Spring Will Come (11 page)

             
“Colonel Lee done caught some of his old friends over there!”

             
“What?”
              The man nodded.  “Sure enough.  Some of those men we just captured used to serve under the colonel when he was in the U.S. Cavalry.  They sure look glad to see him.  He seems mighty pleased to see them as well.”

             
Robert watched in amazement as Colonel Lee sprang from his horse and exchanged handshakes.  Laughter rang through the air as they talked.  All he could do was shake his head.  No one would ever believe the captured, laughing troopers and the smiling young colonel represented opposing armies mustered to slaughter each other. 

             
Their first serious opposition came when they reached Old Church.  They knew that this, if anywhere, was where the Federals would offer serious resistance because wagon trains carrying supplies to the Union troops north of the Chickahominy River would have to pass that point.   Robert watched one of the scouts race up to General Stuart.  Seconds later the order came.

             
“Charge!”

             
As Granite leapt forward, Robert could only surmise Stuart had just received word of a force waiting for them and was doing what came naturally to him.  Advancing on the offensive.  Unsheathing his saber, Robert leaned forward low over Granite’s saddle.  The blood raced through his veins as he caught his first sight of the enemy ahead.  He was perhaps ten columns or so back when the units met. 

             
Bedlam reigned as swords met pistols in a loud clash.  Dust swirled through the air as yells and shouts exploded all around.  Robert saw an opening and surged through, his saber drawn and ready.  Just as he broke free he saw the Federals spin and take off.  Reluctantly he pulled Granite in and sheathed his weapon.  He stared after the retreating bluecoats for a long minute and then turned back.  There were several dead on the ground, but all of them seemed to be Federals.  Then he noticed a knot of men standing on the ground.    He frowned and rode over quickly. 

             
General Stuart was just catching up with the regiment.  “Who is it?” he asked sharply.

             
“Captain Latane, sir,” one trooper quickly replied.  “He was shot, sir.  But not before he badly wounded his assailant with his saber.  He’s dead.” 

             
Stuart nodded shortly and turned to ride off, but not before Robert caught the look of sorrow on his face.  He knew the general had wanted to pull off his mission with no deaths.  It was only one, but he knew how much Stuart cared for the men under him.  Even one fatality would be hard for him to bear.

             
Just then Colonel Lee rode up.  “Let me go after them, sir.  They’re my old regiment.  I’d like to be the one to rout them.”

             
Stuart nodded immediately.  “Go ahead.  But do what you have to do quickly.  We need to push on.”

             
As Colonel Lee’s regiment galloped off, Stuart called Robert over to join in a meeting.  

             
Robert waited expectantly with the other officers to ascertain their next move.  Surely they had accomplished their objective.  The right flank of McClellan’s army was woefully weak.  If this was where General Lee wanted to mount his offensive, it was a good decision.  Robert’s guess was that they would turn back now. 

             
“We will continue on,” Stuart said firmly.  “The enemy expects us to return the way we came.  They might even now be burning the bridge across the Totopotomoy River.  If they’re quick, they will have a force waiting for us back at Hanover Courthouse.”

             
Robert stared at him.  There were twelve hundred cavalry troopers well behind Union lines.  What did Stuart presume to do with them?

             
The general’s answer came quickly.  “We’re going to go all the way around them,” he said with a quick grin.  It only grew wider as he took in the looks of astonishment from the men surrounding him.  Not waiting for comment, he quickly outlined his plan.  “We’ll continue on and go through Tunstall’s Station.  From there we’ll move on to the Chickahominy River and cross over.  Then we’ll follow the James back up to Richmond.”

             
The men were quiet as they absorbed the startling news.  Finally one man stepped forward.  “We’re going to Tunstall’s Station, General?  Don’t you think it will be heavily guarded?  The York River Railroad is McClellan’s main line of supply.  Their main depot is only a few miles away.”  His voice indicated he doubted the wisdom of his commander’s decision. 

             
Stuart nodded.  “It will be risky, but I think we can do it,” he said confidently, his gaze sweeping the knot of men and challenging them to share his confidence.  “We might even be able to tear up some of that railway.  Think of it!  If only for a day - if only for an hour - we might be able to separate the Federal army from its base of supply!”  He laughed and then grew serious.  “I know it’s risky, men.  But we have speed and surprise on our side.  From Tunstall’s Station, it’s only eleven miles to the Chickahominy.  Once we cross there, I don’t think there will be a threat.”

             
Again there was silence as the men contemplated what he said.  The same man who had questioned him spoke again.  “If you see fit to go on, General, then I’m going with you.”  A murmur of agreement rose.

             
“Thank you, men.”  Just then Colonel Lee rode up with a flush of victory on his face.   Stuart turned to him.  “I take it your expedition was a success.”

             
Colonel Lee nodded.  “The camp was deserted when we found it.  We knew there was not much time, so we put fire to everything we found there.  Picked up a few more prisoners but nothing beyond that.  Those boys evidently were not eager to be in the same vicinity as us.” 

             
Robert laughed along with the rest of the men.  Tension gripped him at the thought of staying behind Union lines, but it was the kind of bold move he admired. 

             
Another of the men spoke up.  “I think the quicker we move, the better.” 

             
His wry tone sent them into more laughter, but soberness returned quickly.  What they were attempting was dangerous and risky.  Any of a hundred things could go wrong.  Their best defense was to move quickly before McClellan could pinpoint their position and send a strong force after them. 

