The Legend of Indian Stream

by Steven Landry

  As the night wore on, orderlies would occasionally remove some of the wounded, and then the beds would fill up again with fresh casualties. Margaret heard more of the helicopters coming and going, but paid little attention.

  Gradually the tent began to empty. In addition to Joe and the Union cavalryman with the sucking chest wound, there were only five men left. As midnight approached, a very haggard looking Major Jennifer Carlton came looking for her. She asked Margaret to step outside for a word.

  “The nurse told me Joe is doing well. I’m glad to hear that,” she began. “However, Doctor Flynn thinks Joe needs to remain under a doctor’s care for several weeks. Unfortunately, we’re moving the hospital closer to the front lines tonight, and neither you nor your son can come with us.” Margaret began to feel a slight bit of panic at that. “But,” Jennifer continued quickly, “we have three options for you.

  “First, we’ve moved almost all of the Confederate wounded to a makeshift hospital in Romney. The town doctor there is competent enough, and we’re going to leave him a bundle of medical supplies, with instructions on how to use them. Joe could go with them. Second, we could bring you home to Glasgow, and leave Joe in the hands of the local doctor, also with a batch of medical supplies. Or third, we could take all three of you to Saint Patrick’s Hospital in the Republic of Indian Stream when we send our own wounded there.”

  Margaret had heard of Saint Patrick’s. It had been variously described as a den of charlatans and witch doctors, or as home of the most advanced medicine available. She had read that many American and Canadian doctors had gone there to study over the last decade. With her son’s life at stake, it was an easy decision.

  “Please take Joe to Saint Patrick’s,” she replied.

  “You must understand that if we bring you to the Republic, you’ll have to stay until the end of the war,” Jennifer said.

  “I don’t care,” Margaret responded. “I’ve already lost a husband to this pointless war, I don’t want to lose my son too.” If, to ensure his recovery, she had to go to Sodom and Gomorrah on the Connecticut, as Reverend Carter had once described the Republic, then that’s what she’d do.

  At 0200 hours on April 17th, 1863, Joe Sampson was loaded into the cargo compartment of a CV-22JEP Osprey, along with ten litter patients. Margaret and Helen were buckled into seats near the front of the cabin. Just over two hours later, the aircraft settled down on a landing pad adjacent to Saint Patrick’s Hospital in the Republic of Indian Stream. Margaret and Helen followed Joe as his stretcher was carried off the aircraft, placed on a gurney, and wheeled into the unknown.

  43 - PETA

  M47 Grenade Launcher: a 40mm automatic grenade launcher with an integrated fire control system, capable of launching programmable 40mm shells in addition to various point-detonating rounds at a rate of 225 to 250 rounds per minute. The M47 can be mounted on a tripod, as well as a CROWS (on the Gecko) or an ADDER (on the Gator) remote weapons station. Glossary, An Illustrated History of the Republic, Helen O’Shea, Ed.

  Glasgow, Virginia, CSA, Thursday, April 16, 1863

  Peta stayed in close contact with Mack throughout the day, keeping up with the status of the Dragoon Regiment and the increasingly miserable weather forecast. She dared to hope that the rebels across the river wouldn’t attack her position before the Dragoons arrived. Those hopes were dashed when Mack passed on a spot report developed at Raven’s Roost, based on imagery from the Reaper circling overhead.

  “Juliet One Sierra Three Six, this is Juliet One Charlie Oh Three, Spot Report, over,” the radio squawked. The eleven line report told her there was an understrength rebel Cavalry Regiment of approximately nine hundred men on horseback headed her way, with four canon in tow. Peta looked at her watch. The date-time group on report was less than five minutes old.

  Shit. Counting the rebels already in Glasgow, about eleven hundred cavalry troopers could be galloping her way within the half-hour. Spec-Ops had the firepower to blunt any attack, but not the ammunition to hold off a sustained effort. And the artillery could pose a real problem. Worse, the wind had picked up, grounding all rotary wing aircraft. She’d already recalled all of her UAVs.

