CHAPTER ONE
Part One: Chambersburg, Morning of June 28th, 1863
First light in Pennsylvania. It must be about half-past five in the morning. It will be a warm day, he thought, and then thought again: I should breakfast when I reach General Lee's headquarters. But no apples. He had seen what too many apples had done to men in Maryland, the last time around.
The sun came up and threw up long orange shadows. He could smell the camp before he could see it: it was always that way with an army, and especially this army. The stream of horses came up into the camp at a canter, flags flapping behind them. He gave permission for the rest of his staff to find something to eat, and then met Major Taylor.
Taylor was in high spirits. "Good morning General. Welcome to Messersmith's Woods. If you should like breakfast then we have a venerable mountain of bacon here. They say if you stand at the top you can see all the way home."
Not my home, he thought. Not South Carolina.
"I would like to see General Lee straight away."
He followed Taylor to Lee's tent. They were indeed cooking now. The move into Pennsylvania had been good for this army. Boys who had starved for months ate like kings. This was a fat country. Past tense.
Taylor leaned into Lee's tent. "General Longstreet is here to see you Sir." He could not hear what was said inside, but Taylor beckoned him in. Lee was sat at a chair, leaning backwards, eyes closed, hairs all stood up on the sides, in his waistcoat. He's not getting better, Longstreet thought. He'll be tired. Did he even sleep? The two men greeted one another. Lee, risen from his chair, nearly six feet but always looking eight or nine, stopped Taylor.
"Major Taylor, has there been any message from General Stuart?"
"No Sir. I will come to you at once when we have heard from him."
And Taylor was dismissed. Lee turned to Longstreet. "Something is very wrong. We have not heard from General Stuart at all. And last night I'm told that Mr Hooker has drawn off forces from Harpers Ferry. General Imboden has been instructed to see if it is still at all guarded." He sat down again. "I must know the position of the Federal Army." Longstreet said nothing. Long experience had taught him when Robert Lee had not finished speaking. "If I do not hear from General Stuart soon, I will send for him."
"Hooker is on the other side of the mountain," Longstreet said. Careful now. This isn't guesswork. "Our scout, Harrison, reports so. And he's coming up, quick. He's taking up men from garrison posts. Harper's Ferry must be one. There's talk in the papers of Lincoln relieving him, of course..." Longstreet shrugged.
"It would be his usual practice." Lee stood up, went to the map, leaned over, dragged a finger across it. "But we must look to our own positions." He cast his eyes upwards towards Longstreet. "It is of no significance whether Mister Hooker is replaced. We will fight them whoever they send against us. Now, if it's true that he's coming north, then our subsistence operations must come to a close there by tomorrow, and we must concentrate our army, at least by July second or third. No doubt they expect us to meet them at Carlisle, or Harrisburg. It's too far. We have to protect our trains..." Lee trailed off, in thought. Taylor brought in coffee, and left quickly.
Longstreet sighed. Outside it was now fully light. Today was now a fighting day. "Sir."
"General?"
"Sir. We do not need to fight. We have now enough supplies to see us through the winter. Our objective was to raid the north. We have done so. We can lay works at the Cashtown pass and across the Conococheague. The Cumberland is very defensible. Lincoln will make Hooker come to us, sir, and then we can finish him. If we attack, we risk the trains."
Lee stared. There was silence - a fly buzzed around the coffee mugs, and then came down and stood still. "You would have us lay works and stay here, when we know the enemy is across South Mountain? No, sir, we must strike him. Once I know where he is, I will strike him."
Silence, again. Longstreet said nothing, so Lee continued. "General Early is due to raid York today. General Hill will be in Carlisle today, and possibly Harrisburg by tomorrow. Once they have collected their supplies, we will concentrate our Army, and when General Stuart returns, we will strike. I want Ewell's Corps to move north, to Carlisle. Your Corps will guard this base of supply and the Cashtown pass." Longstreet said nothing.
Lee continued, gesturing to the map: "By keeping your Corps here, we will force Hooker to keep large parts of his Army here, as if they were moored to the South Mountain. I do believe your three Divisions will be enough to protect the Cashtown gap, there. When Ewell has met with General Jackson's Corps in the north, we can strike, from the north and east, and pin him against the mountain, in one broad stroke. Do you understand your orders, General?"
"Sir," Longstreet saluted.
