Home of the Brave (48 page)

Thomas looked up at
Chapultepec Castle. “All we have to do is get past those damn guns
and the rest is easy.”

“Easy?”

“I bribed one of the cadets
to get me troop strength and he reported that there are only three
hundred men from de Battalion de San Blas under a Lieutenant
Colonel named Felipe Xicotencatl. The castle’s regular garrison is
a hundred, including the cadets.”

“That was a dangerous thing
to do, Thomas. If that cadet tells anyone in authority, Santa Anna
might move his whole army here.”

“Good. That would bring
General Scott and we could storm the castle with the whole army and
get Mother the hell out of there.”

“If Winfield Scott can force
Santa Anna to sue for peace before we have to take this castle,
your mother will walk out, safe and sound. If we storm the castle
she might be executed by the Mexicans or killed in the
battle.”

“It could take months, Dad.
Years.”

“Months, perhaps, but not
years.”

“So you’re willing to let
Mother rot in a dungeon for months?”

“She’s not in a dungeon nor
is she rotting, Thomas. She’s somehow become a confidant to Santa
Anna and she supposedly lives like a queen.”

“How do you know
that?”

“I don’t know for certain
but that’s what the laundresses told me.”

“Why hadn’t you mentioned it
to me?”

Yank hesitated. “Because I
thought you might rush to judgment.”

“In what way?”

“I don’t know, Thomas,” Yank
said in embarrassment. “You might have assumed that your mother had
become Santa Anna’s mistress.”

“You have me confused with
Jack,” Thomas said. “If Mother became his mistress to stay alive
I’d applaud her for it, as I think you would.”

“I apologize then.” Yank
looked up at the castle. “Whoa. We’ve been spotted. Let’s go before
we have to fight our way out of here.” He started back into the
forest.

Thomas joined him. “I don’t
think a handful of cadets would be that much trouble.”

“Perhaps not. But the troop
assessment you bought from that cadet is pure disinformation. The
Lieutenant Colonel Felipe Xicotencatl that he mentioned actually
reports to General Nicolas Bravo who has nine-hundred-twenty-two
men up there.”

“No. Are you
sure?”

Yank took a notebook from
his jacket pocket. “Two-hundred-fifty from the Tenth Infantry, a
hundred-fifteen from the Queretaro Battalion,
two-hundred-seventy-seven from the Mina Battalion,
two-hundred-eleven from the Union Battalion, twenty-seven from the
Toluca Battalion and forty-two artillerymen of la Patria Battalion
manning seven guns. If my arithmetic is correct, that’s
nine-hundred-twenty-two men.”

“That little bastard. He
fooled me completely.”

“There are also more than
two-hundred cadets at the garrison, and, as you mentioned, an
unknown force at the King’s Mill. Probably a thousand or two. I
think we should get out of here while we still can.”

“I agree. Let’s
go.”

May 14, 1847

San Antonio,
Texas

Charlie Lagrange dismounted,
tied his horse to the hitching rail in front of the saloon and
began to methodically examine the right front hooves of all the
horses until he found the notched shoe.

“May I help you with
something?” The man who had come from the saloon was wearing an
eastern suit of clothes with a tricorne hat and two Walker-Colts in
cut-down cavalry holsters.

Charlie let go of the
horse’s forefoot and stood up. “This your horse,
Mister?”

“Might be.”

Charlie opened his jacket to
show his badge. “Yes or no.”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m here to arrest you
for murder.”

“I don’t think
so.”

Charlie took a step closer
and the man pulled his pistols. “Now hold on,” Charlie said. “I was
just getting a better look at you.”

“Then you don’t intend to
arrest me?”

“Not until we talk about
it.”

“I’m not much of a
talker.”

“You were the last time we
met.”

“When was that?”

“When your brother Tom and I
busted you out of the loony bin in Williamsburg.”

“Ah yes. I thought you
looked familiar. Do you intend to let me go?”

“I can’t do that. I took an
oath to uphold the law.”

“You’d taken an oath when
you helped Thomas.”

“Yes, that’s true. But this
is different.”

“That’s too bad for both of
us, but it’s especially bad for you.” He aimed a pistol at
Charlie’s face.

“Now hold on.” Charlie
raised his hands. “I’m married to your sister.”

“That’s even worse for you.
I never liked that bitch.” William shot him between the eyes then
mounted his horse and rode out of town.

August 22, 1847

West Point, New
York

Quincy Van Buskirk, dressed
in the gray uniform of a West Point plebe, kissed Anna on the
cheek. “Bye, Mother.”

“Don’t forget to write.”
Anna stifled a sob and dabbed her eyes with a lace
handkerchief.

Quincy raised his hand to
Nancy Vreeland who was standing a step behind Anna. “Bye Aunt
Nancy.”

“Bye Quince.” Nancy moved up
beside Anna and took her hand. “Write to me too.”

The two women watched until
he was out of sight, then turned to walk back to the steamboat
dock.

“We used to live here when I
was little,” Anna said. “I don’t remember much about it except
fighting with William. I think I’ve always hated him.”

Nancy laughed. “You’ve
always been smarter than me. If he’d asked I probably would have
married him and been his first murder victim.”

Anna shuddered.

“Oh dear,” Nancy gasped.
“That was a callous thing for me to say. I’m so sorry.”

“No, no. It wasn’t that. It
was just the idea that my own brother is a murderer. I’ve had more
trouble getting my mind around that than accepting that Charlie’s
dead.” She smiled at Nancy. “I wish you could have met Charlie.
You’d have liked him.”

“I’d like anybody that you
love, Anna, just because I love you.” Nancy looked toward the
steamer. “We have a half hour before we sail. Do you want to walk
or sit on one of these benches?”

