To All: Update either tomorrow or Wednesday. I put myself in a corner with the previous update and need some time to re-think the next update.
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Chapter Seven
~ Clinch Mountain, Tennessee.
1861 has now passed to 1862; the winter was still in full force; just as the war was. Tom was sitting next to the fire with Jennifer beside him. He looked out the window where the winter storm was slowly calming down, the snow not falling as hard as it was in the past few days; he sighed.
“Still worrying about your family?” Jennifer asked him.
Tom nodded his head, looking out at the storm again. “Sometimes it’s just too much to take in,” he said.
Jennifer’s Aunt walked in, “I brought you some warm tea for the both of you’s, make it last,” she said with a smile and walked back into the kitchen.
Tom reached for both cups; giving the first to Jennifer and keeping the latter for himself. He looked up to the roof, and then looked back down to the ground in some despair. As nightfall came, Tom was still awake looking straight into the fire. Jennifer and her Aunt were by now, both asleep; Tom got up from his bed and walked to the kitchen to grab a piece of paper and a quill and some ink.
He began to scribble some writing down on the paper, finally closing it and placing it on the table in front of the fireplace. He walked over to the coat rack and took his heavy winter coat off the rack, placing it over his white shirt. He then proceeded to place his old Union boots, worn down and tattered on his feet; following it up by his hat that made him resemble a Western cowboy more than a Union soldier. He peered back to Jennifer, and then walked back towards her.
He knelt beside her, said a something either to her or himself; and then gently kissed her on the lips, soft enough that she didn’t awake. He picked himself up and walked to the door, looking back one last time nodding his head and opening the door.
Outside in the woods, the floor was covered white from the snow as he made his way through the sub-zero temperature to the stable over the other side of the hill where his horse from Mr. Thornberg was still waiting. He opened the stables to see the fire still going, inside the stables it was perhaps around 40 degrees where the fire and old steed were laying.
Tom stroked his horse on the back; she got up from her position from the ground. The horse reeled back and began to shutter from something. “Easy girl, easy,” Tom said to her calming her down.
Behind him Jennifer appeared through the fog and hugged Tom from behind, “You think you can just leave like that,” she said in her gown, shivering from the cold.
“What are you doing out here, you’re going to catch something,” Tom said, hugging her tighter; to keep her warm. “But I must be going,” he said kissing her for one last time, more passionately than ever before. As they released, Jennifer had a tear in her eye, she was quick to whip it from her face. Tom mounted his horse and walked off, “May I take you back to the cabin,” he said.
As he dropped Jennifer off by the cabin he wheeled off, nodding his head to her as he rode off. “You know where to look, just come back to Clinch Mountain.” Tom was quick to disappear from sight as he rode off into the unknown wilderness, destination: home.
As morning was approaching, Tom’s face was a slight red, he made his way through the forest, stopping near a river to rest and settle for breakfast. He started a fire, his horse staying by the camp as he made his way to the frozen river, only a few inches thick. As he stepped over the river he could hear the crackling underneath him; he was careful as he cut a hole into the ice to fish, just as he had been taught by his father. After an hour of blanks, his improvised line of clothing string, tightly held together by moss and other rough green, caught a well-sized trout from the river.
He was quick to roast it over the fire and enjoyed the fish as it was, perhaps even having a few bones; but nothing to severe to cause injury to him. As he went back, he had caught another fish and he wrapped it in his linen blanket he had brought with him. Surely he had what it took to survive in such conditions, but whether he would be able to was still unknown. He packed up sometime after twelve and moved off again, leaving his little encampment behind him and moving forth into the thick of the Tennessee wilderness.
Tom was riding alone in an unknown area, he was looking left to right to see where there was a suitable place to stop for the night. He managed to find and old, rusted out shack that could provide decent protection from the harsh winter night. He gather dried moss and leaves and bark from the trees around him and started a fire. He sat beside his fire inside the old shack that had openings allowing for some snow to enter the shack. His horse sat next to him, as he cooked his other fish he had caught, only eating half of it and keeping the other half for another time. He then settled down in the middle of the Clinch Mountain, still knowing that he had a long trek home...
~ Clinch Mountain, Tennessee.
