Woot, victory for South!!!
How many yanks died?
And did Jennifer know of this ambush, yet let him walk into it?
How many yanks died?
And did Jennifer know of this ambush, yet let him walk into it?
-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
stnylan: Never a good day to be a Yank in a border state or in the war so far for that matter. God Bless the Union... they're going to need it right now.
coz1: Tom's fate is written out already, I just need to update which will be in short order from now. And thanks, a good story must have some sort of touching romance in it, don't you think?
east_emnet: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Enewald: Union dead - unknown, likely over 100. As for Dawes knowing, she didn't if that clears anything up.
coz1: Tom's fate is written out already, I just need to update which will be in short order from now. And thanks, a good story must have some sort of touching romance in it, don't you think?
east_emnet: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Enewald: Union dead - unknown, likely over 100. As for Dawes knowing, she didn't if that clears anything up.
Chapter Three
Chapter Three
"Keep ranks!" shouted one of the surviving Union officer's with Tom and his friends nearby as they continued to look behind them and hear gunfire, knowing their comrades were being killed off fighting while they're running from the fight. Or perhaps Colonel Sickles and the rest of the brigade has just arrived and began to turn the tide of the ambush against the Confederate raiders under Nathan Bedford Forrest, unlikely though.
"Tom? Tom? Tom?" asked Justin nervously, "What are we going to do, we are we going to go?"
"I don't know Justin, just listen to the lieutentant over there," he said pointing to the junior second lieutentant, currently the only surviving officer of rank from the company. The young officer was surrounded by some of the more experienced sergeants and soldiers questioning him of what to do next.
"Shut up! Shut up!" he said, "I need to think about this!" A bullet whizzed by the head of the officer who turned around to see of the Confederate soldiers coming down the hillside towards the scattered Union soldiers. "Form a firing line right here!" he ordered taking out his sword and sweeping across the air where he wanted the soldiers to form.
"You're crazy! You're young and incompetant! I should..." the Union soldier was stroke in the head by a Confederate soldier.
"God dammit I said form up!" shouted the lieutentant. The nearby soldiers that actually had their rifles formed up in a small tight Napoleonic-type battle line organizing themselves shoulder to shoulder as another Union soldier fell from the line after being hit. "Fire! Fire!"
Tom and his two friends were hiding behind a large boulder as they looked to their right watching around twenty or so of their comrades launching a deadly volley into the charging raiders. Several of the men on horseback fell from their saddles struck by the Yankee bullets. The other raiders halted their advanced and turned back up the hill giving off a last bid farewell, shooting their weapons in the air as they charged back up to the road leaving the scene with much haste.
"Okay, move up the hill! Back to the road," ordered the lieutentant.
The Union soldiers, bayonets drawn and fixed outwards started to slowly march up the hill back towards the road where the slaughter had begun. From the top the men saw a standing, yet stumbling Lt. Davidson covering his eye as he slowly began to descend to the soldiers coming up to the road.
"My God," said Tom as he saw the lieutentant fall and began tombling down the rocky hillside towards his men that just moments ago abadoned him to his fate against the raiders. Tom rushed over to his aid as the other soldiers moved up to secure the road and search for survivors. "Everything is gonna be okay lieutentant, just stay calm and breath."
~ Smith Residence, Kentucky.
"Did you hear of the massive movements in Virginia?" asked Tom Carlisle to his friend William as the two families were once again having dinner together. On most occassions they would only eat over from time to time but the harsh summer caused a poor harvest the past year and both families were now together more often sharing and combining they crops to make a healthy and sizable dinner.
"No, actually I haven't," said Mr. Smith.
"I don't think the Union should be tormenting the Confederacy in such ways," commented Nancy Carlisle on her husband's conversation.
"Thanks dear," he said. "Anyways, I heard about the news of the Union Army of Maryland marching out from DC. They're headed to Richmond for a quick end of the war."
"General McClellan finally made his move then," William Smith to his friend while eating a piece of beef from his plate.
"In a way," said Mr. Carlisle. "Well, General McClellan is taking the main army and is moving on a place called Bull Run with around thirty-thousand men. A one Brigadier General Samuel R. Curtis is leading the other wing of the Union Army of about fifteen or so thousand men and branched out at Stauton Virginia."
"And who is going to stop them?" asked Mr. Smith.
"That's what I came to you for, I thought you may know. I know General Beauregard is stationed at Stauton with about ten-thousand soldiers. At Bull Run though, I have no idea of a Confederate Army in that region. The capitol of Richmond is guarded by a vanguard of twenty-thousand or so soldiers commanded Joseph E. Johnston."
"What about the Union forces in Missouri?" asked Will to Tom.
