• 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.
@ Hardraade: I have the "Mallott Gang" in this story, or intend to have them resemble someone or something else on a more smaller scale that is happening back home... :eek:

@ Auray: Well, I'm glad you've fully caught up and enjoyed it, and Thanks!

@ Enewald: Death is certainly out for one if not both of the brothers wouldn't you say?

@ gaiasabre11: Just curious... where do you find all these cat pictures or do you make them? I think they're hilarious. If only the Confederates had an army of them, they could have scared half the Union Army to death. :rofl:

@ Erie_Patriot: Thanks, and surely they are. All part of the plot, or is it? :D
 
Chapter Six: The Long Road Home

Chapter Six

Tom rode down towards town, where the streets were ominously quiet and deserted. Tom, riding in near dark decided to head over to the local hotel that was nearby, still not realizing the rider that was tracking him. His dismounted from his horse, leaving his brother and entering the hotel. He walked in to be greeted by a strange looking motel owner.

"A new face, we don't get many new faces around here now a days," the owner said to Tom. "Are you okay son? Big battle only up the ridge a week ago," the motel said in reference to the Battle of Clinch Mountain.

"I'm fine," Tom said, "but I need some help."

"Yeah, what is it son?" the motel owner answered.

"Do you have a local doctor around here? My brother has the white plague I think."

"White plague?" the owner said in surprise, "Well he'll certainly need a doctor for that. Just becareful, the Mallott Gang runs this town at the moment. At least until they leave. The doc is downt the street, Doc Johsnon's place, it says it on the door."

"Thanks," said Tom, "I'll keep that in mind." Tom exited and took his hand and touched his pistol on his side. He remounted the stallion and trotted off with his brother towards the doc's.

"Where are we?" Bill asked in confusion.

"Heading towards a doctor," Tom answered. Bill faded back out and was looking like someone had drained him of all his blood inside of him. Tom reached Doc Johnson's Place where got off and knocked on the door. After about a minute, the doc came out.

"What is the matter, what can Doc Johnson do for you?" he said to Tom.

Tom looked at him, "I think my brother needs some professional medical attention," Tom said pointing to his brother on the horse.

"I'll see what I can do," the doc said as he walked out with two of his workers to pick him up from the horse and bring him inside. Inside, the doc took both time and caution to examine Bill in full. Tom sat on a chair towards the front of the door when a shadowy figure on horseback strode by the main window. He paused and looked inside and made a slight face and continued down the street. Tom was unaware that the Mallott Gang was very power-hungary and unwilling to let anyone in or out of the town, especially Non-Confederates.

The doc was looking hard at Bill, he could tell by his pale white face and body that he was in terrible trouble. At this moment the rider appeared once again and this time the doc noticed it. He looked at his aides and said that he'd be back shortly. He made his way outside and looked straight into the face of the Mallott leader, George Mallott who was flanked with several of his riders. His hat was covering his eyes, giving a long and nice shadow from the top of his head to the base of his chin. He placed a cigar in his mouth as the last light from the sun was heading off into the sunset. He lit his cigar and began to speak to the doc.

"Since when did it all of the sudden become alright to help those I didn't tell you to help?"

"George, the poor man is about to die, he needs some professional medicine and attention," the doc answered.

"So," Mallott said, "Let him die," he finished.

"George, come on, just let a few people come in other than those you give me. On being crippled because of this."

"Do you not like the way I run this town?" questioned Mallott to Doc Johnson. That is when Tom, who had been listening in on the conversation, stepped out to help the cowardly little doctor from the fiendish rider.

"No sir," Tom said, "but my brother is going to die. He got wounded by Union soldiers at Clinch Mountain."

"Who is this man who speaks to me without my grace," said Mallott as he lifted his head so that Tom and the doc could see his face. He had a devilish appearance, a mean look on his face as if he was going to kill someone. "Jason, take him in. Torch the doc's."

"What?!" exclaimed Doc Johnson. "You can't do that! That's against state law."

"Sure I can," said Mallott, "I am the state!"

His men took hold of Tom and kicked him into the ground. The man who was looking through the window said there was a patient inside and two others. Mallott just smiled and said to lock the door. His men placed chains around the door and blocked the window. Mallott was given a torch by the very rider who had followed Tom all the way down to the town and Mallott lit it with his cigar. Mallott turned to Doctor Johnson.

"You once told me that you would kill any who stand against me some time ago. I want you to torch your own place to show your true loyalty."

