After weighing his options, Francis chose to travel to Charleston by taking a route fairly close to the South Carolina coast. He did so as he thought such a route would steer them away from any Union cavalry troops who might be scouting the area. He wanted to avoid any fights with the Yankees as he knew his men could not hold off any good size group of Union soldiers for long. As he drove his wagon south, he had but one thought about the Yankees at this time. “You leave me alone and I will leave you alone.” He hoped his thought would play out just this once. While he knew it would benefit both sides, he knew it would benefit his side far more as they had the gold and silver with them. It would prove to be the only time during the war where he hoped to avoid an encounter with any Union troops. It simply was not in his makeup to avoid a fight, but this time he hoped they could. It would mean they would survive to fight another day.
As they moved along the coast, navigating in and around the physical hazards God and Mother Nature had placed in their way, Francis had no way of knowing his route of travel would someday be the same one vacationers would take when visiting the South Carolina coast. It was a coastal stretch of land running from Myrtle Beach to Charleston. The tourists would navigate this stretch far easier, far cooler, and far quicker than the several long hot days it would take Francis and his men to finally reach Charleston.
Despite the loss of Griffin and despite the oppressively hot day, they travelled a good distance during their first day. On each of the following days they travelled without experiencing any problems, but the travel on those five days had taken a toll on them. On each successive day the sun had seemed hotter than the previous one. They had worked hard, eaten little, and had barely found enough fresh water to survive on. Now on the fifth day, Francis looked at his pocket watch and saw it was just before noon when they finally reached the outskirts of Charleston.
Knowing he would need a safe place to hide the wagons in the city while they rested and while he got the answers to the questions he had about how they would move their precious cargo further south, Francis decided to rest the men for the rest of the afternoon. He would go and scout Charleston alone. He hoped he could find a safe hiding spot for them inside the city.
Before leaving he explained his intentions to his men. “I want to enter the city with the wagons under the cover of darkness if we can. Once I find a place to hide them, I will come back and get you. Please men, be careful while I am gone as I cannot afford to lose any more of you. I need each and every one of you dearly. Keep a keen eye out for trouble while I am gone.”
With Sgt. Odom volunteering to take the first watch, Francis rode off to Charleston while the rest of the men moved the wagons into the protective cover of some pine and magnolia trees on the northwest side of the city. As he had silently prayed for a day without any encounters with Union troops, his men also prayed they could avoid any skirmishes as well. They knew a few days of rest was just hours away and they wanted nothing to come between them and that rest. Individually they all prayed for Francis to return quickly so they could enter the city as soon as possible. Like their captain, none of them had ever been to the bustling city of Charleston either.
As Francis entered the city for the first time in his life, he saw why it had been talked about so favorably across the South. The city had been laid out well, with many large private homes lining several streets. Several of the city’s finest homes were ones which looked out over the harbor directly at Fort Sumter. Stopping near the end of the city, on South Battery Road, he climbed off his horse and gazed out at the fort for the first time. As he looked out at the fort, sitting on a tiny speck of land in the middle of the harbor, Francis knew the importance of what he was looking at. “This tiny little fort, on such a tiny little piece of land, is where this terrible war started. What a sight the first early morning must have been, watching the rockets and mortars fly through the darkness towards the fort and the fort’s cannons answering back by firing their rounds repeatedly throughout the battle. The noise alone must have scared the folks in the city out of their wits.” Francis pictured the Napoleon and Dahlgren cannons, as well as the Parrott rifles, firing throughout the night, indiscriminately hitting targets at the fort and in the city itself. “Why did all of this have to happen?” He found himself shaking his head at the madness of stubborn old men who had failed to reach a compromise between the Southern states and the federal government, a failure which had led to so many lives being wasted far too early in life.
As he rode along the harbor on South Battery Road, Francis saw some of the homes still showed damage from the cannons being fired at the city from the fort, but most of what he saw was relatively minor. Stopping his horse briefly in front of one damaged home, he was surprised by what he saw. While war raged on in other parts of the South, some of the damaged homes were already in various stages of repair. “War has yet to visit Charleston,” he thought as he watched workers on scaffolds repairing a damaged roof to the nearby stately looking home. Continuing his ride through the city, whose economy had been ravaged by the effects of the war, he saw some shops and businesses were still open despite the economic impact the war had upon them.
After dismounting his horse in the city’s business district, Francis walked the short distance back to South Battery Road, again losing himself in his thoughts about the events which had started the war. As he paused again to look out at Fort Sumter, he was startled from his thoughts by someone he never heard approaching him.
“Hello, captain, admiring the view?” asked Colonel Harold Hodges. “Are you here on business or are you just travelling through to your next assignment?”
Francis spun to see who had startled him. He quickly saluted the Confederate officer sitting on his horse. He was wearing a colonel’s insignia on his uniform. “Sir, I am indeed here on business. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Judiah Francis of the Army of Northern Virginia.”