1861 has now passed to 1862; the winter was still in full force; just as the war was. Tom was sitting next to the fire with Jennifer beside him. He looked out the window where the winter storm was slowly calming down, the snow not falling as hard as it was in the past few days; he sighed.
“Still worrying about your family?” Jennifer asked him.
Tom nodded his head, looking out at the storm again. “Sometimes it’s just too much to take in,” he said.
Jennifer’s Aunt walked in, “I brought you some warm tea for the both of you’s, make it last,” she said with a smile and walked back into the kitchen.
Tom reached for both cups; giving the first to Jennifer and keeping the latter for himself. He looked up to the roof, and then looked back down to the ground in some despair. As nightfall came, Tom was still awake looking straight into the fire. Jennifer and her Aunt were by now, both asleep; Tom got up from his bed and walked to the kitchen to grab a piece of paper and a quill and some ink.
He began to scribble some writing down on the paper, finally closing it and placing it on the table in front of the fireplace. He walked over to the coat rack and took his heavy winter coat off the rack, placing it over his white shirt. He then proceeded to place his old Union boots, worn down and tattered on his feet; following it up by his hat that made him resemble a Western cowboy more than a Union soldier. He peered back to Jennifer, and then walked back towards her.
He knelt beside her, said a something either to her or himself; and then gently kissed her on the lips, soft enough that she didn’t awake. He picked himself up and walked to the door, looking back one last time nodding his head and opening the door.
Outside in the woods, the floor was covered white from the snow as he made his way through the sub-zero temperature to the stable over the other side of the hill where his horse from Mr. Thornberg was still waiting. He opened the stables to see the fire still going, inside the stables it was perhaps around 40 degrees where the fire and old steed were laying.
Tom stroked his horse on the back; she got up from her position from the ground. The horse reeled back and began to shutter from something. “Easy girl, easy,” Tom said to her calming her down.
Behind him Jennifer appeared through the fog and hugged Tom from behind, “You think you can just leave like that,” she said in her gown, shivering from the cold.
“What are you doing out here, you’re going to catch something,” Tom said, hugging her tighter; to keep her warm. “But I must be going,” he said kissing her for one last time, more passionately than ever before. As they released, Jennifer had a tear in her eye, she was quick to whip it from her face. Tom mounted his horse and walked off, “May I take you back to the cabin,” he said.
As he dropped Jennifer off by the cabin he wheeled off, nodding his head to her as he rode off. “You know where to look, just come back to Clinch Mountain.” Tom was quick to disappear from sight as he rode off into the unknown wilderness, destination: home.
As morning was approaching, Tom’s face was a slight red, he made his way through the forest, stopping near a river to rest and settle for breakfast. He started a fire, his horse staying by the camp as he made his way to the frozen river, only a few inches thick. As he stepped over the river he could hear the crackling underneath him; he was careful as he cut a hole into the ice to fish, just as he had been taught by his father. After an hour of blanks, his improvised line of clothing string, tightly held together by moss and other rough green, caught a well-sized trout from the river.
He was quick to roast it over the fire and enjoyed the fish as it was, perhaps even having a few bones; but nothing to severe to cause injury to him. As he went back, he had caught another fish and he wrapped it in his linen blanket he had brought with him. Surely he had what it took to survive in such conditions, but whether he would be able to was still unknown. He packed up sometime after twelve and moved off again, leaving his little encampment behind him and moving forth into the thick of the Tennessee wilderness.
Tom was riding alone in an unknown area, he was looking left to right to see where there was a suitable place to stop for the night. He managed to find and old, rusted out shack that could provide decent protection from the harsh winter night. He gather dried moss and leaves and bark from the trees around him and started a fire. He sat beside his fire inside the old shack that had openings allowing for some snow to enter the shack. His horse sat next to him, as he cooked his other fish he had caught, only eating half of it and keeping the other half for another time. He then settled down in the middle of the Clinch Mountain, still knowing that he had a long trek home...
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Tom will certainly have a tough time going home, especially in the conditions he's currently in.
I feel some pity for Jennifer though
I feel some pity for Jennifer though
as someone else said, let us hope he gets home before what he saw comes true. its a little like cold mountain, only in my eyes much much better. good luck to him.