"No idea, I don't think we should concern ourselves out in the rural parts of this country. General Sedwick I heard is being the new head man for the Union Army of Missouri on a note though. He'll be commanding twenty-thousand soldiers there. With Banks commanding over thirty-thousand in central Kentucky, there is no reason to think why they can't overrun the thirty-thousand soldiers of the Confederacy spread out from here all the way to Missouri."
"War is a funny game," said Mr. Smith, "you have no idea of what can happen out in battle. Just like at Oneida, Banks was crushed by a much smaller Confederate Army."
"It's called incompetance," said Mr. Carlisle, "that they no longer have."
"If you don't mind, we would like to eat in peace without the talk of the war," said Mrs. Smith to her husband.
"Ofcourse, Jeb eat your vegtables," answerd Mr. Smith to his wife and then commented on his son's plate still full of vegtables.
Chapter Three
"Keep ranks!" shouted one of the surviving Union officer's with Tom and his friends nearby as they continued to look behind them and hear gunfire, knowing their comrades were being killed off fighting while they're running from the fight. Or perhaps Colonel Sickles and the rest of the brigade has just arrived and began to turn the tide of the ambush against the Confederate raiders under Nathan Bedford Forrest, unlikely though.
"Tom? Tom? Tom?" asked Justin nervously, "What are we going to do, we are we going to go?"
"I don't know Justin, just listen to the lieutentant over there," he said pointing to the junior second lieutentant, currently the only surviving officer of rank from the company. The young officer was surrounded by some of the more experienced sergeants and soldiers questioning him of what to do next.
"Shut up! Shut up!" he said, "I need to think about this!" A bullet whizzed by the head of the officer who turned around to see of the Confederate soldiers coming down the hillside towards the scattered Union soldiers. "Form a firing line right here!" he ordered taking out his sword and sweeping across the air where he wanted the soldiers to form.
"You're crazy! You're young and incompetant! I should..." the Union soldier was stroke in the head by a Confederate soldier.
"God dammit I said form up!" shouted the lieutentant. The nearby soldiers that actually had their rifles formed up in a small tight Napoleonic-type battle line organizing themselves shoulder to shoulder as another Union soldier fell from the line after being hit. "Fire! Fire!"
Tom and his two friends were hiding behind a large boulder as they looked to their right watching around twenty or so of their comrades launching a deadly volley into the charging raiders. Several of the men on horseback fell from their saddles struck by the Yankee bullets. The other raiders halted their advanced and turned back up the hill giving off a last bid farewell, shooting their weapons in the air as they charged back up to the road leaving the scene with much haste.
"Okay, move up the hill! Back to the road," ordered the lieutentant.
The Union soldiers, bayonets drawn and fixed outwards started to slowly march up the hill back towards the road where the slaughter had begun. From the top the men saw a standing, yet stumbling Lt. Davidson covering his eye as he slowly began to descend to the soldiers coming up to the road.
"My God," said Tom as he saw the lieutentant fall and began tombling down the rocky hillside towards his men that just moments ago abadoned him to his fate against the raiders. Tom rushed over to his aid as the other soldiers moved up to secure the road and search for survivors. "Everything is gonna be okay lieutentant, just stay calm and breath."
~ Smith Residence, Kentucky.
"Did you hear of the massive movements in Virginia?" asked Tom Carlisle to his friend William as the two families were once again having dinner together. On most occassions they would only eat over from time to time but the harsh summer caused a poor harvest the past year and both families were now together more often sharing and combining they crops to make a healthy and sizable dinner.
"No, actually I haven't," said Mr. Smith.
"I don't think the Union should be tormenting the Confederacy in such ways," commented Nancy Carlisle on her husband's conversation.
"Thanks dear," he said. "Anyways, I heard about the news of the Union Army of Maryland marching out from DC. They're headed to Richmond for a quick end of the war."
"General McClellan finally made his move then," William Smith to his friend while eating a piece of beef from his plate.
"In a way," said Mr. Carlisle. "Well, General McClellan is taking the main army and is moving on a place called Bull Run with around thirty-thousand men. A one Brigadier General Samuel R. Curtis is leading the other wing of the Union Army of about fifteen or so thousand men and branched out at Stauton Virginia."
"And who is going to stop them?" asked Mr. Smith.
"That's what I came to you for, I thought you may know. I know General Beauregard is stationed at Stauton with about ten-thousand soldiers. At Bull Run though, I have no idea of a Confederate Army in that region. The capitol of Richmond is guarded by a vanguard of twenty-thousand or so soldiers commanded Joseph E. Johnston."
"What about the Union forces in Missouri?" asked Will to Tom.