  Her first action was to notify each of her Pathfinders of the threat. She used the squad radios, which also alerted Luke and his three sergeants. She then scrambled up the ridgeline to have a short chat with Corporal Williams, who was manning the Carl Gustav recoilless rifle, with help from two of Barns’ troopers. While the enemy cannons could outrange the Carl Gustav, the terrain would make it difficult for them to employ the weapons effectively from beyond eight hundred meters, well within the recoilless rifle’s range. Peta impressed on Williams the need to focus on the four enemy cannons, and to take them out as soon as he was sure he could get all four. Williams told her that he had trained up the two Union cavalry troopers assisting him to the point that they could easily get four shots off within a minute. Satisfied that Williams understood his role, she moved on to talk with her sniper and heavy machine gun teams before moving back down the ridge to her Gecko.

  Master Sergeant Keefe was waiting when she arrived.

  “Just got a radio call from Task Force Ops,” he said. “They’ve chopped the Dragoon Scout platoon to us. They’re moving at max speed and should be here in about forty-five minutes.

  “We’ll see how it plays out,” she replied. “Hopefully the scouts will get here before the enemy gets organized for an attack.”

  “Amen to that,” Keefe agreed.

  “Better get back to your Gecko. I assume that with both Murray and Leary up on the ridge, you’ll be manning the Mark 47 yourself?”

  “Yes ma’am,” Keefe confirmed. “Although I hate to leave two SAWs unmanned, counting the one in Gunny Smith’s Gecko.”

  “If this goes the way I think it will, we’ll run out of 40mm ammo soon enough and you’ll get to use the SAW as well.”

  Keefe was about to answer when Corporal Murray’s voice came over the radio.

  “Six, this is Three Two, I’ve got movement. Looks like they’re moving their cannons to a position at the edge of the town just north of the road. I make it about five hundred and fifty meters from our location, about seven hundred meters from Corporal Williams with the Carl Gustav. It also looks like they’re swimming a company-size element across the river at the west end of town. My guess is they intend to have them flank us from across the James River to the south.”

  After considering for a moment, Peta replied. “Three Two, they’ll probably only provide covering fire from there, not try to ford the river. It’s too swift at that point.” She ordered Keefe to make sure everyone, especially Luke’s troopers, were aware of the possible threat from the south, and that their cover was adequate to protect from fire from that direction. She then dashed off a quick spot report to Task Force headquarters.

  Mack agreed to release the overhead Reaper’s four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and two GBU-12 Paveway II 500-pound laser-guided bombs to her firing authority. The Reaper’s flew high enough to avoid the heavy weather below. Unfortunately, the positioning of the rebel cannons on the very edge of town ruled out using the Hellfire missiles or Paveway bombs to take them out. They also discussed blowing up the bridge if the enemy reached the river. Mack instructed her to blow the bridge only if absolutely necessary. Peta settled down in her Gecko and waited to see what the enemy would do next.

  Just as Corporal Blake had predicted, the enemy artillery battery set up in a four-gun firing position at the northeast edge of town. The guns were spaced about ten meters apart, with ammo-carrying caissons set up about five meters behind each gun. Their positioning would allow them to fire on the Pathfinder’s position as the Confederate cavalry advanced through the field to their south. The enemy commander timed his appearance on the battlefield at the head of his column to coincide with the emplacement of the last gun, obviously hoping that such a show of force would frighten the Union troops into fleeing. Peta didn’t frighten easily, and neither d
id her men.

  At Peta’s order, two things happened almost simultaneously. Corporal Murray fired his Barrett sniper rifle and Corporal Williams fired the first of four shots from his Carl Gustav. The unfortunate rebel cavalry commander was blown out of his saddle and one of the four rebel guns disappeared in a cloud of smoke. By the time his second-in-command managed to move up and take control of the formation, Williams had eliminated the entire rebel artillery battery, which got off only one ineffective shot.

  “Looks like losing their artillery support has unnerved them a bit,” Peta said over the platoon net. “They’re probably waiting until that company of sharpshooters across the river can take their positions and provide flanking fire on our position. Three-two and Five-two, concentrate on that threat when I give the order to fire.” Corporal Murray and Corporal Murdoch would employ the sniper rifle and heavy machine gun, respectively, to neutralize the sharpshooters.

  While he delayed, Peta checked her WIN terminal, which showed the eight Gator-RSTA scout vehicles racing southward towards the river junction. They were twenty minutes out when the rebel commander gave the order to charge.

  Peta’s greatest advantage was the range and accuracy of her weapons. Each weapon had been assigned a series of firing fans, which would condense as the enemy closed on their position. She ordered everyone to open fire as soon as targets came into range, except for the Union cavalry troopers providing security to their right flank and rear.