I feel sorry for Tom right now. He's alone and seems so forlorn. Added to that is the fact that his homecoming won't exactly be a happy one. His family is in a desperate situation and he's also bringing with him the news of Bill's death.
Tom may be in for a surprise when he gets back home.
And epic is certainly a fitting description of this tale. All this story and its only 1 year into the civil war!!
And epic is certainly a fitting description of this tale. All this story and its only 1 year into the civil war!!
@ Enewald: Only if it could be that easy! :rofl:
@ Erie_Patriot: Well, I don't think trecking over 100 miles in the middle of the mountains would be any easy feat, especially in the heart of winter.
@ BritishImperial: Thank you! Cold Mountain, I haven't actually seen the entirety of the film, though from what I've seen it is a good movie. Must say some of it has influenced me with everything around Clinch Mountain.
@ Hardraade: Indeed his family in a bad situation, and indeed Tom has a lot of troubles on shoulders right now, but I think he's up to it!
@ TreizeV: Thanks! A deep narrative is the only thing that could cover one year of the war into 19+ pages, glad you really enjoy it; it keeps up my motivation knowing people like yourself like it, makes it very worthwhile.
Only if it could be that easy! :rofl:@ Erie_Patriot: Well, I don't think trecking over 100 miles in the middle of the mountains would be any easy feat, especially in the heart of winter.
@ BritishImperial: Thank you! Cold Mountain, I haven't actually seen the entirety of the film, though from what I've seen it is a good movie. Must say some of it has influenced me with everything around Clinch Mountain.
@ Hardraade: Indeed his family in a bad situation, and indeed Tom has a lot of troubles on shoulders right now, but I think he's up to it!
@ TreizeV: Thanks! A deep narrative is the only thing that could cover one year of the war into 19+ pages, glad you really enjoy it; it keeps up my motivation knowing people like yourself like it, makes it very worthwhile.
Chapter Eight: Evan's Gamble
Chapter Eight
In the heart of Wilson’s Creek, as the snow began to fall once again, Evan Harris exited Marshal Thomas’ offices into the streets.
“He’s sent his children else where,” Marshal Thomas told Evan Harris.
“What?” Evan asked with surprise.
“He’s sent his children north somewhere, umm; it’s like their Aunt’s home or something like that I reckon. That’s what my men say. But he and his wife are still here, they’re staying with Carlisle until the spring; when they can fix their home I reckon,” Marshal Thomas replied to Evan.
“Get me the name of the house his children are staying at Thomas,” Evan said, patting the Marshal on the back.
“Of course,” Marshal Thomas said and walked off, his breath visible in the air with such cold temperatures. Outside, all around them, the townsfolk were busy putting in the last, quick repairs to their homes from the battle near a month ago.
~ Aunt Mary’s Home, Monticello, Kentucky.
A wagon pulled up to a large white mansion off on a ridge, the Smith children were all covered in thick wool blankets with Jeb standing up on the lead of the wagon. Mr. Smith was pulling up to the house where several men outside ran inside to alert the owner. Within seconds, Aunt Mary ran outside to see her sister and her family pulling up to her home.
“Will? What are you doing here,” she said, “it’s so good to see you again; it must have been two years at least.”
“Mary,” Mr. Smith said, “it’s great to see you again. Look, the war has displaced us; my children need a place to stay for the winter.”
After an hours of getting situated, the Smith family children, all eleven of them, entrenched themselves inside their Aunt’s large mansion. Mr. Smith, Mrs. Smith, and Mary were talking in the kitchen about something; Abigail was sitting with the youngest of the children. A large fire in the family room lit up the entire home.
“Yes,” Mr. Smith, “until March,” he finished.
“I think they’ll love it here,” Mary answered.
“I’m sure they will, after all you are their favorite aunt,” Mr. Smith finished, picking up his hat and placing it on his head.
Mary smiled, “Thank you,” she said.
“No, thank you,” Mr. Smith said. “Well, we must get going.” Mr. and Mrs. Smith said their goodbyes to their children, hugging each of them and heading out for the wagon with Abigail to head back Wilson’s Creek and stay with the Carlisle family for the winter.
Aunt Mary walked over to her nieces and nephews, “Well, I hope everyone is hungry for a nice hot bowl of soup and bread,” she said.