"No idea, I don't think we should concern ourselves out in the rural parts of this country. General Sedwick I heard is being the new head man for the Union Army of Missouri on a note though. He'll be commanding twenty-thousand soldiers there. With Banks commanding over thirty-thousand in central Kentucky, there is no reason to think why they can't overrun the thirty-thousand soldiers of the Confederacy spread out from here all the way to Missouri."
"War is a funny game," said Mr. Smith, "you have no idea of what can happen out in battle. Just like at Oneida, Banks was crushed by a much smaller Confederate Army."
"It's called incompetance," said Mr. Carlisle, "that they no longer have."
"If you don't mind, we would like to eat in peace without the talk of the war," said Mrs. Smith to her husband.
"Ofcourse, Jeb eat your vegtables," answerd Mr. Smith to his wife and then commented on his son's plate still full of vegtables.
Incomptence = union officers.
Where are Stonewall and Lee hiding?
Incompetence indeed equals Union Army officers and generals in this time period, a picture of a Union officer would be the definition of incompetence.
As for Stonewall and Lee, they have more special priorities at this time period, further details on our beloved generals of dixie will come in the future of the story.
I have an idea there will be plenty more dinner conversations about the war, whether Mrs. Smith likes it or not.
Chapter Three
"Get up son," said a man perfectly hidden by the dark. "I said get up!"
The one who he was talking to lifted his head up from his bed and looked out at the man who, although his voice was familiar, the other couldn't identify for the sake of not being able to see him or come up with the name by just hearing the sound of his voice. The later, looking with wide eyes began to question the man in front of him.
"God dammit boy, I have no time for your little games we must get going. They're coming."
"Who?"
"Boy just get up and get outta here, I'll try to hold them off for as long as possible."
Outside, the noise of several heavy horses became louder and closer. The nosie of the men atop began to shout and pull out their weapons.
"Listen," said the man to the boy moving in close, "these raiders and bandits aren't to be messed with. Don't you see, they're coming for you!"
"What!? Why me?"
"Because your brother made the mistake of joining the Union in the blood thirsty Confederate town, now go!"
Jeb got to his feet from the motel of the town where he was sent to stay and pick up some groceries for his mother. Jeb pulled out his pocket knife and overcoat and began to look if it was possible to get outside in the night without being seen, as he looked out he saw several men on horseback standing outside waiting for him. He quickly turned his head and looked upwards to see a small crease in the ceiling and a handle to open it. Jeb moved a chair and climbed on top to reach the ceiling handle and forced his body up into the hidden compartment, a place that the motel master had put in years back to hide run away slaves coming north for freedom from their oppresive Southern masters.
The motel master, Mr. Burke walked casually with his sawed-off shotgun to the front door and unlight his candle in the process. He could hear the men coming for Jebadiah Smith, talking about the deed they were about to commit for their boss. One man knocked on the door. No answer. Mr. Burke took a deep breath and cocked his weapon and aimed it at the door. Outside one of the Savage brothers was standing with a cigarette in his mouth, the front lit with a golden orange seal while the men in front of him knocked on the door. Then a massive roar of thunder exploded, the front door was shattered to pieces sending two men with their hats flying at least five feet backwards out into the fields. Peter Savage dropped his cigarette and pulled out his six shooter and hit the floor. Mr. Burke shot off another round and began to reload when Peter Savage got up to move by the side of the door with another accomplice to his side.
Burke sent off another round by the bush where two other men were hiding, covering their heads in the process as they looked at the two dead men that seconds ago were laughing and joking with them.
The accomplice beside Savage asked, "He's out right?" Peter Savage looked up and nodded as the other accomplice moved into the shattered doorway, aiming his pistol he was shot in the shoulder by the shotgun. "God dammit!" the man said, "you said he was out!"
Peter Savage moved over from his side spot with his revolver and aimed it at the foot of the the motel master Mister Burke and shot his twice in the right foot and once in the left, sending him falling to the ground in the pain.
"Where the hell did you learn to count like that!?" said the accomplice that was shot.
Peter shrugged his shoulder and walked towards Mr. Burke, "Where's the boy?"
"Who?"
"You know damn well how."
"I don't have, any idea who or what you're talking about."
"Well, then how about I start with your toes and fingers," Savage said pulling out a knife placing it near his fingers.
"You don't intimidate me, or any of the other townsfolk in this place. I've been hear longer than you or any of your little rough riders. The older generation of your kind used to believe in something: Fear, Honor... RESPECT! What do you guys got, huh? Nothing. You got nothing behind your guns. No one fears you. No one respects you! And none of you have any honor."
"But we don't want that, now kindly tell me where the boy is and you can live."
"Never!"
"As you wish," Peter Savage stood up and placed the knife back in his pocket and took out his pistol in the process aiming it at Mr. Burke. He cocked it back and turned swiftly and shot the wounded accomplice in the head, dead. The other raiders backed off a few feet.