  It took about five minutes for the leading edge of the rebel cavalry formation to advance from the edge of town to a point where they could begin to use their weapons to some effect, about one hundred meters west of the one hundred meter wide river. During that time the formation was subjected to medium machine gun fire, 40mm grenade fire, and the last five rounds of recoilless rifle fire. Additionally, the overhead Reaper unleashed its four Hellfire missiles and two Paveway II bombs on the advancing rebels. Hundreds of rebels were killed or mortally wounded, along with their mounts. But hundreds more made it to within firing range for their own weapons and began firing on the Pathfinders and their Union allies. Meanwhile, the sharpshooters firing from across the James River hit four of the Union cavalry troopers, though none of the wounds would prove fatal.

  Out of recoilless rifle ammo, Corporal Williams began firing with his M417L scoped battle rifle. He had his two Union cavalry troopers, who were out of range for their new M1’s, carry the Carl Gustav down to Peta’s Gecko, and join the fight there.

  The Mark 47 grenade launchers ran out of ammo. Peta, Keefe, and the other vehicle commanders switched to their pedestal mounted SAWs.

  Corporal Murdoch’s heavy machine gun also ran out of ammo. He used his scoped battle rifle to pick off individual targets south of the James River. Like Williams, he sent his two troopers to carry the machine gun down to Gunny Smith’s Gecko and join the fight at the river’s edge.

  Peta had a very close call. She took a Minie ball square in the chest. Fortunately, her fourth generation battle armor stopped the bullet without doing much damage besides knocking the wind out of her. She slid down inside the Gecko and took two minutes to recover before reaching out and patting her good luck charm, Stocaí the sock monkey, on the head. She rose up and rejoined the fight.

  Ten minutes into the battle the first group of rebel cavalry made it close to the western end of the bridge over the Maury River. As planned, Sergeant Lane detonated the first of two claymore mines he had placed on the bridge’s approach. Hundreds of small, metal balls ripped through the men and their horses. A minute later, a second group of rebel cavalry met the same fate. Finally, as a third group galloped onto the bridge, Lane detonated the satchel charges he’d placed under the bridge, blowing it apart, along with the rebel cavalrymen.

  The remaining rebel cavalry dismounted and advanced on foot, running at a crouch or crawling to the edge of the river, pausing occasionally to fire.

  The M240 machine guns finally ran out of ammo as well. Corporals Lynch and Cody fired with their M25 grenade launchers. Corporal Johnson turned to his AA12 shotgun.

  The battle raged on. Sergeant Lane and Corporal Cody were both hit, Lane in the right arm, Cody in the neck. Doc Wilson rushed to Cody’s aid, but he bled out quickly.

  Firing from good cover, with weapons far more accurate than those of the rebels, the Pathfinders were killing hundreds of enemy soldiers. The Union cavalry troopers were also scoring hits, though Lieutenant Barns had instructed all but the best shots to conserve ammo for a possible fight at the riverbank itself.

  Eventually the SAWs fell silent, and the vehicle commanders dismounted and began firing at individual targets with their M416 assault rifles and single-shot grenade launchers. Eighteen minutes into the battle the fight reached the riverbank. Two more of Peta’s men, Corporals Devlin and Lynch, were also shot, Devlin in the arm and Lynch in the shoulder. The Pathfinders switched to their silenced M415 carbines. The Union and Confederate cavalry troopers were running low on ammo. The battlefield got much quieter.

  Still outnumbered four to one, Peta was just about to order a retrograde when her radio squawked.

  “Juliet One Sierra Three Six, this is Delta Two Echo One Six, over.”

  “Echo One Six, this is Sierra Three Six; what is your position, over?” Peta replied, skipping the formalities.

  “Sierra Three Six, we are one klick north of your position on the west side of Phase Line Scotch. Request you advise whether we should close on your position from east or west of the river, over.” Peta had expected them to be on the east side of the Maury River, but apparently they had found a quicker route on the opposite bank.

  “Sierra Three Six, stay on the west side and proceed south at max speed. All friendly forces are east of Phase Line Scotch and north of Phase Line Bourbon,” Peta replied, referring to the Maury and James rivers, respectively. “Engage the enemy as soon as you can!”