"There's no honor in this," the doc said as he looked at Mallott and then back at Tom. Tom was kneeling on the ground with a bloody noise in the clutch of two men. He looked back at Mallott he pulled back the trigger on his pistol from his holster. The doc then turned and tossed the torch onto the rooftop and Mallott and his men smiled. They marched away as the two workers inside were shot to death by Mallott's men. Four shots rang out breaking the window and dropping the two workers to the ground.

"What about the patient?" asked one man to Mallott.

"The flames will get him," said Mallott. "Let's get back to the saloon," he said as he turned his horse back to the saloon. He looked down at Tom. "Oh yeah, take him to the Marshal and lock him up," he finished as he and three others rode back the saloon. The two other men pulled Tom to his feet and marched him off to the Marshal's. Mallott and his small gang headed into the saloon as Tom was being brought to the Marshal's doorstep when Tom placed his foot to the pole of the Marshal's patio stopping the men from pushing him in. He looked back at the blazing inferno as the doc was running to the fire brigade.

"Get inside," said one of the men. Tom fought them with every bit of energy he had. The men then dropped him and one reached for his pistol. In this instant, Tom reached for his and swiftly pulled it out and shot a single lead ball into the head of the rider reaching for his gun. He looked at the other and shot him in a flash as well. The noise caused the Marshal from inside to place a hat on his head and run outside where two dead men were laying on his front patio. He could see Tom running back into the blazing fire to try and save his brother from a burning death.

***
White plague is another name for tuberculosis.
 
Last edited:
"I am the state!" Mallot has a big illusions from himself :). Great update!
 
It will be bad hair day for Bill if he does get out. :p (My link connects to you to the website when I'm getting my pics. You apparently haven't been on the Internet long enough. ;))
 
@ Auray: Certainly, Mallott has brushed up on his Louis XIV, and his impressions of having himself as a 'king.' In a way, perhaps on another scale he is supposed to remind Tom of someone back home. Oh say a one Evan Harris...

@ Enewald: Thanks. Well, I'll just say that Tom takes after a good family in the art of gunshooting.

@ gaiasabre11: Bill would turn into a dark-fried fish if Tom doesn't help him out...

...ps. Thanks for the link, I might be tempted enough to use one or two pics.

@ Erie_Patriot: Only time will tell, and some more updates wouldn't you say? Too bad the next one will have you still wondering about it...
 
Chapter Six

~ Jeb was outdoors in the thick of the town with his older cousin Nathaniel, or Nate as they all called him, when they suddenly sprinted back towards home. Nate was running in front of Jeb, who was trying to catch up to his older cousin who was having more fun playing with Jeb in a 'race' home, than an actually competion with him. They moved up the ridge that overlooked the town and sped passed two of Evan Harris' guards that stood at the top of the ridge.

Jeb was quickly gaining on Nate, how was allowing him too, but doing it at a rate that even he was surprised to see Jeb directly behind him. Jeb jumped on his back, knocking him down onto the ground. Nate didn't move. Jeb was worried as he grabbed his knee and rolling in pain. Jeb ran over and asked if Nate was okay, Nate only moaned and yelled while rolling on the ground before breaking into laughter and passing Jeb in a flash.

"That's not fair I reckon!" Jeb yelled as he tried to catch up to his cousin.

"I think you need to know when someone is tryin' to fool ya I reckon," Nate yelled back as they stumbled into the fields of tall and dying grass and flowers. The leaves all fell to the ground as they ran towards their home, starting to become visible after around 15 or more minutes of running. Finally Jeb started to wind down, he began to pant like a dog and collapsed. Nate looked back to see if he should slow down for Jeb who was no longer in his sight. Nate walked back to see if he could find his younger cousin. "Jeb!? Jeb?" he yelled.

Right beside him, Jeb was crawling through the tall brush and making his way silently toward his house while Nate was nervously looking for him. Nate looked in the ditches and by the nearby logs when out of no where, Jeb appeared some 50 yards in front of him and yelled, "I think you need to mind your surroundings I reckon!"

"I reckon you gonna die when I get to ya little boy!" Nate yelled and rushed off.

"Pa! Pa! Pa!" Jeb shouted as he leaped over a log. Not too far behind him, Nate came running up but missed the log and tripped over it tumbling into the weeds and cut hay that was right beside it. "

"What is it Jeb?" asked his father as he came outdoors with his shotgun in his hand.

"Hold on their Uncle Bill," said Nate as he brushed himself off. "No need for guns at this time," he finished.