"Holy shit! You killed him," said one of the other raiders.
"Now where's the boy?"
Upstairs Jeb was praying looking out of the little peep hole from his 'safe' hole as he heard footsteps getting louder. He grew interest in the noise and looked out to see who was coming, his door opened with three men walking in. They were talking about odd things that a child shouldn't be listening too. Peter Savage moved to the peep hole and his eyes looked at Jeb's and moved on.
"C'mon, he ain't here."
"Dammit! Harris ain't gonna be happy with this man."
"Shut the hell up before I decide to kill you."
"Get up son," said a man perfectly hidden by the dark. "I said get up!"
The one who he was talking to lifted his head up from his bed and looked out at the man who, although his voice was familiar, the other couldn't identify for the sake of not being able to see him or come up with the name by just hearing the sound of his voice. The later, looking with wide eyes began to question the man in front of him.
"God dammit boy, I have no time for your little games we must get going. They're coming."
"Who?"
"Boy just get up and get outta here, I'll try to hold them off for as long as possible."
Outside, the noise of several heavy horses became louder and closer. The nosie of the men atop began to shout and pull out their weapons.
"Listen," said the man to the boy moving in close, "these raiders and bandits aren't to be messed with. Don't you see, they're coming for you!"
"What!? Why me?"
"Because your brother made the mistake of joining the Union in the blood thirsty Confederate town, now go!"
Jeb got to his feet from the motel of the town where he was sent to stay and pick up some groceries for his mother. Jeb pulled out his pocket knife and overcoat and began to look if it was possible to get outside in the night without being seen, as he looked out he saw several men on horseback standing outside waiting for him. He quickly turned his head and looked upwards to see a small crease in the ceiling and a handle to open it. Jeb moved a chair and climbed on top to reach the ceiling handle and forced his body up into the hidden compartment, a place that the motel master had put in years back to hide run away slaves coming north for freedom from their oppresive Southern masters.
The motel master, Mr. Burke walked casually with his sawed-off shotgun to the front door and unlight his candle in the process. He could hear the men coming for Jebadiah Smith, talking about the deed they were about to commit for their boss. One man knocked on the door. No answer. Mr. Burke took a deep breath and cocked his weapon and aimed it at the door. Outside one of the Savage brothers was standing with a cigarette in his mouth, the front lit with a golden orange seal while the men in front of him knocked on the door. Then a massive roar of thunder exploded, the front door was shattered to pieces sending two men with their hats flying at least five feet backwards out into the fields. Peter Savage dropped his cigarette and pulled out his six shooter and hit the floor. Mr. Burke shot off another round and began to reload when Peter Savage got up to move by the side of the door with another accomplice to his side.
Burke sent off another round by the bush where two other men were hiding, covering their heads in the process as they looked at the two dead men that seconds ago were laughing and joking with them.
The accomplice beside Savage asked, "He's out right?" Peter Savage looked up and nodded as the other accomplice moved into the shattered doorway, aiming his pistol he was shot in the shoulder by the shotgun. "God dammit!" the man said, "you said he was out!"
Peter Savage moved over from his side spot with his revolver and aimed it at the foot of the the motel master Mister Burke and shot his twice in the right foot and once in the left, sending him falling to the ground in the pain.
"Where the hell did you learn to count like that!?" said the accomplice that was shot.
Peter shrugged his shoulder and walked towards Mr. Burke, "Where's the boy?"
"Who?"
"You know damn well how."
"I don't have, any idea who or what you're talking about."
"Well, then how about I start with your toes and fingers," Savage said pulling out a knife placing it near his fingers.
"You don't intimidate me, or any of the other townsfolk in this place. I've been hear longer than you or any of your little rough riders. The older generation of your kind used to believe in something: Fear, Honor... RESPECT! What do you guys got, huh? Nothing. You got nothing behind your guns. No one fears you. No one respects you! And none of you have any honor."
"But we don't want that, now kindly tell me where the boy is and you can live."
"Never!"
"As you wish," Peter Savage stood up and placed the knife back in his pocket and took out his pistol in the process aiming it at Mr. Burke. He cocked it back and turned swiftly and shot the wounded accomplice in the head, dead. The other raiders backed off a few feet.
"Holy shit! You killed him," said one of the other raiders.
"Now where's the boy?"
Upstairs Jeb was praying looking out of the little peep hole from his 'safe' hole as he heard footsteps getting louder. He grew interest in the noise and looked out to see who was coming, his door opened with three men walking in. They were talking about odd things that a child shouldn't be listening too. Peter Savage moved to the peep hole and his eyes looked at Jeb's and moved on.
"C'mon, he ain't here."
