A Nation Divided, Volume 1 by Robert Marcum

Author:Robert Marcum
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Deseret Book Company

Chapter 23

January 20, 1861

Rand stood with his arm around Ann watching the steamboat pull away from the shore; Lizzy waved from the balcony of the upper deck. She would go down the Mississippi to Columbus, Tennessee, then catch the train to Corinth, Mississippi. From there she would catch another train to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and a final train to Richmond, Virginia. Her journey would take at least five days. Andrew was to meet her in Richmond and take her by carriage to his family plantation.

Lizzy’s journey had been delayed. Andrew had sent a wire asking for another three weeks because of commitments he could not get out of at Sumter. Lizzy had been very disappointed but busied herself with helping Ann with wedding plans. Rand had been grateful to have them both around, as his recovery had taken longer than he expected and Lizzy periodically got Ann out of the house. When he finally returned to work, he was so swamped with catching up and his duties with the Home Guard that he felt he would have neglected Ann if Lizzy hadn’t been there.

Rand waved to Lizzy one last time, and he and Ann turned back to the carriage. Rand told Eilliot to take them to Frank Blair’s house before helping Ann inside and then following.

Though Ann returned to her Uncle Frank’s each night, she spent most of her time each day with Rand and Lizzy at their place. But this morning she would be packing for her own journey to New Orleans and would leave later this evening. The prospect was very depressing for Rand.

Ann had sent word to her mother about their engagement and upcoming wedding. Her mother, as Ann had expected, had insisted on coming as soon as possible to help with every arrangement. She set the middle of January as an appropriate time in which she could be ready, but Adam, Ann’s oldest brother, decided for some reason he could not accompany their mother, so Ann had prepared as quickly as she could to go to New Orleans and bring her mother back to St. Louis.

Rand sensed Ann’s disappointment that Adam could not make this trip. Not only did Ann dread leaving for at least two weeks, but she felt that Adam was acting like a child over her decision to marry Rand.

“Have you heard from Matthew?” Rand inquired, asking about Ann’s younger brother at West Point. He could only imagine what was happening there as the country was decidedly splitting in two. Frank had received a report that many cadets from the South had already resigned to return to their states and accept commissions in their militia units in preparation for the organization of a larger Confederate army. Rand could think of no greater sign that the Southern states were serious about secession than the call to arms of their young men at the academy.

“Nothing yet,” she said with a worried look in her eyes. “But I know Adam has arranged for a commission in the Louisiana militia for Matthew and has encouraged him to return home soon to accept it.

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