Everyone stood up with a smile on their face and excitedly yelled, “YES!” and ran off into the kitchen.
Outside, as Mr. Smith started off again, passing the large trees and brush that surrounded the home as he was eager to get back to Wilson’s Creek rather than spend much of his time in the cold winter. Beside from a distance, a man glanced forward to get a good look at Mr. Smith on the wagon, the man then smiled as Mr. Smith passed him. The rider turned about, his long hair covering his eyes. The rider was a deputy of Marshal Thomas as he had pinned on his clothing a deputy’s badge. Several minutes after Mr. Smith passed he started off on his horse back to Wilson’s Creek on a different path.
“Aunt Mary?” asked Jeb.
“Yes Jeb?” Aunt Mary said.
“I just want to say thanks, thanks for everything,” Jeb said.
“You don’t have to thank me,” smiled Aunt Mary, “C’mon, go into the kitchen and have some dinner with your brothers and sisters,” she said, guiding Jeb into the kitchen.
Chapter Eight
In the heart of Wilson’s Creek, as the snow began to fall once again, Evan Harris exited Marshal Thomas’ offices into the streets.
“He’s sent his children else where,” Marshal Thomas told Evan Harris.
“What?” Evan asked with surprise.
“He’s sent his children north somewhere, umm; it’s like their Aunt’s home or something like that I reckon. That’s what my men say. But he and his wife are still here, they’re staying with Carlisle until the spring; when they can fix their home I reckon,” Marshal Thomas replied to Evan.
“Get me the name of the house his children are staying at Thomas,” Evan said, patting the Marshal on the back.
“Of course,” Marshal Thomas said and walked off, his breath visible in the air with such cold temperatures. Outside, all around them, the townsfolk were busy putting in the last, quick repairs to their homes from the battle near a month ago.
~ Aunt Mary’s Home, Monticello, Kentucky.
A wagon pulled up to a large white mansion off on a ridge, the Smith children were all covered in thick wool blankets with Jeb standing up on the lead of the wagon. Mr. Smith was pulling up to the house where several men outside ran inside to alert the owner. Within seconds, Aunt Mary ran outside to see her sister and her family pulling up to her home.
“Will? What are you doing here,” she said, “it’s so good to see you again; it must have been two years at least.”
“Mary,” Mr. Smith said, “it’s great to see you again. Look, the war has displaced us; my children need a place to stay for the winter.”
After an hours of getting situated, the Smith family children, all eleven of them, entrenched themselves inside their Aunt’s large mansion. Mr. Smith, Mrs. Smith, and Mary were talking in the kitchen about something; Abigail was sitting with the youngest of the children. A large fire in the family room lit up the entire home.
“Yes,” Mr. Smith, “until March,” he finished.
“I think they’ll love it here,” Mary answered.
“I’m sure they will, after all you are their favorite aunt,” Mr. Smith finished, picking up his hat and placing it on his head.
Mary smiled, “Thank you,” she said.
“No, thank you,” Mr. Smith said. “Well, we must get going.” Mr. and Mrs. Smith said their goodbyes to their children, hugging each of them and heading out for the wagon with Abigail to head back Wilson’s Creek and stay with the Carlisle family for the winter.
Aunt Mary walked over to her nieces and nephews, “Well, I hope everyone is hungry for a nice hot bowl of soup and bread,” she said.
Everyone stood up with a smile on their face and excitedly yelled, “YES!” and ran off into the kitchen.
Outside, as Mr. Smith started off again, passing the large trees and brush that surrounded the home as he was eager to get back to Wilson’s Creek rather than spend much of his time in the cold winter. Beside from a distance, a man glanced forward to get a good look at Mr. Smith on the wagon, the man then smiled as Mr. Smith passed him. The rider turned about, his long hair covering his eyes. The rider was a deputy of Marshal Thomas as he had pinned on his clothing a deputy’s badge. Several minutes after Mr. Smith passed he started off on his horse back to Wilson’s Creek on a different path.
“Aunt Mary?” asked Jeb.
“Yes Jeb?” Aunt Mary said.
“I just want to say thanks, thanks for everything,” Jeb said.