"Dammit! Harris ain't gonna be happy with this man."
"Shut the hell up before I decide to kill you."
Last edited:
Foools, foools, all fools!!!
War is only the extreme form of diplomacy, so is killing.
War is only the extreme form of diplomacy, so is killing.
Violence comes easy in these times, and many deeds of valour go unremarked and un-noticed.
This is not playtime, for sure. War is serious business. Deadly scene, literally. I hope Jeb escapes with his life.
@ BritishImperial: Bravery and foolishness I may say. Isn't it all the same though? I think you need to have a little of both to do such actions out of your own will.
@ Enewald: War. War never changes.
@ stnylan: True, very true. They only go noticed by those who they helped. Sadly, this deeds never go down in the history books for the future generations to read and know. Lost only to scrapbooks of history.
@ coz1: Things are only to get much worse. The war hasn't yet gotten into full mobilization and military campaign, surely to capture the lives of hundreds of thousands possibly even millions of Americans and as for the town, all will see the true meaning of Evan Harris.
@ Enewald: War. War never changes.
@ stnylan: True, very true. They only go noticed by those who they helped. Sadly, this deeds never go down in the history books for the future generations to read and know. Lost only to scrapbooks of history.
@ coz1: Things are only to get much worse. The war hasn't yet gotten into full mobilization and military campaign, surely to capture the lives of hundreds of thousands possibly even millions of Americans and as for the town, all will see the true meaning of Evan Harris.
Chapter Three
The night was dark and a wagon full of drunk and roudy Confederate soldiers entered the town's main street down the center of the of the town as they were singing in terrible tone and synch the lyrics of the 'Bonnie Blue Flag' as they approached the central motel and the nearby bar with a extra passenger in the back. The men pulled up to the bar and shoved the young lady out into the muck and mud of the road and gave her their bid farewell as they sped off into the night distance. On the deck the lady looked up to see Evan Harris looking down at her, and quickly gave Peter Savage a word as the other Savage brother, Tank stayed with Evan, Peter walked over to help the lady up. The possy soon entered the bar with a thunderous roar of silence as Evan Harris lit his cigar staring out at the many faces in the room.
Evan Harris smiled as he extinguished his match, "What's the matter everyone?" he questioned, "looks like you've all seen a ghost."
"There's a bounty on your head Evan."
"Say it ain't true? How much?"
"Five-hundred dollars."
"And for what?"
There was a long pause of silence.
"Ahh, I see. Someone gets the balls to put up a wanted sign with my name on it for five-hundred dollars for no good reason. Isn't that America for you. No good reason for anything! ANYTHING!" The cigar in his mouth fell to the ground and he made a heavy step forward crushing it into small smuldering pieces. Evan Harris began to walk through the crowd of people with a gentle smerk on his face. "Well, here I am! Take me in if you want."
No one moved.
"Ofcourse, I know someone wants to kill me. Now's your chance."
No answer.
"God dammit! You people must learn your places in the town! This ain't the place you thought it was! There's no mayor! There's no law enforcement! It's killed or be killed and who has the only person you all could turn to for that protection that the local law enforcement officers, no offense to you Marshal Thomas, could turn too?! ME! Now you want to take him away. Well I got news for you all, this ain't a free town anymore, this is my town now; and if anyone doesn't like that you have two options: leave or stay. Tomorrow morning everyone left in this town will be under my thumb until the Union Army liberates this place, until then... I'm Mayor for Life."
A man in the back stood up defiantly against Evan Harris and his thugs.
"I didn't come all the way from Ireland too see my land and family pissed on by a couple of freak brothers and an insane cowboy!"
Evan Harris and the Savage brothers turned their attention to the defiant man who was singled out by the crowd. Harris moved forward with his gun drawn and saw that it was Doctor Richardson who had spoken out against him.
"Ain't it a shame that the town's only medical personel is about to have his head detatched from his body," Evan Harris said as he cocked back the trigger of his pistol and placed the barrell against the good doctor's forehead as he sighed. "But what good that do me if I got injured. Yet again, you did speak out against me just a few moments ago. I'll leave it up to chance to see if you live or die. Mister Ross, I know you of all people here have a coin."
A man by Marshal Thomas spoke to him, "Do something marshal."
"I can't," he responded.
"Here you go Mister Harris."
"Thanks Jonathon," Mr. Harris said taking the coin from the bartender. "Here," he said placing the coin in the hand of James Richardson. "Heads you live, tails you die, and its all in your hands. Flip the coin." Doctor Richardson paused for several seconds looking at the coin making Evan Harris furious. "Now!"
Jeb was walking outside to get back to his home when he stumbled upon the spectacle before him.
The coin was spinning on the ground with both men looking down at it. Heads. Doc Richardson gave a huge sigh of relief.
