Spake As a Dragon (13 page)

Relieved, but exhausted Malinda sat
down in one of the porch chairs and let out an audible sigh of
relief. In a while Doc Crawford came out on the porch, “Mrs.
Scarburg, you did a good job. If you had not cauterized Sary’s
bullet holes, I believe she would have bled to death before I
arrived. As far as Uncle Jed and Jefferson, there is nothing I can
do for them. I changed Sary’s bandages and left you some ointment
to be applied later – I believe she might pull through. Grinning,
“They told me about the moonshine, it really did the trick for
Sary, it must have been 200 proof! Fast thinking on your part, now
just let her rest. Oh, before I go, what do you hear from Robert
and the boys?”

“
Not much doc, the last I
heard from any of them was right before that big battle up in
Pennsylvania, but I haven’t heard a word since. I got word from one
of the neighbors, Mrs. Cleland, who said Robert and Luke were
somewhere in Virginia, I think, with General Lee’s Army of Northern
Virginia. It worries me that I have never received a post from
them.”

“
Don’t fret Mrs. Scarburg,
General Lee is a fine commander. He hasn’t lost a battle yet. Where
is Matthew?”

“
Mrs. Cleland’s husband is
in Robert’s unit and she said her husband had told her Matt was
assigned to Stonewall Jackson’s Brigade. I believe he was an aid or
dispatch rider to him. After Stonewall was killed I don’t know what
has happened to him.”

“
When you write to them
give them my regards. Oh, by the way, maybe some good news for you,
I did hear that Stonewall’s old Brigade was not at Gettysburg.”
Fortunate for Malinda Doctor Crawford was not aware that the
Stonewall Brigade had been re-assigned to General Johnson’s
division and lost heavily in the fighting at Gettysburg. “Again,
just put a little dab of that ointment on those bandages when they
are changed. Call me if she gets worse.”

“
Thank you for coming
Doctor Crawford. I’m sorry, but you know I don’t have nothing but
worthless Confederate money to pay you with.”

“
I know, I know, my dear,
if I’d gotten in this doctoring business to get rich I’d quit years
ago, but this War surely cannot last much longer. Maybe then we can
all get back on our feet.” Doc slapped Blaze’s flank as he rounded
her to get to his buggy. “Stephen you still won’t sell Blaze will
you? I’d give her a good home.” The Doc says walking around the
horse admiringly.

“
Nah, thanks Doc, but I
think I’ll keep her for a spell longer. She is part of the
family.”

Chapter
Seventeen

MOVE OUT

It is still dark outside, a couple
hours before the sun will pop up on the eastern horizon when Luke
and his tent mates are hustled outside and told to line up. It is
early August; however, this particular early morning around
Washington is foggy, cool and damp after the heavy rains of the
previous days.

Luke and his father, both unaware of
the other, are standing in the long line of soldiers boarding the
wagons to continue their journey. The moon is full, but the recent
rain clouds and fog obscure most of its light. Every now and then
breaks in the clouds allow the area to be illuminated enough to see
around. Robert stands about twenty-five feet to Luke’s right. As
the clouds part Luke quickly glances to his left to see if he knew
anyone. Not recognizing any of the soldiers Luke turns to his
right. At that time, the clouds roll back over the moon again
casting dark shadows all around. Luke thought,
‘Dadgum! I
thought I’d see someone from my old Company who knew Father and
Matthew.’

As Robert climbs into the back of the
wagon, he smiles and turns to look at the campfires off in the
distance. ‘
Stay here
?’ He thought,
‘Right! Until these
blue-bellies decide we need to be somewhere else, and I’ll wager
it’s not going to be Old Capitol Prison.’
As Luke climbs into
his wagon, Robert stands watching him. He thought to himself,
‘
It seems I know that man... but from where?’

“
Robert? Are you all
right?”

“
Yeah, I suppose, thought
I saw someone I knew, how you doing?”

Climbing in Ben answered, “Yeah, I
reckon I’m fine too. Robert, where yer thank we’re headin’ this
time?”

“
Don’t know Ben, but we’ll
know more when it gets daylight and we see which way the sun comes
up.”