“You don’t have to thank me,” smiled Aunt Mary, “C’mon, go into the kitchen and have some dinner with your brothers and sisters,” she said, guiding Jeb into the kitchen.
A very interesting update, it would appear that if Evan now knows where Mr. Smith's children are, and without Mr. Smith there to protect them...
... I'm eager for more!
... I'm eager for more!
@ Erie_Patriot: Certainly a moment like this is what Evan Harris has been waiting for. His idea, get his children, bring Mr. Smith into the openess of the town and then kill him, solidifying his spot in the town and having no more opposition to him.
@ BritishImperial: You thought dead on, Oh that's a bad pun by me right there.
@ Enewald: But for who do you think? The children? Evan's men? Mr. Smith? or someone else?
@ Hardraade: No it doesn't, but I'm sure the author has a way of dealing with things like that, but a little extra violence always adds up to a good climactic ending, wouldn't you say?
To All: Update later today if I'm lucky, otherwise I'll update tomorrow. July is almost over, with August on the way... always a day closer to the PGA championship!
@ BritishImperial: You thought dead on, Oh that's a bad pun by me right there.
@ Enewald: But for who do you think? The children? Evan's men? Mr. Smith? or someone else?
@ Hardraade: No it doesn't, but I'm sure the author has a way of dealing with things like that, but a little extra violence always adds up to a good climactic ending, wouldn't you say?
To All: Update later today if I'm lucky, otherwise I'll update tomorrow. July is almost over, with August on the way... always a day closer to the PGA championship!
of course i hope it turns out that Auntie Mary has since the start of the civil war decided that she might need to protect her property, and so has a nice little arsenal of weaponry ready for anyone that might try to hurt her family.
Chapter Eight
Jeb was standing by the main window towards the entrance of his Aunt’s Mansion, rocking back and forth on the rocking chair that was sitting there. The night was dark, but the moon was covered by the dark clouds overhead.
Upstairs, the many Smith children were in bed, sleeping in some of the many rooms that were spread out across the second floor of the home. Aunt Mary finished tucking Mary into bed when one of her Mansion hands came up to talk to her about something. Aunt Mary looked out the window to see one of the horses from the stables being rowdy while the Stable hands were quick to try and settle the problem with the mighty horse.
Jeb was silently dozing off as he rocked back and forth on the chair. He moved his arm up and pulled down his hat to cover his eyes as he started to rock ever more slowly, Jeb eventually fell asleep within the next 20 minutes. Aunt Mary walked downstairs to see Jeb asleep on the wooden chair and walked to the kitchen to finish cleaning from the dinner that night that involved everyone within the household. As she finished cleaning the final plates, she peered outside to see the woods covered with snow and darkness. Aunt Mary took a deep breathe and started upstairs to her Chambered room.
Now, Aunt Mary didn’t have a husband any longer. Her husband was an officer during the Mexican-American War, and then a wealthy trader and entrepreneur during the American push west across the Mississippi. When the two were married, she came to settle down at his estate in Kentucky. However, three years after marriage he would die of what most of his friends and local doctor just said was pure exhaustion. Without any children, Mary came into a high position of power, and was likely one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in the Eastern part of the United States, and probably the Confederate States as well.
Outside, several figures began inching closer to the large mansion, the men were only communicating with quick hand signals that were barely visible from their intervals while moving closer. As the men got closer they paused beside a large tree and peered forward at the deck to see if they could get any view of whether or not anyone was currently present. With no one visible they walked forward and were only around 50 feet from the main entrance of the large white mansion. As the men got closer one of the mansion hands that was still outside walked forward to the men that were inching their way forward.
“Sars,” the man said, “what’s yous doing out here?”
The men just looked at each other, and then one of the men rose his arms which was armed with a pistol and shot the man in through the chest. The man fell back onto the dark cold ground dead. The shot and noise that followed awoke Jeb who was looking straight outside to see several shadowy figures coming up the steps. Jeb reached below the chair and picked up his deceased uncle’s musket, pulled the guard back and aimed it at the lead man coming up the steps and pulled the trigger. The explosion rocked and shattered the window in front of him and the man started to scream as he covered his face, apparently cut from the shattered glass but not hit by the bullet that Jeb had fired. Jeb was quick to run upstairs.