"Hey boss."
"Not now Tank! Lucky bastard," he said to Doctor Richardson looking at the coin.
"Boss."
"Not now!"
"It's important."
"WHAT!?"
"Ain't that William Smith's boy, the one that you wanted?"
Evan Harris looked over to the window too see Jeb looking through the window. He pulled his gun from the head of the doctor and aimed it at Jeb and pulled the trigger. The glass shattered cutting the boy in the face and around the lower lip. He fell to the ground screaching in pain as the Savage brothers drew their weapons to keep the crowd in check. As Evan Harris moved outside he saw the boy squirming in the mud trying to escape.
"I'm not a violent man Jebadiah. Not one at all. But when I want someone, you in particular and you elude me, well that makes me a little angry. And you don't want to make me angry."
Evan Harris stood over the boy and aimed his pistol directly at his forehead. Jeb shut his eyes and waited for the inevitable.
From behind him a voice appeared, "Run!"
The voice soon appeared holding a shutgun in his hand and aimed it at Evan Harris who's attention turned to the man who was speaking. "Dammit!" he said as he dove to the ground as the rain began to fall. The man opened fire missing Evan by inches instead hitting his coat tails.
From inside the crowd looked outside to see if Evan had killed the boy. Jeb got up and started running out into the fields away from the town and back to his home. Evan Harris grew angry but crawled to hide behind a bucket as another bullet enter the bucket, causing it to leak. The Savage brothers exited and saw the man with the shutgun shooting at Evan Harris and turned and shot at the Savage brothers, hitting Peter in the shoulder causing him to stumble back into the bar and Tank dove to the deck of bar covering his head. Evan Harris stood up to fire only to see that the man had just as suddenly vanished. He looked over at Tank Savage and saw a confused look on the man's face. Peter staggered out of the bar and Evan Harris calmed himself and cleaned the mud as best he could off his coat as he re-entered the bar.
"I swear, if any of you challenge me again. Next time I'll kill ya and not leave it to the chance of a coin or a good samaritan." Evan Harris exited the bar and saw the lady that was dumped out by the drunken Confederate soldiers. "Do you have a family?"
She answered no.
"That's a pity," Evan Harris said as he aimed his pistol at her. "Now it's like you never even existed."
The night was dark and a wagon full of drunk and roudy Confederate soldiers entered the town's main street down the center of the of the town as they were singing in terrible tone and synch the lyrics of the 'Bonnie Blue Flag' as they approached the central motel and the nearby bar with a extra passenger in the back. The men pulled up to the bar and shoved the young lady out into the muck and mud of the road and gave her their bid farewell as they sped off into the night distance. On the deck the lady looked up to see Evan Harris looking down at her, and quickly gave Peter Savage a word as the other Savage brother, Tank stayed with Evan, Peter walked over to help the lady up. The possy soon entered the bar with a thunderous roar of silence as Evan Harris lit his cigar staring out at the many faces in the room.
Evan Harris smiled as he extinguished his match, "What's the matter everyone?" he questioned, "looks like you've all seen a ghost."
"There's a bounty on your head Evan."
"Say it ain't true? How much?"
"Five-hundred dollars."
"And for what?"
There was a long pause of silence.
"Ahh, I see. Someone gets the balls to put up a wanted sign with my name on it for five-hundred dollars for no good reason. Isn't that America for you. No good reason for anything! ANYTHING!" The cigar in his mouth fell to the ground and he made a heavy step forward crushing it into small smuldering pieces. Evan Harris began to walk through the crowd of people with a gentle smerk on his face. "Well, here I am! Take me in if you want."
No one moved.
"Ofcourse, I know someone wants to kill me. Now's your chance."
No answer.
"God dammit! You people must learn your places in the town! This ain't the place you thought it was! There's no mayor! There's no law enforcement! It's killed or be killed and who has the only person you all could turn to for that protection that the local law enforcement officers, no offense to you Marshal Thomas, could turn too?! ME! Now you want to take him away. Well I got news for you all, this ain't a free town anymore, this is my town now; and if anyone doesn't like that you have two options: leave or stay. Tomorrow morning everyone left in this town will be under my thumb until the Union Army liberates this place, until then... I'm Mayor for Life."
A man in the back stood up defiantly against Evan Harris and his thugs.
"I didn't come all the way from Ireland too see my land and family pissed on by a couple of freak brothers and an insane cowboy!"
Evan Harris and the Savage brothers turned their attention to the defiant man who was singled out by the crowd. Harris moved forward with his gun drawn and saw that it was Doctor Richardson who had spoken out against him.
