The Confederate 4 by Forrest A. Randolph

Author:Forrest A. Randolph
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: us civil war, mexican war, sabers, william w johnstone, piccadilly publishing, the searcher, old west 1860s
Publisher: Piccadilly

Chapter Thirteen

IN THE HOURS before sunrise, most people fall into their deepest sleep of the night. The residents of the small village of Silao were no exception to this. Duty caused only a few men to shun the oblivion of slumber. One of them was Captain Ramon Gomez. Barricaded in the small church on the plaza, he and his men waited and wondered, even in their dreams, of what the next day would bring.

It was not his fault, Gomez thought with wounded spirit. Why, he had many friends in Silao. Even the alcalde. Yes, he and the mayor had been on the best of terms. Why was it that no one understood? Particularly a man in so important an office as Don Federico Guzman. Why did the mayor seem not to accept that he, Captain Gomez, was merely following orders?

It wasn’t he who signed the warrant for the execution of Moreno and Contrerez. They were notorious Juaristas. Everyone knew that. Gomez shrugged elaborately in the privacy of the vestry, which he had converted to his office. A bank of votive candles illuminated the small desk at which he sat. By their flickering light he read again the second urgent message he would dispatch to General Santos in Guanajuato.

He had outlined how heroically his men were holding out against the rabble of Silao, led—embarrassingly enough—by his old friend, Mayor Federico Guzman. He also pointed out that relief was of utmost importance. His men had little food, only holy water to drink and a rapidly dwindling supply of ammunition. In fact, by his painfully honest estimation, his beleaguered garrison could not hold out for more than two days beyond the next dawn. Gomez sighed as he affixed his signature and sanded the paper. Then his anger rose.

Don Federico, his mind raged, why in the name of all the saints have you done this to me?

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