  “Wilco, Sierra Three Six. Two mikes, out.” Two minutes later, the eight Gator-RSTAs of the Dragoon Scout platoon slammed into the rebels’ left flank with all guns blazing, and the fight was basically over. The rebel sharpshooters south of the James River continued to fire for a short time, but seeing that the surviving cavalrymen were surrendering, they melted away into the woods.

  A full Confederate cavalry regiment of nearly 1,100 men, including a battery of artillery and a company of sharpshooters, had attacked the combined Pathfinder-Union cavalry position at the river junction. Of these, 800 men were killed or seriously wounded, 100 were captured either uninjured or with minor injuries, and eighty men managed to escape.

  Peta incorporated the ground scouts into her defensive position and had them divvy up the remaining ammo. She ordered everyone to clean their weapons, just in case more rebels showed up. Doc Wilson set about treating the wounded, which included Sergeant Lane and Corporals Devlin and Lynch, as well as twelve of Barns’ troopers. Doc assured Peta that all the wounded were stable and could await the arrival of the MASH unit in the morning. Corporal Cody was placed in a body bag and loaded into the back of Sergeant Lane’s Gecko.

  * * *

  It was well past midnight when the lead units from the Grenadier company arrived at the river junction. Jake’s unit relieved Peta and the Pathfinders, and began passing the Dragoon Companies through the position. Objective Hilo was secured by the Dragoons at 0300 hours, by which time the wind had died down a bit, allowing the rotary wing aircraft to displace as well.

  At 0630 hours on April 17th, the Task Force Headquarters company, Medical company, and remaining aviation ground support units, initially left behind at Roberts’ farm, began arriving on Objective Hilo, escorted by the last company of Dragoons. By then, it had begun to pour, the rain coming down in sheets. The swollen river creeped higher along its banks.

  44 - JAKE & LUKE

  Big Island, James River Gap, Virginia, CSA, 1830 hours, Friday, April 17, 1863

  Task Force Javelin’s last units had closed on Objective Hilo on the morning of April
17th, 1863, in the midst of a heavy downpour. The unit’s next major movement would not occur until the rains eased, so the units spent the day rearming and refitting, allowing the soldiers who had spent the night travelling to get some sleep.

  A command briefing was scheduled for one hour before sunset. The audience was the task force orders group, which consisted of the Task Force Javelin commander and principal staff, the Dragoon Regiment commander and principal staff, the commanders of the Dragoon, Grenadier, Combat Support, and Medical companies, and the Task Force and Regimental Headquarters companies, as well as the commanders of the Spec Ops and aviation transport platoons.

  Jake settled into his usual seat in the front row of the task force Tactical Operations Center briefing tent. The briefing tent was sixteen feet wide and thirty-two feet long. The Gator Command and Control vehicles belonging to the S3 and the S2 were parked side by side to Jake’s left, attached to the tent such that the rear ramps of the two vehicles opened into it. To Jake’s right, the Fire Support Element’s Gator C2 vehicle was similarly connected to the tent. Soldiers manned radios and computer workstations inside all three vehicles. A large flat-screen monitor hung from the tent’s supporting structure against the tent wall. Two rows of chairs faced the monitor.

  Two seats to Jake’s left sat Colonel Harrison Forte, commander of the Dragoons. The seat to his immediate left was currently vacant, but as commander of the Medical company, his wife would soon be seated there. Brigadier Kellen Coyle was seated in the center of the row, to Forte’s left. The other seats in the front row were occupied by the task force’s four principal staff officers, and the Signal Officer. The Chief of Staff, Colonel Sean Kane, had a separate seat near the Ops vehicle’s open ramp, but Jake had never seen him sit in it during a command briefing.

  Seated in the second row directly behind Jennifer’s seat was her stepsister. Peta’s Pathfinders had performed brilliantly the previous day, but the effort had been marred by the task force’s two fatalities, Gunnery Sergeant Smith and Corporal Cody. Before taking his seat, Jake had offered Peta his condolences on the loss of two good men. Peta was currently staring daggers into the back of the task force S2, seated four seats to Jake’s left. She was clearly not in a mood to forgive the intelligence officer for missing the Union cavalry troop’s activities and predicting the likely Confederate response, nor for failing to inform her that the rebels had an artillery unit in her area of operations.