“Go, get inside now!” yelled one of the men. Behind them, a large convoy of horsemen started riding up as one of the men kicked down the door and entered.
Peter Savage looked over to Evan Harris and spoke, “I love my job,” he said with a smile.
“I’m sure you do Pete, now let’s go,” Evan finished and kicked his horse to move forward, to which he was followed by nine other horsemen.
“Sir the house is open, I’m not sure if you want to go in though. Someone has already shot at us,” said one of the men in front of the home.
“Nonsense James,” Evan said, “We’ll go in and clean it out. Anyhow, (whistle) get the torches ready to burn this place to the ground,” Evan said with his breathe visible due to the chilly temperature outside. “Now let’s go,” he said as he walked inside with several other of his men.
Upstairs Aunt Mary was fumbling out of bed as Jeb ran in, “Aunt Mary, Aunt Mary! Aunt Mary! C’mon we need to get to the basement or something!” Jeb yelled.
“What’s going on?” Aunt Mary asked.
“I don’t know, but we can’t stay here,” Jeb said with a frantically.
“Okay, wake your brothers and sisters,” Aunt Mary said as she ran to her closet looking for something.
Jeb ran through the second floor and pounded on the doors yelling out his siblings names, “Dill, c’mon get up now! Charley, c’mon get up! Elizabeth, c’mon get up!” he yelled. As they all emerged from their rooms Aunt Mary came out of her room.
“Come on, come in my room. There’s a way to get to the cellar from my room,” Aunt Mary said. Inside her closet she had opened a hatch that led straight down to the wine cellar. She rushed the children down below and quickly looked outside to see a man walking towards the room. “Come on, hurry!” Aunt Mary was the last to enter and as she did she saw the man come into the room and she was careful to shut the hatch as quietly as possible. “Go, go, go; be careful.”
Down the ladder they went into the old wine cellar where they were started when several men were already there.
“Sorry Miss Mary,” said one of the men who was hiding in the cellar. “We’s was worried about it so we knew this was the safest place in the house.”
“Oh my god, that’s okay Benjamin,” Aunt Mary said as she looked at the one small window that was placed into the cellar room. No one apparently saw it, but the muttering outside was getting louder and louder.
Back outside after sweeping the house, Evan Harris was furious, so much so that even his left hand men Peter and Tank Savage were keeping their distance from him. He walked up to one of his men that was calling him over, “These are some of the men who we captured sir.”
“Where are they?” Evan sternly asked.
“Who’s you wanna know?” replied the man.
Evan tensed up, “The person in charge and the children in this house!”
“Sar, I don’t know,” said the man.
Evan nodded his head in agreement, he started to walk back but swiftly turned about with his pistol drawn and pulled the trigger; killing the man instantly. The others that stood beside jumped back as they looked at their dead friend and then back at Evan Harris who was pacing back and forth in a fury. “I know you know where they are. If you just come out and tell me, no further life needs to be lost!” he shouted. “Peter?”
“Yes sir?”
“Get the torches ready, burn everything; now!”
“Of course,” Peter replied.
Inside the cellar Aunt Mary was unsure of what to do. Benjamin spoke up, “Maim, I don’t thinks we’s can stay here. I thinks we need to get out.”
“Okay,” Aunt Mary said, “just be careful. Everyone go out the back and stay low and stay safe,” she said.
Outside Evan Harris had a torch in his hand and looked to Marshal Thomas who was standing beside him. “Are you sure Will doesn’t know about this?”
“I’m positive,” Marshal Thomas said.
“Here, prove it,” Evan said handing the Marshal the torch. “Take it.”
Marshal Thomas looked straight at Evan, “There’s no honor in this,” he said.
“Didn’t you say that anyone who oppresses states’ rights; should be put to death. Well, this is no difference. That man opposes states’ rights, and I won’t stop until he’s dead,” Evan sternly told the Marshal.
At the same time, behind them, Aunt Mary and her troupe were getting around them and stopped at a large line of brushes where they would be well hidden. Although they were largely ill-clothed for the winter weather, dressed in their night gowns and clothing, they were in such a position that it currently didn’t bother them. Aunt Mary looked as the men stood in front of her mansion with torches in their hands.
