Field of Redemption Page 20
Hickory’s hand dropped to the shirt pocket at his chest and his face suddenly became serious. “I almost forgot. Colonel Saberton asked me to give this to you, ma’am.”
With long slender fingers, Dottie Saberton opened the sealed envelope and removed the handwritten letter. Though she read silently, at one point she lifted a brow and looked across at Abby with a trace of a smile. “Congratulations,” was all she said.
“Thank you.” Abby wasn’t sure how she was supposed to reply.
Ian meant so much more to her than he could have conveyed in a short letter.
Refolding the paper, Mrs. Saberton turned to Tori. “Ian and Abigail—”
“Abby.” She corrected, then realized she had rudely interrupted. “I apologize. Please, call me Abby.”
“And you may call me Dottie.” She didn’t appear offended in the least. “Ian and Abby are to be married as soon as he’s free to come home.” Reaching over, she took Abby’s hand with sincere affection. “Welcome to the family, dear.”
When tears clouded her dark eyes, Abby became more and more curious as to what Ian had written in his letter.
“Really?” Hickory asked a little less enthusiastically. Abby could tell he needed a bit of reassurance that he would not be losing her friendship.
She put an arm around him and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Only if you come along, too. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
“How exciting! Two Saberton weddings to look forward to.” Tori grinned widely.
“Two?” Abby smiled back.
“Zachery is Ian’s youngest brother. He and Aurora are betrothed as well.”
“You’ll meet Aurora when we get home to Brechenridge. She and her mother have come to stay until things settle down.” Mrs. Saberton offered Hickory a tea biscuit from her bag. As the mother of three strapping boys, she must have come prepared for the constant hunger.
Abby had been alone for so long, she almost didn’t remember how to be part of a large family. She always knew she was part of a large extended family, but after her mother’s death, Abby felt like an outsider. One or two of her mother’s relatives had treated her kindly over the years, but none ever felt the need to take her in.
Her foster home provided a place to live, but that was about the extent of it.
Ian was offering her so much more. She hoped to spend a lifetime showing her appreciation.
Rolling in under a canopy of autumn leaves, Abby caught her first glimpse of Brechenridge under the light of a crescent moon. The grand estate looked more like an elegant hotel. She counted ten palatial columns curving around the white bricked front. Two sets of floor to ceiling windows flanked the heavy wood front door.
Hickory appeared just as awestruck as he sat forward in his seat to take in the view.
Tori looked over at him with a fond smile, then caught Abby’s eye. “I’m sure you’re ready to get settled.” She folded her gloved hands neatly in her lap. “Ian’s telegram told briefly of your attack. The whole ordeal must have been horrifying.”
Mrs. Saberton draped a throw over her skirt. “That general has much to answer for.”
“If Ian hadn’t found me, I don’t know what I’d have done.” Abby answered honestly.
“That’s why we gotta hide her in Savannah.” Hickory agreed with a nod. “Or else if Farris catches her, he’s liable to hang her for a Yankee spy!”
Both women sitting across from her looked astonished as they glanced from her to each other.
Out of the mouth of babes …
Prepare at once for enemy invasion!
The courier delivered General Wheeler’s letter a half hour ago. Union General William Sherman had begun to surge south with up to a hundred thousand troops. Only a flailing Confederate presence was left south of the Federal line, and Macon was the next logical target.
Ian stood over the dining table at Dobbs’ house with Macon’s three commanding officers, scrutinizing area maps and trying to predict Sherman’s next move.
“All artillery from the armory has been transported northeast to Columbia.” General Hawthorne drew a line on the map with his finger. “Saberton, your men have refugee camps in place along the river. We have more field available up here should any of our neighbors from surrounding farms and plantations to the east decide to come in.”
“More than likely the Federals will make another attempt at freeing their officers from Camp Oglethorpe.” Walter Dobbs dabbed at the sheen on his brow despite the cold wind blowing outside the window. “Especially since Colonel Saberton and his men deposited their General Stoneman there. If they succeed in turning loose twenty-three hundred officers, crazed with hunger and looking to destroy all things Confederate … Well, the good citizens of Macon won’t be safe in their own homes.”
They weren’t safe now in their own homes.
Ian had been in Macon for nearly four months trying to prepare the city for this day, but even the mayor preferred to tread in a sea of denial.
“It will take a concentrated effort to protect our citizens now.” Hawthorne spoke Ian’s own concern. “Removing Farris from Camp Oglethorpe is the first step to securing the area. Thankfully, as soon as he gets here we can put an end to his military career and appoint another to take his place.” The general checked his time piece and snapped it shut. “Where is he? He was supposed to be here an hour ago.”
“Are you certain Governor Brown petitioned the Secretary of War to remove General Farris from command?” Walter dabbed at his upper lip. Seemingly oblivious to the hard looks he got from the Confederate officers standing around him. “I have never seen the actual telegraph that says his court martial has been approved. I suppose you have that with you, George? The general will most certainly demand to see it before he is arrested.”
“Walter, how can you still be intimidated by the man?” His brother-in-law wanted to know. “Cora can’t stand him. She’s tried to get him transferred from here for months. We owe it to Colonel Saberton for alerting the governor concerning the wolf among us.”