Daylight arrived, it is overcast, but
they could see the sky getting lighter in the east just before
sunup. The wagons continue sloshing and miring their way through
the mud. The mules pull with all their strength. The mud holes have
not gotten any smoother, and the road is just as rough or rougher
as the trip from Gettysburg was. All day the wagons roll, and by
Roberts’s reckoning they are heading southeast. He still does not
know their destination.

Six wagons ahead Luke is doing the
best he possibly can for his friend Jamie. After Jamie’s initial
visit to Luke’s tent, he somehow, got himself transferred to Luke’s
tent. This cool, damp morning they are standing side by side as the
orders are given to board the wagons. The dozens and dozens of
wagons and hundreds of animals have turned the ground into a muddy
quagmire at least six inches deep. Luke slops through the mud and
mounts the rear of their transport wagon, but Jamie looses his
footing and falls into the mud as he is trying to board. One of the
Yankees calls him a curse word and smashes his face with the butt
of his musket. He is knocked unconscious. Luke and another soldier
jump out and physically lift Jamie into the wagon, he now lies on
the wooden floor moaning and groaning as the blood runs from a
nasty cut on his head.

Evening is nearing – they have been on
the road all day – none of the prisoners have been furnished food
or water. Fortunately, Jamie has remained motionless all day and
did not have to endure the miserable ride southeast. Point Lookout!
Luke knows Point Lookout is the only destination southeast of
Washington. Good that Jamie is not awake to hear that depressing
news!

The wagon train stops for the night in
the vicinity of a local tavern. Drinking water is not available,
and the Yankees still will not provide any food. Once the men are
allowed out of the wagons most fall down upon their hands and knees
and drink water from the ruts and mud holes. It was dank and dirty,
but it is wet and satisfies the thirst. Luke cleans Jamie’s wound
the best he can manage under the circumstances. Luke knows the cut
should have six or eight stitches to control the bleeding and, God
willing, to heal properly.

Luke can see the lights from the
tavern and overhearing the talk of a Yankee guards finds out it is
called Surratt’s Tavern. If he only could get there maybe, someone
would give him the necessary medical supplies to help Jamie, or
maybe he could break-in after everyone was asleep and ‘borrow’ what
he needed. His dear old mother had always taught him not to steal,
but Jamie thought this is a different situation and mother had
never considered his current plight, maybe just this once, God
would understand.

THE STRANGER

It is well-past midnight, Luke has
gone over at least a dozen plans to slip from his wagon, somehow
make his way across the field of mud and into Surratt’s Tavern;
however, each had its drawbacks, and Luke knows if he is captured
or worse – shot, Jamie will have no one to see after him and he
will probably die. Whatever he does he has to get back to the wagon
before daybreak.

Suddenly, there is a slight tapping on
the side of the wagon. Very faint at first, then there it is again,
this time a little louder. Luke moves to the side of the wagon and
lifts the canvas cover ever so slightly, expecting a rifle butt to
his face. Standing between the wagon and a dim light still coming
from the tavern is the dark outline of a man. Luke can see enough
from the light of the moon to tell the man is tall, wearing a
black, rain slicker and a black, broad-brimmed hat. He is no
soldier!

“
Sesech!” Said the specter
of a man. “I hear you have not had any food nor water, I brought
you a small bit of sustenance to eat and drink.” He steps closer to
the wagon, raises the canvas further, and passes two half-gallon
syrup buckets through the opening to Luke.

“
Who are you
Sir?”

“
My name is unimportant –
just say I am a friend of the Southern Cause, stuck in this
Godforsaken land of the Yankee enemy.”

“
Sir, we are mighty
grateful for your kindness, but if you are truly a Southerner at
heart might I ask a favor?”

“
Of course.”

Luke tells the visitor how badly his
friend Jamie is hurt. He asked if it might be possible for him to
obtain the necessary medical supplies so he can dress and bandage
Jamie’s wounds.

The stranger offers no reply; he turns
and walks back toward the tavern. Halfway back he is approached by
one of the Yankee guards.

“
Halt, who goes
there?”