Marshal Thomas took the torch and looked at Evan he nodded his head. Marshal Thomas hesitated, but eventually tossed the torch onto the roof. This was quickly followed up by Evan’s men busting the windows and sending around 20 more torches into the room, and his men ruthlessly killed all the other men and several women they had captured during their raid. Within minutes, the house was engulfed in flames. “Let’s go boys; it’s time to get back home.” The men filed out on their horses and rode off passing Aunt Mary and the Smith children.
“C’mon maim, let’s get to the stables,” Benjamin said as he stood up.
“C’mon Aunt Mary,” Jeb said pulling on his Aunt’s arm to get her to move as she was staring at her home which was burning in a violent flame…
Jeb was standing by the main window towards the entrance of his Aunt’s Mansion, rocking back and forth on the rocking chair that was sitting there. The night was dark, but the moon was covered by the dark clouds overhead.
Upstairs, the many Smith children were in bed, sleeping in some of the many rooms that were spread out across the second floor of the home. Aunt Mary finished tucking Mary into bed when one of her Mansion hands came up to talk to her about something. Aunt Mary looked out the window to see one of the horses from the stables being rowdy while the Stable hands were quick to try and settle the problem with the mighty horse.
Jeb was silently dozing off as he rocked back and forth on the chair. He moved his arm up and pulled down his hat to cover his eyes as he started to rock ever more slowly, Jeb eventually fell asleep within the next 20 minutes. Aunt Mary walked downstairs to see Jeb asleep on the wooden chair and walked to the kitchen to finish cleaning from the dinner that night that involved everyone within the household. As she finished cleaning the final plates, she peered outside to see the woods covered with snow and darkness. Aunt Mary took a deep breathe and started upstairs to her Chambered room.
Now, Aunt Mary didn’t have a husband any longer. Her husband was an officer during the Mexican-American War, and then a wealthy trader and entrepreneur during the American push west across the Mississippi. When the two were married, she came to settle down at his estate in Kentucky. However, three years after marriage he would die of what most of his friends and local doctor just said was pure exhaustion. Without any children, Mary came into a high position of power, and was likely one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in the Eastern part of the United States, and probably the Confederate States as well.
Outside, several figures began inching closer to the large mansion, the men were only communicating with quick hand signals that were barely visible from their intervals while moving closer. As the men got closer they paused beside a large tree and peered forward at the deck to see if they could get any view of whether or not anyone was currently present. With no one visible they walked forward and were only around 50 feet from the main entrance of the large white mansion. As the men got closer one of the mansion hands that was still outside walked forward to the men that were inching their way forward.
“Sars,” the man said, “what’s yous doing out here?”
The men just looked at each other, and then one of the men rose his arms which was armed with a pistol and shot the man in through the chest. The man fell back onto the dark cold ground dead. The shot and noise that followed awoke Jeb who was looking straight outside to see several shadowy figures coming up the steps. Jeb reached below the chair and picked up his deceased uncle’s musket, pulled the guard back and aimed it at the lead man coming up the steps and pulled the trigger. The explosion rocked and shattered the window in front of him and the man started to scream as he covered his face, apparently cut from the shattered glass but not hit by the bullet that Jeb had fired. Jeb was quick to run upstairs.
“Go, get inside now!” yelled one of the men. Behind them, a large convoy of horsemen started riding up as one of the men kicked down the door and entered.
Peter Savage looked over to Evan Harris and spoke, “I love my job,” he said with a smile.
“I’m sure you do Pete, now let’s go,” Evan finished and kicked his horse to move forward, to which he was followed by nine other horsemen.
“Sir the house is open, I’m not sure if you want to go in though. Someone has already shot at us,” said one of the men in front of the home.
“Nonsense James,” Evan said, “We’ll go in and clean it out. Anyhow, (whistle) get the torches ready to burn this place to the ground,” Evan said with his breathe visible due to the chilly temperature outside. “Now let’s go,” he said as he walked inside with several other of his men.
Upstairs Aunt Mary was fumbling out of bed as Jeb ran in, “Aunt Mary, Aunt Mary! Aunt Mary! C’mon we need to get to the basement or something!” Jeb yelled.
“What’s going on?” Aunt Mary asked.
