Dark Chaos (# 4 in the Bregdan Chronicles Historical Fiction Romance Series) (77 page)

             
He moved toward the slaves.  “Get out of here,” he ordered quietly.  The cavalrymen behind him began to cheer and taunt the guide as he was led over to the rope.  Moses breathed a sigh of relief.  The noise would cover his words.  “You can’t stop it,” he told them in an agonized voice.  He held up a hand when one of the slaves started to speak.  “Things could get out of control.  He might not be the only one.” He knew they would understand his meaning.

             
The one who had started to speak stopped dead in his tracks and stared at him.  The rest locked eyes on him as well.

             
“I’m sorry,” Moses choked.  “They’re not all like this,” he added, knowing his words would mean nothing.  These men would never forget what they were seeing happen at the hands of Union soldiers - the men who were supposed to be their liberators, the men they had followed eagerly all day.  He glanced over his shoulder and saw the guide being lifted to a horse, his mouth gagged, his arms and legs flailing in futile resistance.

             
“Leave now,” Moses said urgently.  “Save yourselves.”

             
The group hesitated, then turned as one, and melted into the trees.  Most of them had already learned the lesson that resistance against the white man was futile.  Their faces were both angry and forlorn as they turned for one last look, and then disappeared.  Moses gazed after them, wishing fiercely that he could join them, yet knowing that if he disappeared he would be immediately suspect.  Dahlgren would assume he had been in union with the guide and would have him hunted down.

             
Moses swung into his saddle and turned just as the horse was pulled out from under the guide.  Bile rose in his stomach as the man jolted to a stop at the end of the rope.  The crack of his neck as it broke rang over the sound of the gushing river.  Moses turned away, tears of helpless rage filling his eyes.  Somehow he had to maintain control.

             
A cheer rose from some of the soldiers.  Others watched grimly, their faces set in anger and pain.  One exchanged a long, sorrowful look with Moses, his pinched expression revealing his feelings.  Moses straightened, taking heart from the one who shared his pain.

             
Dahlgren scowled up at the dead man and then swung away.  “Let’s keep moving!” he ordered.  “Crossing the river is out of the question.  We’ll go straight down river.  We still have the advantage of surprise.”

Robert had just walked up to the house after a long meeting with a government official when the tower bells in Capitol Square began to peal wildly.  He stopped on the porch, quickly turning to look down on the city almost shrouded by the dark, rainy afternoon.

              Thomas appeared beside him with a worried look on his face.  “What do you think it is?”

             
Robert shrugged.  “Only one way to find out.”  He turned toward the house.  “I’ll get our gear.”  Minutes later he reappeared, his arms full of rain gear and haversacks that May had hastily stuffed with food.  Micah rounded the corner with Granite at the same time Spencer drove up in the carriage.  Thomas climbed in quickly, and they were off.

             
When he and Thomas reached Capitol Square, a large force of the Local Defense had already assembled.  Robert gazed out over artisans from the Armory and a battalion of government clerks, many who were mere boys.  Their faces were determined, their eyes blazed fiercely.

             
Governor Letcher appeared on the porch of the Capitol, his mouth set in a grim line.  “A Federal cavalry force is advancing on the city from the west,” he announced in a booming voice.  “We shall not give up our city!”

             
A rousing cheer greeted his words.

             
Colonel Custis Lee stepped to his side.  “I’ve commandeered all the horses and wagons available.  We are heading out to Westham Plank Road a few miles west of the city.  We’ll set up our block there.”

             
Lee looked up and saw Robert standing in the crowd.  A relieved smile broke over his face.  He shouted directions to the men and then wove his way down to join him.  “I’m glad to see you, old man.  I’d heard you were still around here.  Up for a little action?”

             
“Lead on.”  Robert smiled and gripped his gun tighter.  His heart pounded as he realized just how close the Federal cavalry had gotten.  Thoughts of Carrie working in the hospital, oblivious to the close proximity of danger, steeled his determination to force the invaders back.

             
Just then they heard an explosion of artillery north of the city.  Lee glanced up.  “I had heard reports of two cavalry units,” he said.  “The other one must have just hit our outer defenses on Brook Road.”  He shook his head.  “They’ll have to hold their position.  My orders are clear to head west.”  He turned and leaped on his horse.

             
Robert mounted Granite while Thomas climbed into a wagon.  Within moments, the three hundred member force was moving rapidly out of the city.