Part One: Chambersburg, Morning of June 28th, 1863
First light in Pennsylvania. It must be about half-past five in the morning. It will be a warm day, he thought, and then thought again: I should breakfast when I reach General Lee's headquarters. But no apples. He had seen what too many apples had done to men in Maryland, the last time around.
The sun came up and threw up long orange shadows. He could smell the camp before he could see it: it was always that way with an army, and especially this army. The stream of horses came up into the camp at a canter, flags flapping behind them. He gave permission for the rest of his staff to find something to eat, and then met Major Taylor.
Taylor was in high spirits. "Good morning General. Welcome to Messersmith's Woods. If you should like breakfast then we have a venerable mountain of bacon here. They say if you stand at the top you can see all the way home."
Not my home, he thought. Not South Carolina.
"I would like to see General Lee straight away."
He followed Taylor to Lee's tent. They were indeed cooking now. The move into Pennsylvania had been good for this army. Boys who had starved for months ate like kings. This was a fat country. Past tense.
Taylor leaned into Lee's tent. "General Longstreet is here to see you Sir." He could not hear what was said inside, but Taylor beckoned him in. Lee was sat at a chair, leaning backwards, eyes closed, hairs all stood up on the sides, in his waistcoat. He's not getting better, Longstreet thought. He'll be tired. Did he even sleep? The two men greeted one another. Lee, risen from his chair, nearly six feet but always looking eight or nine, stopped Taylor.
"Major Taylor, has there been any message from General Stuart?"
"No Sir. I will come to you at once when we have heard from him."
And Taylor was dismissed. Lee turned to Longstreet. "Something is very wrong. We have not heard from General Stuart at all. And last night I'm told that Mr Hooker has drawn off forces from Harpers Ferry. General Imboden has been instructed to see if it is still at all guarded." He sat down again. "I must know the position of the Federal Army." Longstreet said nothing. Long experience had taught him when Robert Lee had not finished speaking. "If I do not hear from General Stuart soon, I will send for him."
"Hooker is on the other side of the mountain," Longstreet said. Careful now. This isn't guesswork. "Our scout, Harrison, reports so. And he's coming up, quick. He's taking up men from garrison posts. Harper's Ferry must be one. There's talk in the papers of Lincoln relieving him, of course..." Longstreet shrugged.
"It would be his usual practice." Lee stood up, went to the map, leaned over, dragged a finger across it. "But we must look to our own positions." He cast his eyes upwards towards Longstreet. "It is of no significance whether Mister Hooker is replaced. We will fight them whoever they send against us. Now, if it's true that he's coming north, then our subsistence operations must come to a close there by tomorrow, and we must concentrate our army, at least by July second or third. No doubt they expect us to meet them at Carlisle, or Harrisburg. It's too far. We have to protect our trains..." Lee trailed off, in thought. Taylor brought in coffee, and left quickly.
Longstreet sighed. Outside it was now fully light. Today was now a fighting day. "Sir."
"General?"
"Sir. We do not need to fight. We have now enough supplies to see us through the winter. Our objective was to raid the north. We have done so. We can lay works at the Cashtown pass and across the Conococheague. The Cumberland is very defensible. Lincoln will make Hooker come to us, sir, and then we can finish him. If we attack, we risk the trains."
Lee stared. There was silence - a fly buzzed around the coffee mugs, and then came down and stood still. "You would have us lay works and stay here, when we know the enemy is across South Mountain? No, sir, we must strike him. Once I know where he is, I will strike him."
Silence, again. Longstreet said nothing, so Lee continued. "General Early is due to raid York today. General Hill will be in Carlisle today, and possibly Harrisburg by tomorrow. Once they have collected their supplies, we will concentrate our Army, and when General Stuart returns, we will strike. I want Ewell's Corps to move north, to Carlisle. Your Corps will guard this base of supply and the Cashtown pass." Longstreet said nothing.
Lee continued, gesturing to the map: "By keeping your Corps here, we will force Hooker to keep large parts of his Army here, as if they were moored to the South Mountain. I do believe your three Divisions will be enough to protect the Cashtown gap, there. When Ewell has met with General Jackson's Corps in the north, we can strike, from the north and east, and pin him against the mountain, in one broad stroke. Do you understand your orders, General?"
"Sir," Longstreet saluted.
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