"Ain't it a shame that the town's only medical personel is about to have his head detatched from his body," Evan Harris said as he cocked back the trigger of his pistol and placed the barrell against the good doctor's forehead as he sighed. "But what good that do me if I got injured. Yet again, you did speak out against me just a few moments ago. I'll leave it up to chance to see if you live or die. Mister Ross, I know you of all people here have a coin."
A man by Marshal Thomas spoke to him, "Do something marshal."
"I can't," he responded.
"Here you go Mister Harris."
"Thanks Jonathon," Mr. Harris said taking the coin from the bartender. "Here," he said placing the coin in the hand of James Richardson. "Heads you live, tails you die, and its all in your hands. Flip the coin." Doctor Richardson paused for several seconds looking at the coin making Evan Harris furious. "Now!"
Jeb was walking outside to get back to his home when he stumbled upon the spectacle before him.
The coin was spinning on the ground with both men looking down at it. Heads. Doc Richardson gave a huge sigh of relief.
"Hey boss."
"Not now Tank! Lucky bastard," he said to Doctor Richardson looking at the coin.
"Boss."
"Not now!"
"It's important."
"WHAT!?"
"Ain't that William Smith's boy, the one that you wanted?"
Evan Harris looked over to the window too see Jeb looking through the window. He pulled his gun from the head of the doctor and aimed it at Jeb and pulled the trigger. The glass shattered cutting the boy in the face and around the lower lip. He fell to the ground screaching in pain as the Savage brothers drew their weapons to keep the crowd in check. As Evan Harris moved outside he saw the boy squirming in the mud trying to escape.
"I'm not a violent man Jebadiah. Not one at all. But when I want someone, you in particular and you elude me, well that makes me a little angry. And you don't want to make me angry."
Evan Harris stood over the boy and aimed his pistol directly at his forehead. Jeb shut his eyes and waited for the inevitable.
From behind him a voice appeared, "Run!"
The voice soon appeared holding a shutgun in his hand and aimed it at Evan Harris who's attention turned to the man who was speaking. "Dammit!" he said as he dove to the ground as the rain began to fall. The man opened fire missing Evan by inches instead hitting his coat tails.
From inside the crowd looked outside to see if Evan had killed the boy. Jeb got up and started running out into the fields away from the town and back to his home. Evan Harris grew angry but crawled to hide behind a bucket as another bullet enter the bucket, causing it to leak. The Savage brothers exited and saw the man with the shutgun shooting at Evan Harris and turned and shot at the Savage brothers, hitting Peter in the shoulder causing him to stumble back into the bar and Tank dove to the deck of bar covering his head. Evan Harris stood up to fire only to see that the man had just as suddenly vanished. He looked over at Tank Savage and saw a confused look on the man's face. Peter staggered out of the bar and Evan Harris calmed himself and cleaned the mud as best he could off his coat as he re-entered the bar.
"I swear, if any of you challenge me again. Next time I'll kill ya and not leave it to the chance of a coin or a good samaritan." Evan Harris exited the bar and saw the lady that was dumped out by the drunken Confederate soldiers. "Do you have a family?"
She answered no.
"That's a pity," Evan Harris said as he aimed his pistol at her. "Now it's like you never even existed."
He's one violent dude, this Harris. Lucky break for Jeb and perhaps the patrons of the saloon. Harris took out his misery on the poor woman instead.
Why, oh why.
War is a stage of oppurtunities, for those who are cruel and want desperately what they aim for.
Shame on all member of human race.
War is a stage of oppurtunities, for those who are cruel and want desperately what they aim for.
Shame on all member of human race.
Well, such violent men usually have a way of ensuring an equally violent personal downfall.
@ coz1: The penultimate of evil, the greatest antagonist of his era. Remember, as I do believe; the story and the protagonists can only be as good as the antagonist. A poor enemy in a story will make a poor story, so I must keep Harris the defination of evil.
@ Enewald: Humans have and always will be evil (some). They (Harris) will take any oportunity to take as much power as they could individually see and want.
@ stnylan: True, but who can and is willing to oppose this man? The future awaits...
@ Enewald: Humans have and always will be evil (some). They (Harris) will take any oportunity to take as much power as they could individually see and want.
@ stnylan: True, but who can and is willing to oppose this man? The future awaits...
Chapter Three
Tom, Justin and Paul emerged from the woods into a field of nothing more than rows of white, highly organized Union tents in order with hundreds of soldiers cooking breakfast for themselves and their comrades.
"My God!" said Tom as he looked at the massive sight of Union soldiers right before him. The rest of his troupe also emerged from behind them as a Union captain on horseback came riding up to the men as Colonel Sickles brigade had recently arrived.
"You men must be the 'lost' '' regiment that Colonel Sickles was talking to us about. Welcome to the Union Army of Tennessee. If you should follow in, Colonel Sickles will be expecting what is left of your unit to report back to him."