"Pa!" said Jeb tugging on his father's trousers. "You won't believe it. The men in the town are talking about all this action going on in the deep south. The Yanks have taken New Orleans and are pushing on Baton Rogue and Mobile."

"What?" said Mr. Smith with both excitment and astounishment.

"It's all true I reckon," said Nate as he pulled out a newspaper from his coat pocket. "It's all here, in black ink. A couple weeks old but news none the less."

"That's incredible," said Mr. Smith as he looked at Mr. Carlisle approaching with a wagen of hay. "Well boys," he said, "if you excuse me, me and Mr. Carlisle are off to town and cash in with our hay. See you all in an hour or two." With that, Mr. Smith walked down his patio and towards Mr. Carlisle.

Nate looked at Jeb, Jeb at Nate. "I told you to let me do all the talking," Nate said as he jokingly pushed Jeb.

"Hey! He's your uncle but my pa!" he answered and pushed Nate with great force, enough to knock him backwards and off his feet. Nate landed and began to laugh.

"Your lucky you aint a Confederate or I'd take you in and hold you captive," he said as the two entered the house. Abigal was there to take Nate's hat and place it on the hat holder and walked them to the kitchen.

"Your food Master Jeb," she said to him.

"No thanks Abigal," he replied. "I'm not that hungry."

"And what about you Mr. Nate, are you hungry?"

"Not at the moment Ms. Abigal, but I do thank you," he said and walked off to the second floor with Jeb. From the family room Dill, Jason, and the other Smith children came bulting out at Jeb and Nate screaming and yelling, asking questions left and right about the war.

It was true, a General Winfield Scott Hancock had taken control of 50,000 Union troops and with the support of the Union Navy had made it's way to the Gulf and deployed their troops at New Orleans.

"Yeah Dill," said Nate. "Says here the Confederates have around 20,000 troops under a General Pemberton is the only thing standing between the Union under Hancock and McPherson."

"Amazing," they all said as they were aweshocked at the news that honestly didn't make much sense to them.

Pemberton.jpg

Major General John C. Pemberton, Confederate Commander of the Army of the Mississippi. His 29,000 men are spread out across the Southern States and primarily along the Red and Mississippi Rivers. The main body of his army that moved south was unable to aid the 3,500 men that would surrender at New Orleans. Now 20,533 Confederates stand between General McPherson and Hancock and their 45,000 troops from entering Baton Rogue and the other 5,000 besieging Mobile.
 
Good couple of updates.

Tom and Bill are in a bad situation. Assuming that Tom is able to save Bill, and I think that he will be, they will still have to deal with the Mallot Gang whom I imagine will not be amused with Tom's killing of two of their number.

The Confederates need to find a way to get the Yankees out of New Orleans or they could face large Union armies pressing them in three major theaters.
 
Good update again! I'm sorry that I didn't vote this in Q1 awards. I noticed the voting a bit too late.
 
A bad situation in the deep south can spell doom for the Confederacy. Hopefully the Union forces are disorganized which can allow you to have victory. Union troops in Tennessee, Virginia and Mississippi River Areas could be a pain for the Confederacy.

But I have faith!
 
@ Hardraade: Your interpretation of the situation Tom and Bill are in is the usual, as this story has played it out so far...

My real worry if of course the situations else where in the Confederacy. Union Armies in Kentucky, Louisiana, Virginia and Missouri would just be too much for the Confederate Army to handle. We'll see what happens next.

@ Auray: Thanks, and for voting; that's understandable. But I'm not one who would campaign for anyone to vote for my AAR. I feel that it is a vote for your favorite, not because someone is telling you to. If I was to lose I don't care. If I was to win, I know it's because I won fair and square.

@ Enewald: Oh deary indeed!

@ Erie_Patriot: Faith isn't always the key factor, but it is always good to believe that you'll win. If only Napoleon was decked out in a Confederate Uniform...
 
Chapter Six

~ One can only imagine the sight at hand, a young man was running in the streets under the cover of darkness, heading towards the burning inferno that lit up the town. People looked out their doors and windows to see what was going on. Two shots had been fired in rapid succession and two men were lying on the road, apparently dead as they didn't have any apparent movements.

From their position in the local saloon, George Mallott made his way out of the bar with a whiskey in his hand and a gun in his other. He was quickly flanked by his two partners who were both smoking and had guns at their ready. Mallott was seemingly stunned to see Tom heading into the flames and that he had killed two of his men, something that no one up until now had ever dared to do to him or anyone that went under his name. He quickly moved out into the street, setting his drink to the ground and went chasing after him with his men right behind him. The local marshal was in a state of shock and was unsure what to do when he saw Mallott running after Tom, he froze and decided to do nothing until he would be instructed to.