“Sit. I didn’t sleep a wink
last night and my knees are like jelly.”

The two women walked to the
front row of benches and sat down.

“Are you going to stay at
Van Buskirk Point or go back to Texas?” Nancy asked.

“I was thinking about
finding a house or an apartment somewhere close to your house in
Manhattan until the Mexican War is over.”

Nancy smiled
nervously.

“What?” Anna
asked.

“I have to tell you
something.”

“I’m listening.”

“I don’t live alone,” Nancy
said.

“I wasn’t hinting that I
wanted to move in with you, Nancy,” Anna said with a
giggle.

“No, no. You could if you
wanted. You’d be very welcome.” Nancy took a deep breath. “I live
with another woman.”

Anna shrugged. “I think you
mentioned that.”

“I didn’t mention that she’s
my lover.”

Anna stared at Nancy for
several moments then looked out at the river. “How long has this
been going on?”

“Almost sixteen
years.”

“No wonder you never got
married.”

“Do you hate me?”

“No. Don’t be silly. You’re
my best friend and always will be.”

“You were my first lover,”
Nancy said.

“Me?” Anna giggled. “You
have me confused with someone else. I love you dearly, but
not
that
way.”

Nancy shook her head. “Don’t
you remember the time when we were about twelve and we practiced
kissing?”

“Oh Lord.” Anna laughed.
“Yes, I remember. How embarrassing.”

“Not to me. One of the
reasons that I was so promiscuous when I was a girl was that none
of the boys I kissed ever gave me the thrill that I got from
kissing you.”

Anna hesitated. “I really
don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything. Nothing
has to change between us. But I thought you should know the truth
about me.”

“Do me one
favor?”

“Anything.”

“Don’t tell Quincy until he
gets over the crush he has on you.”

Nancy laughed. “I
promise.”

“I wasn’t sure that you
noticed.”

“I noticed and was very
flattered but I thought it would be prudent to pretend that I
didn’t notice.”

Anna looked up toward the
Academy. “I worry about him. He’s grown up in an armed stockade and
had almost no female social contact for most of his adult life. The
only women he’s ever known are family members, whores, servants and
an occasional Indian squaw.”

“I don’t think you have
anything to worry about. He was always polite, charming and
appropriate with me. Besides, West Point is an all-male school
where his martial upbringing should be an asset.”

Anna sighed. “I suppose
you’re right. He’s just another Van Buskirk gone for a
soldier.

September 2,
1847

Chapultepec Castle,
Mexico

“You will read this captured
document to me in Spanish,” Santa Anna demanded.

Marina took the document
from him. “Very well but let me read it to myself first so I am
familiar with its contents before I try to translate it
verbally.”

“Be quick about
it.”

She gave him a bored look
and began reading to herself.

From: Major-General
Winfield Scott

To: HON. WM. L. MARCY,
Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
TACUBAYA, AT THE GATES OF MEXICO, August 28, 1847.

Sir:

My report, No. 31,
commenced in the night of the 19th instant, closed with the
operations of the army on that day. The morning of the 20th opened
with one of a series of unsurpassed achievements, all in view of
the capital, and to which I shall give the general name Battles of
Mexico.

In the night of the 19th,
Brigadier-Generals Shields, P. F. Smith, and Cadwallader, and
Colonel Riley, with their brigades, and the 15th Regiment, under
Colonel Morgan, detached from Brigadier - General Pierce found
themselves in and about the important position the village, hamlet
or hacienda, called indifferently, Contreras, Ansalda, San Geronimo
half a mile nearer to the city than the enemy’s entrenched camp, on
the same road, toward the factory of Magdalena.

That camp had been,
unexpectedly, our formidable point of attack in the afternoon
before, and we had now to take it, without the aid of cavalry or
artillery, or to throw back our advanced corps upon the direct road
from SAN AUGUSTIN to the city, and thence force a passage through
San Antonio.

Accordingly, to meet
contingencies, Major-General Worth was ordered to leave early in
the morning of the 20th, one of his brigades to mask San Antonio,
and to march with the other six miles, via SAN AUGUSTIN upon
Contreras. A like destination was given to Major-General Quitman
and his remaining brigade in SAN AUGUSTIN replacing, for the
moment, the garrison of that important depot with Hartley’s brigade
of cavalry, as horses could not pass over the intervening lava,
etc., to reach the field of battle.

A diversion for an earlier
hour (daylight) had been arranged the night before, according to
the suggestion of Brigadier-General P. F. Smith, received through
the Engineer, Captain Lee, who conveyed my orders to our troops
remaining on the ground, opposite to the enemy’s centre the point
for the diversion or a real attack, as circumstances might
allow.

Guided by Captain Lee, it
proved the latter, under the command of Colonel Ransom of the 9th,
having with him that regiment and some companies of three others
the 3d, 12th, and Rifles.

Shields, the senior
officer at the hamlet, having arrived in the night, after Smith had
arranged with Cadwallader and Riley the plan of attack for the
morning, delicately waived interference; but reserved to himself
the double task of holding the hamlet with his two regiments (South
Carolina and New York Volunteers) against ten times his numbers on
the side of the city, including the slopes to his left, and in case
the enemy’s camp in his rear should be carried, to face about and
cut off the flying enemy.

At three o clock A. M. the
great movement commenced on the rear of the enemy’s camp, Riley
leading, followed successively by Cadwallader’s and Smith’s
brigades, the latter temporarily under the orders of Major Dimick
of the 1st Artillery the whole force being commanded by Smith, the
senior in the general attack, and whose arrangements, skill, and
gallantry always challenge the highest admiration.