Marching Through Georgia by Jack Martin

Author:Jack Martin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Autoset from 'Marching Through Georgia BODY Styled for AeP.indd'
by 'Melanie' on 14/09/2022 at 15:22
Content may have been edited since
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2022-10-26T18:28:14+00:00

CHAPTER 5

“SING IT WITH A SPIRIT THAT WILL START THE WORLD ALONG …”

“Major Bierce with orders for General Sherman, sir,” said Colonel Orlando Poe.

Sherman had been hunched over the papers on the ancient desk placed directly under the capitol dome. At the words his head jerked up. Next to the saturnine Poe stood Ambrose Bierce in a newly-minted major’s uniform, carrying a large carpet bag, looking the picture of health; looking, thought Sherman, much like Willie would have looked, had the child lived another twenty years. Sherman wanted to leap to his feet and hug Bierce; instead, he merely nodded at Bierce’s jaunty salute, and began to speak in a gruff voice. “Good to see you Bierce. How the Hell did you get back here?”

“Best way possible sir; by boat. Charleston has fallen. Evacuated, really. Once Hardee heard you had taken Columbia, he had no choice but to pull out and head for North Carolina as fast as his legs could take him. The Navy has taken over the harbor, and organized supply convoys. I came in with the first one.” Bierce looked around the controlled chaos in the capitol rotunda. “Ah, if Richmond could only see you now, the terrible Sherman setting up his headquarters in the seat of government of the first state to secede. They would surrender in an instant.”

“Had no choice but to set up in here,” replied Sherman. “Everything burned that wasn’t built of stone or brick. This is one of the few places large enough to handle headquarters that’s out of the rain. Didn’t mean any symbolism by using it.”

“Nevertheless sir, very symbolic. As symbolic as the ruins I saw. Who torched this seat of treason? I ask merely out of idle curiosity, not from any disapproval.”

“No one gave the order. Already I hear the Rebs are saying I am the new Attila, and deliberately destroyed Columbia. If I had done so, I would have been within my rights, and proudly claimed credit. However, the fact is that some bales of cotton the idiot Rebs used in barricades caught fire, and the wind spread burning material throughout the city.”

Bierce nodded thoughtfully. “Colonel Poe tells me that Major Clay was gravely injured in the fire. I would like to see him, once I have delivered my verbal message.”

Sherman jackknifed out of his chair. “Hell, I’ll take you to Clay myself. You can give me the ‘verbal message’ on the way. Poe, hold down the fort; won’t be long.”

The two lean, long-legged officers moved quickly out of the largely undamaged capitol building and out into the devastation that was Columbia. The streets were largely free of debris, and busy with Federal wagons and soldiers. The blocks outlined by the streets were pictures of charred desolation, relieved only by the occasional stout brick building, with morose civilians picking through the remains, looking to salvage anything of use.

“So, what message have you got for me?” Sherman asked as they walked.

“Your coded letter got through. Grant, Halleck and Stanton are of one mind.

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