Tom saw out of the corner of eyes the men coming at him, he didn't even flinch. He moved his arms infront of his head and leaped into the window, managing to shatter the part of the window that hadn't been destroyed by the Mallott Gang when they killed two of the doctor's assistants. Tom broke through the glass and entered a room as hot as hell, blazing with flames that literally turned this small room into something like hell as it had been described to him at church. He nervously looked in all directions to find his brother who seemed to have vanish. Tom suddenly saw a small portion of his brother's bandage on the ground and went over to see if he was nearby.

As he approached, a log from the ceiling collapsed and fell directly upon him. He was knocked to the floor unconscious and not moving. Several seconds passed before he awoke with the amazement that a burning log was on top of him. He placed his arms in a position to life it off of him, but failed. He slumped back to the ground, his head sweating from the intense heat all around him. He looked at the log and saw the sides burning fiercely but not the center piece that was actually on him, but the flames were moving in fast. He sucked in a deep breath of air and pressed forward lifting the log and making his way out. Tom brushed himself off and started to scream out for his brother.

He covered his eyes from the burning debris that was flying all around. He looked around and saw a door open leading to the back of an alley, so Tom made his way over to it. As he did, another burning log fell right in front of him, blocking the exit. He looked around and started to head for a different but was soon trapped in the little hall as the flames engulfed the door exit that was behind him. Tom held his breath and began to run with full speed to the larger flames on the log, but knowing that there was the free grass and ground after it. He made a leap out of the building and landed in the back alley where he saw his brother dragging himself to the side of the road where there was small creek.

Tom rushed over and turned to his brother, "Bill, are you okay?" Bill looked over at him and smiled.

He simply muttered, "Thanks," and then turned back to look at the creek. Bill stopped moving and wasn't breathing. Tom looked at him and picked his brother up and tried to see what was wrong with him.

From the back of the alley, one of Mallott's men appeared and began to walk towards the boy. He had his pistol in his hand. But, he didn't know or have something that Tom had or knew. From his hands, Tom could see his brother for one last time and started to cry, Bill had died in his arms, primarily because of Mallott and his refusal for the doctor to treat his brother. He also was convinced that the burning of the building sucked the life out of his brother. He lay Bill down on the ground, dead and got up on two feet, anger in his eyes and clutching his pistol. He quickly turned around with the pistol drawn and placed a single round in the head of the man coming towards him. He fell back dead and Tom came walking over to the body, kicking the dead man in the head.

He walked back to the front where the other man was waiting for him. Mallott was no where to be seen, but the man ordered Tom to stop. Tom was walking and looking down to the ground when he looked up, his long and burnt hair covering his eyes that resembled the devil and his hands that didn't tremble with any fear. The man was nervous and tried to pull the trigger of his pistol but didn't get the chance. Tom had read the man's head and placed a round in his throat before he could even blink. The man stumbled back and landed dead in the middle of the middle of the road. Mallott looked back and saw Tom appearing from the ashes and nothing seemed to be in a position of stopping him.

Mallott, with four of his men dead, decided to ride out to Tom to talk to him. As he reached Tom, he was stunned when he aimed the pistol at him and pulled the trigger.

- click -

Nothing happened, Tom was out of bullets. Mallott looked down at him, "That's incredible. You've taken out my men with single shots, let's talk," he said with a calm and soothing voice.

"MY BROTHER," Tom said with anger in his hands.

"Of course," said Mallott, "I'll have Mister Hobbs and Webb take care of your brother."

"No, he's dead!"

"I'm terribly sorry dear boy," Mallott said as his eyes grew knowing he had made a big mistake. "I'll still have Hobbs and Webb take care of him, they'll burry him with the highest of honors and with the whole town in attendence."

"You think you can just talk your way out of this?"

"I reckon I can strike a deal with you sir..."

"Tom," Tom responed quickly.

"...Tom, okay Tom; listen. Let's head back to the saloon and I'll buy you a drink or something, get your mind off of this. I see you have a Navy Colt with you."

"You know your guns," Tom said as he pulled the trigger once more to no avail.

Mallott looked down at Tom, "I reckon some men are born in the wrong century. I believe I was born, on the wrong side of this country..."
 
well that was bloody, and sad. i hope Tom gets his revenge.