Ian didn’t need gratitude. Watching Farris march off in shackles would be satisfaction enough.
Major General Baker of the Georgia Militia clapped him on the back. “Good work, Colonel. Your diligence in exposing Farris will benefit us all.”
“Yes, indeed.” Hawthorne also straightened from the table. “Your letter to Governor Brown was key in this.”
“I’m not ready to let the guard down.” Ian wandered to the tall window, looking out over the bustling street. “Not until Farris shows up and is actually apprehended.”
A small division of Hood’s infantrymen stood waiting outside. They would escort Farris in chains to a wagon bound for the court house in Milledgeville. He’d go before the tribunal there, and if found guilty, would likely face a firing squad.
“We have no leeway for less than honorable soldiers.” Hawthorne said firmly. “In the days to come, each man will be called upon to defend our homeland with every bit of fight they have left.”
“Now that Sherman is preparing to further infiltrate our jurisdiction, it’s up to us to drive him back to Atlanta. From there clear back to Washington!” The general over the civilian militia sounded much like the multitude of gallant secessionists that had voted to escalate their grievances which started this madness in the first place.
More bravado than good judgement. More pride than common sense. Ian had seen enough of it on both sides. The pompous rhetoric never failed to make him disgust him.
Neither side had the lion’s share of honorable intentions. Both had an abundant population of good, honest, hard-working men that now lay dead or maimed for a fight that was never theirs to begin with.
Ian laid the majority of blame at the feet of Congress, who’d failed to debate and settle the differences with no political or monetary gain. New laws were what was needed to change the tides.
Once week from today, the Union would vote for their choice of president. Lincoln or McClellan. McC
lellan made big promises to negotiate a peace treaty with the Confederacy if he was elected. While Lincoln continued to count on the Union outlasting the South and forcing their hand.
Ian prayed whoever won the election, the man use wisdom.
“Wouldn’t you agree, Colonel?” Dobbs asked.
Probably not.
Ian turned from the window, reluctantly admitting to himself his lack of sleep had taken a toll on his disposition.
“General Baker was saying it would be a travesty to see your family’s champion horse stock fall into the hands of Yankee thieves when so many of our men are reduced to riding bare-boned nags.”
“My mother has seen to the safe removal of her horses. She’s only kept a scant few for personal use.”
Nicholas had most of them corralled at Fort Sumpter. The others had been sold to Edward Haverwood and shipped to England.
A disturbance out front signaled Farris had probably arrived.
Ian vaulted down the hall and out the front door just in time to see Farris cuffed at the wrists and ankles. “Dobbs! What is the meaning of this?”
Ian rested a hand on the hilt of his sword.
Walter Dobbs and the other two generals joined him on the porch.
“General Farris, the governor has insisted you be brought to Milledgeville for trial.” Dobbs called out. “This is a state’s matter, not city. Therefore, I have no say.”
“Public service is not for the fainthearted, Walter. Stand aside.” General Hawthorne, the highest-ranking officer in attendance, stepped forward and motioned to the two men on either side of Farris. “This man has proven to be dangerous. I expect you to keep your weapons drawn. Should he make any attempt to escape, shoot him.”
Ian’s brow rose.
Farris had plenty of enemies, but few were willing to stand up to him publicly. His respect for Hawthorne rose even higher than it had been before.
A crowd quickly gathered around the Dobbs’s white picket fence, talking all at once and craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the portentous general hobbled and bound like the prisoners he despised.
“Looks like your bounty on Abby’s head was just cancelled, Farris. Those northern bank shares you’ve been hording are now forfeited.” Ian’s voice rose over the commotion. “Making false accusations never pays.”
Farris shrieked like an angry crow. “You’re all fools! Now she’s led Sherman and his troops right to your doorstep.”
The chatter of those gathered around grew to a fevered pitch while Ian watched the reporter from the Macon newspaper taking frantic notes.
“Both sides forget that we are all Americans. I forsee that our country will pass through a terrible ordeal, a necessary expiation, perhaps, for our national sins.”
~ Robert E. Lee
Twenty-Five
“Good Lord, have mercy! A Yankee spy?” Charlotte Haverwood nearly choked.
Her daughter, Aurora, came up beside her and took the newspaper from her hand, trying to shush the woman with pinkish hair.
Abby glanced up from the book she was reading. Dread seeped through her veins as every other set of eyes in the room lifted in question.
“Mama’s deathly afraid of Yankees.” She spoke to the room as a whole, though her blue gaze cut toward Abby more than once with an apologetic smile. “She seems to think one is waiting to grab us behind every bush. Although, I can’t say she’s ever really met one, except you, Abby. We all know you wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Mrs. Haverwood was Tori’s aunt. From all Abby had seen, she was highly nervous.
“Is there something in the newspaper we should see, Charlotte?” Dottie sat writing a letter at her polished mahogany desk.
“No, no.” Charlotte Haverwood gave her head a quick shake, causing her short ringlets to bounce. “Nothing of interest. Surely nothing about a Yankee spy on the loose from Macon.” She jerked her head toward Abby a couple of times when Dottie looked over at her.