“Pleased to meet you, captain. I am Colonel Harold Hodges. I am the commanding officer of the various shore batteries and artillery units in and around Charleston. I am taking a brief break this morning before I set off to make sure we are ready for the arrival of the Union navy. I’m afraid they are rumored to be headed our way. I have no doubt they will try and bomb us into submission. Likely, I would surmise, for their incorrect belief that it was South Carolina who started this war. Obviously the United States government and I have a different position on who actually started this war. Nevertheless, I want to make sure we have a grand welcome prepared for them. This is why I am out inspecting each of the shore batteries around the city. I do not like surprises. I like to be prepared when we fight.”
“Sir, I do appreciate your concern, but begging your pardon, my men and I have been travelling for several weeks now and we have pretty much been out of contact with news about the war. So please excuse my ignorance, but the Union navy is expected to threaten Charleston and her defenses?”
“That is the word we have been given by some of our spies up north. They have alerted us to the position of the Union navy. As of last night a large number of their ships were only four days sailing from here at the most. They may sail south of us, but we have been expecting them for some time now. As I already mentioned, we know the North wants to punish the Confederacy, especially Charleston and South Carolina, for allegedly starting the war, but we will have a surprise or two ready for them when they arrive. They want to repay us, in a very unfortunate way mind you, for the damage we inflicted upon their tiny little fort out there. We will repel them, for that I am sure, but I want to check on our defenses today to make sure we are well prepared for their arrival.” Then Hodges told Francis about one of the steps the Confederacy had taken to prepare for an attack by the Union navy. “We have set buoys out in the harbor to mark off certain distances for our guns. By doing so, we will know the exact distance of their ships to our cannons. I am proud to say it was actually my idea to do so. I am
quite confident our guns will inflict some serious damage to their ships. Hopefully it will be enough to keep them from away from Charleston for some time.”
Francis looked out towards the entrance of the harbor and pictured the Union navy firing their guns at the city as they sailed further into the harbor. It was not a picture he enjoyed seeing flashing through his mind. “Colonel, like many people, I also hope you are ready for their ships when they arrive. I wish you good luck.”
“We will be ready. When the war first started we used fifteen of our shore batteries to fire on Fort Sumter. Those same batteries, plus a few other ones, will punish the Union navy when they try to enter the harbor. If we can inflict substantial damage on a fort sitting roughly fifteen hundred yards out in the harbor, then we can do the same to their ships as they sail even closer to our batteries. They may hurt us somewhat, but when it is over with we will prevail.” Francis liked Hodges’ optimism, but he hoped he was not being too overconfident in his predictions.
For a few moments they both thought about the damage such a battle could do to the city. Francis soon interrupted their thoughts. “Colonel, again I am likely showing my ignorance about the recent events of the war, but what are my chances of getting a ship, perhaps a blockade runner, to sail my men and I further south?”
“Captain, it does seem you have been out of touch with the news of the war. I’m afraid you have no chance at all for that to occur. The last captain who risked running the blockade sailed two days ago and we still do not yet know if he made it past the Union navy or not. Now the rest of the ship’s captains are too damn afraid of losing their boats in any fight with the Union navy. Cannot say I blame them though, we already have lost one of our own blockade runners just outside the harbor’s entrance earlier this year. The SS Georgiana I believe she was called. She was scuttled on her maiden voyage so she would not fall into the hands of the Union navy. We cannot afford to lose anymore like her.”
“Oh, my!” The Georgiana being scuttled was news Francis had not heard before now. As he thought about the loss of the ship, Colonel Hodges pointed out the general location where the Georgiana had been scuttled.
“Captain, you have not told me your business here in Charleston. Exactly what business is it that brings you here?”
Francis hesitated before answering Hodges’ question as he did not want to offend him. He could not think of any other way to answer him besides telling Hodges the truth. “Colonel, I mean no disrespect to you, but on orders I have been given I cannot tell you why I am here.” Then quickly realizing Colonel Hodges might be someone who could assist him with his needs, he reached inside his blouse. As he handed Hodges the envelope which contained his two important letters of introduction, he hoped they would satisfy Hodges’ curiosity about why he was in Charleston. “Sir, please read these letters. I believe you will then understand the significance of my assignment.”
Hodges was not accustomed to junior officers refusing to give him the answers to questions he had asked of them. At first, he was taken back by the response he had received from Francis. He quickly relaxed his stance after he read the letters written on behalf of Francis by President Davis and Secretary Memminger. Finished reading the letters, Hodges handed them back to the young captain now standing on the side of the road. After doing so, he dismounted from his horse and stood next to him.
“Two fine letters of introduction, captain. I now understand and respect your position. Is there anything I can do to assist you during your stay here in Charleston, for whatever reason that might be?”
