have much choice. The sharpshooters from the Mississippi brigade have found positions in cellars where they have a clear field of fire on the Union engineers assembling the pontoon bridges.”

  “Are you speaking of General William Barksdale’s Mississippi brigade?”

  “Yes, sir. His riflemen have been very effective at disrupting the engineers and Burnside is bound to be getting desperate.”

  “That’s still no excuse for wantonly destroying private property,” Lee said. “Those people must have a hundred and fifty guns or more trained on this little town.”

  Johnny knew better than to continue to argue.

  ~

  General Henry J. Hunt rode up in front of Ambrose Burnside’s headquarters tent where a gaggle of officers were milling about. “We’re destroying the town and doing nothing to suppress those snipers, General Burnside.”

  “What would you suggest?” Burnside asked.

  “Why not send infantry across in pontoon boats to secure a small beachhead from where we can carry the sniper’s positions?”

  “An attack from small boats would be suicidal,” Burnside said.

  “We’ll go, sir,” Colonel Norman J. Hall said. “My brigade can do it, General.”

  Burnside looked at his other officers. Most of them nodded. Burnside shrugged. “Very well, Colonel Hall. General Hunt, you will cease fire now, then at 3:00 PM you will commence a preparatory bombardment on landing sites chosen by Colonel Hall.” He looked around. “General Buford?”

  “General Buford is on our left with half the division, sir,” Colonel Paul Van Buskirk replied. “I have the other half here.”

  Burnside nodded. “I want you to lead a brigade across the first completed bridge in support of Colonel Hall. If you’re able to move forward into the town, bring the rest of your troops over.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  ~

  “Those people have discovered the error of their ways and ended the barrage,” Lee said. “They will be sending an assault force across now.”

  “We’re well prepared, sir,” Johnny replied. “General Longstreet said that if he had enough ammunition he could kill every soldier in the Federal Army even if they were all to attack at once.”

  “An exaggeration to be sure.”

  “I don’t think that it’s much of an exaggeration, sir. That stone wall along Marye’s Heights is like the battlement of a f
ortress and both General Jackson and Longstreet have dug trenches behind it. I would hate to be a Union soldier trying to carry it, sir.”

  “Still, I think we should bring the Texans up in between General Jackson and General Longstreet to protect our center.”

  “Yes, sir.” Johnny started a new order. “Hood’s left anchored at Hazel Run?”

  “No, I should think General McLaws and Ransom are adequate. Have General Hood position his Division from the railroad tracks to that deep cut where those two streams converge. Do you know where I mean?”

  “Yes, sir.” Johnny sketched a rough map on the order. “Do you want General Jackson to shift to his right to accommodate General Hood’s position or remain in place?”

  “I don’t want him shifting. General Stuart’s on his right and needs the maneuvering room. Have General Jackson concentrate his left on Hood’s right. He can use the overlapped ranks for a reserve area.”

  “Yes, sir.” He gave the order to Lee with a pencil.

  Lee looked at the map and read the order before signing it. “Do you know why I took you from General Stuart, Colonel?”

  “No, sir.”

  “You have an innate gift for noting and remembering topographical details after only a cursory view. That and your ability to envision a battlefield will make you into a great general some day.” He handed the order back to Johnny.

  “Thank you, sir. That’s very kind of you to say.”

  “Kindness has nothing to do with it, Colonel. You’re a very valuable asset and, although I may forget to tell you sometimes, I truly appreciate your assistance.”

  “It’s an honor to serve you, General.” Johnny put the order in his pocket, then mounted his horse. “May I suggest that you move back to your headquarters, sir? When the Yankee cannon move forward, this hill will be within range.”

  “I should think that we have an hour or two before they can cross,” Lee said.

  “Very well, sir.” Johnny clicked to his horse and rode down the slope toward Longstreet’s position on Marye’s Heights.

  Longstreet saw Johnny coming and rode out to meet him. “New orders?” he asked, answering Johnny’s salute.

  “Not really, sir.” Johnny gave him the orders. “General Lee would like you to move General Hood’s division up between the railroad and General Taliaferro’s left. With your permission, I’ll inform General Jackson of the change.”