With that the Union group of soldiers, including the wounded numbered only 54 as they moved into the fields of blue uniforms and the stars and stripes flying high above the camp.
Tom looked side to side to see the sight of men eating, marching, training and the officers supervising were obviously green however.
"Can you believe this?" asked Justin to Tom as he began to walk through the roads of tents as their attention was drawn to the main tent, the general's tent in which the newly promoted Major General Nathaniel Prentice Banks walked out with his uniform tightly buttoned stretching out with his accompaning officers fixed his effects around his waist.
The noise in the air was both calm and exciting as Tom and his soldiers arrived to their camp where Colonel Sickles was on horseback eagerly awaiting the lost men of his regiment which brought a rare smile to the colonel's face.
~ General Bank's HQ
"General?"
"What is the matter colonel?"
"We have recieved news of the McClellan's advance on Richmond."
"And?"
"Well, he wasn't in command at the Battle of Staunton. July ninth and July tenth, General Curtis and his attache of about 15,000 ran into a major engagment against a Major General Robert E. Lee commanding 10,000 soldiers."
"And what was the result?"
"Another defeat."
"How bad?"
"General Curtis lost 4,000 men in total. Lee only lost 1,000 men in the two day battle. When McClellan recieved the news he turned back to guard Washington and his victory over a small contignent of Confederate forces at Manassas was overshadowed by Curtis' defeat and McClelland withdrawl from Northenr Virginia."
"We must keep the news away from the soldiers as long as possible. They need the morale and determination as we move south into Tennessee once again. With Sedwick in support from Missouri, the war in the west shouldn't last more than a few months once we engage Johnston's men again in a pitched battle."
"Ofcourse General. Is there anything else?"
"Dismissed colonel. Oh, thanks for the news I guess?"
General Banks sat back into his chair with his hands over his head as he looked down at the map in front of him.
~ "Tom? Tom?"
"Yes, Justin?"
"Well, I thought that maybe, since we have to have two men in a tent if..."
"Ofcourse my friend. I will."
"Thanks."
Tom, Justin and Paul emerged from the woods into a field of nothing more than rows of white, highly organized Union tents in order with hundreds of soldiers cooking breakfast for themselves and their comrades.
"My God!" said Tom as he looked at the massive sight of Union soldiers right before him. The rest of his troupe also emerged from behind them as a Union captain on horseback came riding up to the men as Colonel Sickles brigade had recently arrived.
"You men must be the 'lost' '' regiment that Colonel Sickles was talking to us about. Welcome to the Union Army of Tennessee. If you should follow in, Colonel Sickles will be expecting what is left of your unit to report back to him."
With that the Union group of soldiers, including the wounded numbered only 54 as they moved into the fields of blue uniforms and the stars and stripes flying high above the camp.
Tom looked side to side to see the sight of men eating, marching, training and the officers supervising were obviously green however.
"Can you believe this?" asked Justin to Tom as he began to walk through the roads of tents as their attention was drawn to the main tent, the general's tent in which the newly promoted Major General Nathaniel Prentice Banks walked out with his uniform tightly buttoned stretching out with his accompaning officers fixed his effects around his waist.
The noise in the air was both calm and exciting as Tom and his soldiers arrived to their camp where Colonel Sickles was on horseback eagerly awaiting the lost men of his regiment which brought a rare smile to the colonel's face.
~ General Bank's HQ
"General?"
"What is the matter colonel?"
"We have recieved news of the McClellan's advance on Richmond."
"And?"
"Well, he wasn't in command at the Battle of Staunton. July ninth and July tenth, General Curtis and his attache of about 15,000 ran into a major engagment against a Major General Robert E. Lee commanding 10,000 soldiers."
"And what was the result?"
"Another defeat."
"How bad?"
"General Curtis lost 4,000 men in total. Lee only lost 1,000 men in the two day battle. When McClellan recieved the news he turned back to guard Washington and his victory over a small contignent of Confederate forces at Manassas was overshadowed by Curtis' defeat and McClelland withdrawl from Northenr Virginia."
"We must keep the news away from the soldiers as long as possible. They need the morale and determination as we move south into Tennessee once again. With Sedwick in support from Missouri, the war in the west shouldn't last more than a few months once we engage Johnston's men again in a pitched battle."
"Ofcourse General. Is there anything else?"
"Dismissed colonel. Oh, thanks for the news I guess?"
General Banks sat back into his chair with his hands over his head as he looked down at the map in front of him.
~ "Tom? Tom?"
"Yes, Justin?"
"Well, I thought that maybe, since we have to have two men in a tent if..."
"Ofcourse my friend. I will."
"Thanks."