Francis knew he had found the help he needed. “Sir, my men and I need a few good hot meals, some much needed sleep, and we need a building, perhaps a warehouse, one big enough to store our four wagons and our horses in while we are here. It has to be a building big enough to house both the wagons and my men while we are here as I cannot afford to separate my men from the wagons. We also need some grain or feed for our horses. Can you help us with any of those needs?”
“Captain, not too far from where we are standing, around the corner on King Street in fact, I have a warehouse where we have stored several of our various makes of damaged cannons. We had hoped to ship them down to Savannah so they could be repaired and then put them back into service, but with the Union naval blockade being as effective as it is, I doubt that will happen anytime soon. There is plenty of room still left in the warehouse for both your wagons and your men. Behind the warehouse is a small stable and corral we have used in the past. We have not used them for some time now as we have moved the horses closer to our fortifications down by the harbor. The stable and corral should suit your needs for your horses. I will have one of my men unlock the warehouse later this afternoon for you and then it is yours to use during the balance of your stay here in Charleston. I will also have my cooks deliver a hot meal to you and your men tonight around 7 pm. Some time today my men will leave some feed in a corner of the warehouse for your horses. One of my sergeants will stop in on you each morning to see to your needs. Feel free to tell him what meals and other needs you have. If you have been sent here by President Davis, then I aim to see you are well taken care of. Shall I post a guard around the warehouse for you?”
“Colonel, you are most kind. Please know I shall eagerly mention your name and the assistance you have lent us to President Davis, Mr. Memminger, and to General Lee when I report back to them after my assignment. The details you have mentioned to me are excellent. My men and I are most appreciative. We shall not need a guard posted for us as I would rather not draw any attention to our presence at this time. Nor do I care to be an additional burden upon you and your men. We have had a long and difficult journey since we started out; we simply need food and some rest before we start out again. Sir, I am in debt to you for your kindness. It is my hope to someday repay the kindness you have shown to us.”
Francis saluted Hodges and then shook his hand. After they shook hands, Hodges directed him to where the warehouse was located, promising Francis he would try to stop and check in on him in the next day or two. “Captain, I pray for good luck for you and your men. My men are at your disposal if they can be of any help to you. All you have to do is to tell them what you need. I will tell them today to assist you with any needs you have.” Knowing he had done what he could to help Francis, Hodges rode off to make his inspections of the shore batteries around Charleston’s harbor.
Francis mounted his horse, turned him in the direction Hodges had pointed and slowly rode to where the warehouse stood. A warehouse he would happily call home for the next few days. He could not help but to think how nice it was going to be to finally sleep indoors again. They would have a few nights of sleep where they did not have to worry about being attacked by Union troops as they slept.
After briefing inspecting the exterior of the warehouse, Francis rode back through the city, stopping at a small tavern he found along the way. Silently he thanked Hodges for his support as he ate a small meal of oysters and rice at the tavern on Tradd Street. He briefly gave thought to how he would move the gold and silver further south from Charleston. The taste of his meal, coupled with the additional thought of his men and he being safe and well fed for a few days, quickly drove the first thought out of his mind. Now he focused on simply enjoying a quiet meal.
By late afternoon Francis arrived back to where his men had been waiting for him. As he was elated to see nothing had happened to them while he was gone, his men were down right giddy with joy at the news he brought them. His men, like all soldiers, did not ask for much, but the prospect of a few good meals and sleeping with a roof over their heads for the next couple of days made their spirits soar. As is often the case, with good news also comes bad news as well.
“We have a place to hide the wagons and to get some much needed rest. We also will have some hot meals delivered to us over the next couple of days. I am hopeful some food for our horses will be delivered as well.
I have seen the warehouse where we will be staying and it will more than suit our needs. The bad news is I am not confident we will be able to move further south by train and the prospect of moving by boat is likely not possible either. The Union naval blockade is keeping our ships in the harbor and no ship’s captain will now dare try to run it. I certainly cannot risk running the blockade with the gold and silver as it is far too important to our cause than to risk losing it at sea. We may be forced to continue to move it by wagons after we rest for a few days. For now, we will just rest. I will continue to look for another means to move the money during that time.”
While the news was a disappointment to his men, as they had hoped for a better way to finish their mission than being forced to again move with the gold and silver over land, for now they focused on the positive news Francis brought them. News of a few good hot meals, a safe place to sleep, and perhaps after that maybe even a bath, made the bad news bearable. They had endured many hardships over the past few weeks, especially losing some of their friends. They each had also lost weight, slept too little, and travelled in all kinds of weather, but mostly they all had been affected in some way by the loss of a friend along the way. They would deal with the adversity the future would present to them, but for right now, on this unusually hot late October afternoon, they just wanted to eat and sleep. Like Francis would do, they also would deal with their problems as they were confronted by them.
Confederate Gold and Silver Page 36