“I don’t know, but we can’t stay here,” Jeb said with a frantically.
“Okay, wake your brothers and sisters,” Aunt Mary said as she ran to her closet looking for something.
Jeb ran through the second floor and pounded on the doors yelling out his siblings names, “Dill, c’mon get up now! Charley, c’mon get up! Elizabeth, c’mon get up!” he yelled. As they all emerged from their rooms Aunt Mary came out of her room.
“Come on, come in my room. There’s a way to get to the cellar from my room,” Aunt Mary said. Inside her closet she had opened a hatch that led straight down to the wine cellar. She rushed the children down below and quickly looked outside to see a man walking towards the room. “Come on, hurry!” Aunt Mary was the last to enter and as she did she saw the man come into the room and she was careful to shut the hatch as quietly as possible. “Go, go, go; be careful.”
Down the ladder they went into the old wine cellar where they were started when several men were already there.
“Sorry Miss Mary,” said one of the men who was hiding in the cellar. “We’s was worried about it so we knew this was the safest place in the house.”
“Oh my god, that’s okay Benjamin,” Aunt Mary said as she looked at the one small window that was placed into the cellar room. No one apparently saw it, but the muttering outside was getting louder and louder.
Back outside after sweeping the house, Evan Harris was furious, so much so that even his left hand men Peter and Tank Savage were keeping their distance from him. He walked up to one of his men that was calling him over, “These are some of the men who we captured sir.”
“Where are they?” Evan sternly asked.
“Who’s you wanna know?” replied the man.
Evan tensed up, “The person in charge and the children in this house!”
“Sar, I don’t know,” said the man.
Evan nodded his head in agreement, he started to walk back but swiftly turned about with his pistol drawn and pulled the trigger; killing the man instantly. The others that stood beside jumped back as they looked at their dead friend and then back at Evan Harris who was pacing back and forth in a fury. “I know you know where they are. If you just come out and tell me, no further life needs to be lost!” he shouted. “Peter?”
“Yes sir?”
“Get the torches ready, burn everything; now!”
“Of course,” Peter replied.
Inside the cellar Aunt Mary was unsure of what to do. Benjamin spoke up, “Maim, I don’t thinks we’s can stay here. I thinks we need to get out.”
“Okay,” Aunt Mary said, “just be careful. Everyone go out the back and stay low and stay safe,” she said.
Outside Evan Harris had a torch in his hand and looked to Marshal Thomas who was standing beside him. “Are you sure Will doesn’t know about this?”
“I’m positive,” Marshal Thomas said.
“Here, prove it,” Evan said handing the Marshal the torch. “Take it.”
Marshal Thomas looked straight at Evan, “There’s no honor in this,” he said.
“Didn’t you say that anyone who oppresses states’ rights; should be put to death. Well, this is no difference. That man opposes states’ rights, and I won’t stop until he’s dead,” Evan sternly told the Marshal.
At the same time, behind them, Aunt Mary and her troupe were getting around them and stopped at a large line of brushes where they would be well hidden. Although they were largely ill-clothed for the winter weather, dressed in their night gowns and clothing, they were in such a position that it currently didn’t bother them. Aunt Mary looked as the men stood in front of her mansion with torches in their hands.
Marshal Thomas took the torch and looked at Evan he nodded his head. Marshal Thomas hesitated, but eventually tossed the torch onto the roof. This was quickly followed up by Evan’s men busting the windows and sending around 20 more torches into the room, and his men ruthlessly killed all the other men and several women they had captured during their raid. Within minutes, the house was engulfed in flames. “Let’s go boys; it’s time to get back home.” The men filed out on their horses and rode off passing Aunt Mary and the Smith children.
“C’mon maim, let’s get to the stables,” Benjamin said as he stood up.
“C’mon Aunt Mary,” Jeb said pulling on his Aunt’s arm to get her to move as she was staring at her home which was burning in a violent flame…
War provokes so much anarchy and unnecessary atrocities...
Whae be maeking thaem to mispronounce thae worts?
Whae be maeking thaem to mispronounce thae worts?
A great update! Good to see them barely escape... but where to now? Back home with their parents or else where?
Good to see that the children escaped, but unless Harris and his thugs are dealt with, there won't be a safe place for them to run.