might truly be relieved of command. “I will not be a part of a conspiracy, sir. I will not campaign for a position I have not earned, not at the expense of my commanding officer.”
“Very honorable. Events are in motion already, General, events that neither of us control. General Grant has been called upon for reinforcements, and orders have been given to Sherman’s command for troops to march this way. General Burnside has been given those same orders. And, let us not forget, sir, there is an enemy out there who might make his own contributions to our …
decisions
. I justthought it important you know what kinds of considerations are being made. My reports must continue, and your name is mentioned with some frequency. If that’s more than you wish to hear, I will abide by that. If General Rosecrans shows himself to be in control of our situation here, if he regains the confidence of the War Department by his actions, then so be it. I will report that as well.”
There was a sharp knock at the door, a voice: “General? Are you awake, sir?”
He knew the voice, one of his aides, Lieutenant Ramsey.
“What is it, Roger? You may enter.”
Ramsey ducked through the low doorway, seemed surprised to see Dana, made a short bow toward him, said, “Um, sir … we received word … General Rosecrans is considerably agitated, sir. His aide, Captain Stiles—”
Another voice burst through from outside the room.
“Where is he? Thomas? You in here?”
Thomas was surprised to see Rosecrans, the man bursting in, pushing aside the young lieutenant. Thomas pulled himself out of the chair, saw the wild glare from Rosecrans, the man’s eyes darting about, as though searching for something. He seemed to notice Dana now, pointed a finger at him.
“You might as well go to your precious telegraph. Washington will be utterly delighted with today’s events. Delighted.”
Thomas knew Rosecrans was being sarcastic, said, “What has happened? The enemy isn’t moving from those heights. I have heard nothing.…”
“You weren’t outside. We heard it, a while ago, didn’t know what it meant at first. Artillery fire to the west, carried on the breeze, I suppose. A long way off.” He sat heavily in Dana’s chair, leaned his hands on his knees, stared at the floor. “We’re in a serious way, George. A serious way. Riders came in a short time ago. That artillery came from rebel cavalry. We knew they had sent horsemen out north of the river, tried to keep an eye on them. But they had a purpose, one purpose. They hit the wagon train. Riders say we lost most everything. Rations, ammunition. Most of the train was burned, men captured.” He paused, put his head down in his hands. “We are in a serious way, George. That train … was our salvation.”
Thomas looked at Dana, said, “You will report none of this until we confirm what has happened. Panicked men bring rumors, exaggeration. Until we know what the rebels did …”
Rosecrans looked up, and Thomas was shocked to see tears on the man’s face.
“They have us, George. There is nothing we can do.”
“There is never
nothing we can do
. It was a cavalry raid. We have cavalry of our own. Gather them up, push them out along the supply routes.”
Rosecrans shook his head. “They’re scattered. I’ve sent out word, but it could take days to bring them together, rest them, put them back into the field. I just wasn’t certain where the rebels would hit us, thought they might try to get between us and Knoxville, so I ordered our horsemen to watch over most of the river crossings up that way.”
Thomas felt sick, thought, The wagon train was a ripe target. Did you not think of that? He said nothing, knew the rebel raiders would be long gone, their mission completed.
“Are we certain they did that much damage to the wagon train?”
“Four couriers made it out, George. Four. Same report. The smoke from what they left behind was visible on the ridges to the
“Very honorable. Events are in motion already, General, events that neither of us control. General Grant has been called upon for reinforcements, and orders have been given to Sherman’s command for troops to march this way. General Burnside has been given those same orders. And, let us not forget, sir, there is an enemy out there who might make his own contributions to our …
decisions
. I justthought it important you know what kinds of considerations are being made. My reports must continue, and your name is mentioned with some frequency. If that’s more than you wish to hear, I will abide by that. If General Rosecrans shows himself to be in control of our situation here, if he regains the confidence of the War Department by his actions, then so be it. I will report that as well.”
There was a sharp knock at the door, a voice: “General? Are you awake, sir?”
He knew the voice, one of his aides, Lieutenant Ramsey.
“What is it, Roger? You may enter.”
Ramsey ducked through the low doorway, seemed surprised to see Dana, made a short bow toward him, said, “Um, sir … we received word … General Rosecrans is considerably agitated, sir. His aide, Captain Stiles—”
Another voice burst through from outside the room.
“Where is he? Thomas? You in here?”
Thomas was surprised to see Rosecrans, the man bursting in, pushing aside the young lieutenant. Thomas pulled himself out of the chair, saw the wild glare from Rosecrans, the man’s eyes darting about, as though searching for something. He seemed to notice Dana now, pointed a finger at him.
“You might as well go to your precious telegraph. Washington will be utterly delighted with today’s events. Delighted.”
Thomas knew Rosecrans was being sarcastic, said, “What has happened? The enemy isn’t moving from those heights. I have heard nothing.…”
“You weren’t outside. We heard it, a while ago, didn’t know what it meant at first. Artillery fire to the west, carried on the breeze, I suppose. A long way off.” He sat heavily in Dana’s chair, leaned his hands on his knees, stared at the floor. “We’re in a serious way, George. A serious way. Riders came in a short time ago. That artillery came from rebel cavalry. We knew they had sent horsemen out north of the river, tried to keep an eye on them. But they had a purpose, one purpose. They hit the wagon train. Riders say we lost most everything. Rations, ammunition. Most of the train was burned, men captured.” He paused, put his head down in his hands. “We are in a serious way, George. That train … was our salvation.”
Thomas looked at Dana, said, “You will report none of this until we confirm what has happened. Panicked men bring rumors, exaggeration. Until we know what the rebels did …”
Rosecrans looked up, and Thomas was shocked to see tears on the man’s face.
“They have us, George. There is nothing we can do.”
“There is never
nothing we can do
. It was a cavalry raid. We have cavalry of our own. Gather them up, push them out along the supply routes.”
Rosecrans shook his head. “They’re scattered. I’ve sent out word, but it could take days to bring them together, rest them, put them back into the field. I just wasn’t certain where the rebels would hit us, thought they might try to get between us and Knoxville, so I ordered our horsemen to watch over most of the river crossings up that way.”
Thomas felt sick, thought, The wagon train was a ripe target. Did you not think of that? He said nothing, knew the rebel raiders would be long gone, their mission completed.
“Are we certain they did that much damage to the wagon train?”
“Four couriers made it out, George. Four. Same report. The smoke from what they left behind was visible on the ridges to the
Similar Books