Abby watched the stout little woman closely, convinced she must have read something about Farris’ claims against her.
“Would you mind if I have a look?” Abby rose from her chair.
While working at the hospital, she’d rarely had the chance to read. But since coming to Brechenridge a week ago, she’d read everything she could get her hands on. Every day, she scoured the paper hoping for news as to how Macon was faring.
A wire from Cora Dobbs three days ago instructing Abby to stay in Savannah until further notice was the only correspondence she’d received.
At this point, the unspoken view shared by the women at Brechenridge, who each had men they loved serving in the heat of conflict, was no news was infinitely better than bad news.
Rumors had come in that General William Sherman was on the move with several thousand men, heading south. Some said he was heading to Florida to secure the gulf waterways. Some said he would turn due east to take the capitals of Georgia and South Carolina. And still others predicted he would head southeast to Savannah where one of the Confederacy’s most valuable supply ports was located.
The single thing they all agreed upon was that his first stop was likely Macon.
When Abby reached for the newspaper Mrs. Haverwood rolled it up and held it in front of her as if it were a rapier staving off an evil dragon.
Abby backed up, both hands raised in surrender.
“Charlotte what’s come over you?” Dottie came around her desk. “Behave yourself.”
The sound of the front door echoed in the large foyer just outside the parlor. Tori entered first, followed by Hickory and her three year-old daughter, Rachelle.
She stopped short as she took in the odd view of Abby being held at bay by her aunt’s newspaper.
“Charades?” Tori asked, removing her fur-lined shawl.
“I wanna play.” Rachelle clapped.
“Me, too.” Hickory unwrapped his new red scarf from around his neck.
Abby shook her head no.
Dottie moved between Mrs. Haverwood and Abby, retrieving the newspaper from the woman’s hand as she passed. Scooting aside a tray with sweets and silver carafe, she smoothed the newsprint out flat on a side table.
Abby came up to look over her shoulder with a hand on her hip.
A Spy on the Loose?
Bibb County, Georgia.
As both Generals and Colonel Ian Saberton looked on,
General Buford Farris was led away
from the Dobbs house in
chains to stand trial in Milledgeville.
His parting avowal to seek retribution against Colonel Saberton
was witnessed by the gathered citizens of Macon.
“I know you helped her escape and I will see you both hang!”
With further investigation, this reporter discovered the identity
of General Farris’s named Union spy is none other than
Floyd House Hospital’s beloved nurse,
Miss Abigail McFadden of Lancaster, Ohio,
last seen boarding a train in Gordon.
With a concerned frown, Mrs. Saberton turned to Abby. “Is this the man who has been harassing you?”
Abby’s heart sank.
At least he hadn’t posted a likeness or reported where her train in Gordon had been bound. She couldn’t stay here if it meant putting the Saberton women in danger from well-meaning vigilantes out to rid Savannah of a known Yankee spy.
But, what proof could she offer that she wasn’t exactly what Farris accused her of? Simply being from the North was enough for some to refuse to ever hear the truth.
“General Farris is insane.” That was all Abby could think to say about him.
“Have a seat and tell us how he’s come to this ridiculous conclusion.” Dottie walked Abby back to her chair.
Abby honestly didn’t know where to begin. In times past, she’d found it best to ignore Farris’ raving accusations. And always before, no one took his comments seriously. Most knew her and, more importantly, knew him.
“When I first came to Macon two years ago, I was looking for a boy I had been governess to. He’d run off to join the Union army though he was barely fourteen. His mother was inconsolable. I knew she blamed me for not watching Malcolm closely enough. Even accused me of perpetuating his decision to go. Eventually, I was asked to leave.”
Mrs. Haverwood, seemingly recovered, sat forward in her seat, waving her fan.
Abby continued. “I followed the army through Kentucky until I found a camp of men who said they knew Malcolm. He had been stricken with smallpox and taken to a hospital in Atlanta. When I got there, I found he had been transferred down to Macon, so I took the next train.”
“I applied for work at the hospital, just as I had all along the way. Doc Lambert interviewed me and was gracious enough to let me see Malcolm’s records. He had been treated, but because of his young age, Doc had not sent him to the prison camp. Rather, he had personally seen to it that Malcolm was taken back to Cincinnati by escort and returned to his mother on condition he never return to the army.”
Dottie encouraged her to go on.
“I’d only missed him by four months.” Abby sighed, remembering the relief in knowing he was safe and at home. “But, by that time, I’d run out of funds. I had no travel pass to get back across the lines. Doc Lambert offered me a job at the hospital as a nurse but the only one who could sign a travel voucher in Macon was General Farris, who was then the Commanding Officer.”
“My first encounter with General Farris was the day I met Hickory. Do you remember that?” Abby smiled at him when he nodded. He’d stopped playing with his Jacob’s ladder to listen to her account.
“Hickory was living at the shantytown and had come to the hospital hoping to get some medicine for one of the girls who worked at a brothel in town.”
Mrs. Haverwood gasped, but apparently decided to forgo a fainting spell lest she miss any of the story.