             
Within a short period of time, the column was once again on the move.  It was late in the afternoon when they drew near to Tunstall Station.  Stuart gave his command.  “Charge!”

             
Robert was alert but surprisingly relaxed as the cavalry once more thundered down the road.  It was becoming obvious no one in the Union army had ever anticipated an attack from within, and behind, their own lines.  The small units defending each outpost scattered before what they knew was a superior force.  As long as they kept moving fast, they might just actually pull off this bold, crazy maneuver.

             
As expected, the Federal units guarding the train station at Tunstall fled.  Some were captured.  Others disappeared into the woods. 

             
“Do your work, troopers!”  Stuart commanded with the wide grin Robert had become accustomed to. 

             
With a glad yell, the troopers scattered to their designated duties.  Robert vaulted out of his saddle and sprang to join the men tearing up the railroad.  If they succeeded, they would separate McClellan’s army from its base.  His heart pounded with excitement as they reached the tracks.  As they reached it, he saw one of the men disappear into the woods.  Robert knew he was on his way to set fire to the bridge across Black Creek.  The scouts moved forward with axes to chop down the two telegraph poles nearest the station.  The remaining troopers, still mounted, cheered and called encouragement as they kept guard for approaching troops. 

             
Suddenly a shrill train whistle split the air.  Immediately all action ceased.  From the boldness of the whistle blast, the engineer could not possibly be aware the station was in the hands of the Confederacy.  Robert turned with the rest of the men toward Stuart.

             
“Lieutenant Borden.  Throw that switch.  We’ll derail the train!” he yelled excitedly. 

             
Robert sprang forward as Stuart continued to shout orders.  Within seconds, nearby men were hurling obstructions on to the track.  Limbs, rocks, anything they found were heaved in a desperate attempt to block the track before the train reached them. 

             
Robert raced for the switch but groaned with dismay when he saw the heavy lock holding it.  He looked around quickly, grabbed a large bar of iron, and began bashing the lock.  A quick glance told him the rest of the troopers were being hurried into ambush covering alongside the tracks.  They would open fire if the train stopped or left the tracks.  Sweat poured down his face as he pounded at the lock, but it did not budge. 

             
“Forget it, Lieutenant,” Stuart called.  “The train is almost here.  Remount and prepare for battle.”

             
Robert threw aside the bar and sprang for Granite.  He was barely in the saddle and moving toward cover when the train - a locomotive and a string of flatcars loaded with soldiers - roared around the curve.   Had the engineer spotted them?  Robert held his breath as the engine continued to slow.  A smile spread across his face as it drew almost to a halt and several Union soldiers stepped off.

             
Bang! 

             
Robert groaned as a pistol shot exploded in the stillness.  There had been no order given to fire yet.  Someone had gotten too excited.  Now, there was no choice but to press the attack.

             
“Fire!”  Stuart’s voice boomed a second later. 

             
“Rebels!” one of the startled Federals yelled.  At the exact same moment, the engineer put on full steam, and the engine began to pull away from the station. 

             
A barrage of gunfire exploded from the railroad right of way.  Robert watched in grim satisfaction as Union soldiers dropped from wounds or either threw themselves face first on the boxcars to avoid the fire.  A single horseman broke from cover and raced alongside the train.  At a full gallop, the horse drew even with the engine.  Robert heard the gunshot and saw the engineer slump in his seat, but the speed of the train continued to increase.   Within moments it was out of sight.  Wild cheering followed it. 

             
When the celebrating ended, Stuart reluctantly gave the order to press on.  Robert understood his reluctance.  Their mission so far had met with nothing but success.  How tempting it must be, knowing they were only four miles from White House, the main supply depot, to make that their next objective.  If it was destroyed, the Federals would be forced to retreat.  Robert smiled as he thought of what a coup it would be for twelve hundred cavalry troopers to force a hundred-thousand-man army to retreat.   His smile disappeared quickly, however.  General Stuart was making the best decision.  White House would surely be better defended than anything they had approached so far.  If they were to end up in a stiff battle, McClellan might have time to send in reinforcements that would close off their line of retreat.  They had accomplished their objectives.  Now it was time to get out of there. 

Robert was sure the long night would never end.  The cavalry had the advantage of a bright moon to light the road, but exhaustion dogged them every step of the way.  There could be no stopping or rest.  There was no way to know how close behind them pursuing troops may
have been.  Horses stumbled wearily as men nodded into sleep, almost falling off their horses in their futile attempts to gain some much needed respite.  In order to keep up the needed pace, prisoners rode double on the mules they had captured.  There was little talk as the line crept determinedly on.

             
Robert fought sleep by thinking about Carrie.   Her face rose before him, her beautiful eyes shining with love, giving him confidence.  He could hardly wait to tell her all about this mission.  He knew she would rest her chin in her hand and absorb everything he said.  He still could hardly believe Carrie loved him.  He had vacillated between rage and grief when she had turned down his proposal of marriage because of their differing beliefs about slavery.  An entire miserable year had passed while he tried, to no avail, to erase her from his mind and heart.  That he was hopelessly in love with her, he could not deny.  Robert had vowed not to talk of marriage until the war was over, but there was not a day that passed without dreams of living his life with Carrie at his side.