              Carrie glanced up at Dr. Wild.  “I’m through with this man.”

             
Dr. Wild nodded.  “I’m almost done as well.”  His words were interrupted by the wild clanging of the tower bells.  He lifted his head, listened for a moment, then bent back to his work.

             
Carrie looked up at the line of men still waiting to be treated.  This was her third visit to Libby Prison.  Ever since Matthew’s harrowing description of his stay, she had determined to do what she could.  She had precious little time between her duties at Chimborazo and the black hospital, but still, she felt she was making a slight difference.  There was medical service offered to the prisoners, but it was never enough.  Not that much could be done.  Most of the prisoners suffered from hunger and exposure.  No medicine would cure that.  Once again, Carrie prayed silently that the prison exchange program would start back up.  Some of these men would not last much longer. 

             
A guard appeared at the door.  “You need to go now,” he ordered abruptly.

             
“But our time isn’t up,” Carrie protested.  “We have another hour left.”

             
“Not today you don’t.”  The guard motioned for them to leave.

             
Carrie started to argue, then exchanged a long look with Dr. Wild, and closed her mouth.  She didn’t want to jeopardize their visiting privileges.  That they were here at all was a miracle.  Ever since Matthew and the others had escaped, security had been tightened.  The men were subjected to dozens of roll calls a day, sometimes four or five in the middle of the night.  If any man was seen too close to a window, a guard would shoot first and ask questions later.

             
As Carrie packed her bags, she noticed looks of excitement on some of the men’s faces.  She wondered about it but kept packing.  The prison commander met them at the front door.

             
“What seems to be the trouble?” Dr. Wild asked.  “Have we inadvertently caused a problem?

             
“It’s the Yankees causing problems.”  The commander scowled.  “We’ve had reports that the Yanks will try to stage a prison break.  Word just came in of Union cavalry to the west and north of the city.”

             
Carrie snapped her head around toward Capitol Square.  Surely Robert and her father were even now reporting for duty.  He heart pounded as she wondered what the night would bring.

             
“They won’t get these prisoners,” the commander growled.  Just then the doors pushed open.  Men, carrying heavy barrels, wrestled them through the doors.  He turned back to Carrie and Dr. Wild.  “Those barrels are full of gunpowder. I’ll stay at my post until I see a Yankee head for this prison.”  His lips thinned.  “Then I’ll blow this place sky high.”

             
Carrie gasped.  “You’re going to kill everyone?”

             
He gazed at her as if she were a rather unintelligent child.  “Ma’am, you tell me what I should do.  Those Yanks get here and set these prisoners free, and we’ll have five thousand men marauding this town, eager to seek revenge.  We don’t have enough guards to stop them if they come.  All the local troops have been called out to guard the roads.  I’ll do whatever it takes.”  He spun on his heel and disappeared into his office. 

Carrie stared after him. 

Dr. Wild took her arm gently.  “I’ll take you home.”

Carrie nodded numbly, her heart screaming in protest even though she knew there was nothing she
could do.  She glanced back at the prison several times, wondering whether she would ever see it again.  The thoughts of the men inside, and the fate they faced, made her shiver.  While her rational mind told her they could indeed be dangerous to the city, her heart told her they were men who just wanted to return home to their families where they could be warm and well-fed.  She shuddered as she thought of Matthew and was exceedingly glad he had escaped before now.

She would go home to sit by the window and wait for Robert and her father to return.

             
Dahlgren led his men east, straight toward Richmond.  The rain continued to fall, making the roads slick and thick with mud.  The sudden boom of cannon made him pull his horse up sharply.

Moses was now close enough to hear every word.

“Kilpatrick is storming the outer defenses,” Dahlgren said with grim satisfaction.  “We are less than five miles from the city.  We will wait for darkness, then advance.  Richmond’s limited forces will have their hands full with Kilpatrick.  We’ll give him time to break through, and then we will smash through ourselves.”  His voice was once more full of brash confidence.

Moses tried to control the loathing in his heart, but he could not block out the image of the guide
dangling from the tree, his eyes bulging lifelessly, his tongue already swollen when Moses had dared to look back.  He had lost all taste for any kind of fight, but he knew he had no choice but to press on. 

“Dismount, men,” Dahlgren called.  “We’ll take a short break before we press forward to victory.”  His men cheered and moved eagerly to find some kind of shelter from the rain.  Horses dropped their heads and turned their backs to the rain.