There is a muted reply, but Luke
cannot hear what the man in black says to the guard.

“
Advance and be
recognized,” the guard says loudly. The stranger approached, and
the two men talk for a brief moment or two and then the stranger
and the guard walk back to the tavern.

Luke could not quite see all that was
happening. He saw enough to know the helpful stranger had been
caught. Was he telling the guard Luke was trying to seek
assistance? If so, then Luke is in for a beating.

A while later he hears a
‘tap...tap...tap’ on the canvas. Luke peers out; there stands the
man again.

“
I hope this helps,” the
man said, handing Luke a few medical items and a ‘housewife.’
“Godspeed, my friends. No one should be treated like you gallant
soldiers of the South. Animals! They treat you as animals – it’s
that Devil Abraham Lincoln’s fault. Someone ought to do something
about him – yes, that’s what I say, do something about him.
Goodnight gentlemen,” and he disappears into the night.

Luke opens the ‘housewife’ removes a
needle and thread and stitches Jamie’s cut back together. The
stranger had also supplied a bandage and some medicinal ointment,
which Luke used generously.

By early morning, the guards are
beginning to arise. The muleskinners are hitching the teams to the
wagons. Luke has stitched and bandaged Jamie’s wounds. He is awake,
and Luke kneels beside him letting him take a sip or two of the
cool spring water. Luke believes, maybe he will get better now. As
Luke is putting the top back on the water can, he hears two guards
outside his wagon talking.

The first one says to the other, “You
don’t say?”

The second answers, “I ain’t lying
that’s the honest truth...if I ain’t standing here. It was him I
tell you...he was here last night in the tavern... he was wearing
that black slicker.”

“
Well, I’ll be!” Said the
first soldier. “Never thought I’d see him in the flesh...well I’ll
be...!”

Chapter
Eighteen

LUKE ESCAPES

It has been three days since the wagon
train left Surratt’s Tavern. Jamie finally aroused, woozy, but
alert asks, “What happened Luke?” Feeling with his hand, “Who put
the needle and thread to my head? All I remember is that Yankee
striking me with the butt of his musket last night.”

Luke smiles, “Last night you say? That
was three days ago Jamie. I am the one who sewed you up after some
stranger provided me with me some medical supplies. He also gave us
food and water.”

“
Who was he
Luke?”

“
I never found out for
certain Jamie, but he doesn’t like President Lincoln, I can tell
you that. I overheard one of the guards call him by name, but right
now I cannot for the life of me remember who he was.”

Luke, holding his right index finger
into the air, rubbed his chin with the other absorbed in deep
thought, “Give me a second and let me think, ”B,” yeah that’s right
his name started with a “B,” I’m pretty sure it was a letter like
that, Bolding, Boles, Bonner, no Booth! That’s it! His name was
Booth...John Wilkes Booth. Those Yankees must have known him
though, but I have never heard of him. Have you Jamie?”

Jamie shakes his head, “Nah, but that
don’t mean nothin’, he musta not been too important or we’d have
heared about him. I’d say he was a kind man with a gentle heart
tho’. Probably wouldn’t hurt a flea.”

“
Yeah, he did seem like he
was more interested in savin’ lives than taken them.”

“
You figure us out a plan
Luke?”

“
No, not yet, but I reckon
we’ve got to make our move before we get to that prison camp. Once
there I don’t believe we will have much of a chance to get
away.”

Before Luke finishes speaking the
wagon driver yells, “Whoa! Whoa!” The wagon stops so fast Luke, who
has been kneeling beside Jamie, falls to the wooden floor. He hears
gunfire toward the front of the wagon train. The guard swings from
the wagon’s seat grabs his rifle and heads at a run toward the
sound of the firing. The commotion is being created by ‘E’ Company
of Hampton’s Legion under the command of Captain James Knight.
General Wade Hampton had been with General Lee on the retreat from
Gettysburg when word was received that the Yankees were moving
prisoners of war from the vicinity of Pennsylvania to Lookout
Point, Maryland. General Hampton dispatched ‘E’ Company to do
something about it – they had caught up with the wagon train a
couple of days before it reached the prison camp.