The Last, Long Night (#5 in the Bregdan Chronicles Historical Fiction Romance Series) (61 page)

“Cut?” Carrie gasped, turning horrified eyes back to the spreading orange glow beneath her.  “Why?”

“The city is being looted,” Dr. Wild said grimly.  “I suspect they were cut by those who wanted the chaos to cover their stealing.”

“Where will they take it if the whole city burns?”

“I’m quite sure their drunken brains didn’t think through things that clearly,” he snapped, putting his arm around Carrie’s waist.

Wedged between Dr. Wild and Hobbs, Carrie couldn’t turn her eyes away from the devastation.  “The bridge!” she cried suddenly.  She saw men moving across it with flaming torches.

“The last of the retreating troops have just crossed it,” Dr. Wild said.  “They have orders to burn it now.”
              Carrie’s thoughts flew to Robert.  Where was he?  Was he out of Richmond?  How torn he must be to see the city in flames and know he was leaving her there. For just a moment she wished he would desert and come to her, but she pushed the thought aside impatiently.  One of the things she loved best about Robert was his integrity.  He would never be able to live with himself if he deserted his men.

“Burn the bridge?” Janie murmured.  “What about the people still trying to get out of the city who have been waiting for the troops to cross?  Waiting their turn?”

“They will be staying,” Dr. Wild said flatly.

Carrie watched as a golden glow joined the orange shimmer below.  “The sun is coming up,” she said in wonder, hardly able to believe a new day could begin on the heels of such destruction and devastation.

“Which means the Federal troops will be here soon,” Clifford stated quietly.  “They can hardly do more damage than we have done ourselves – if there is a city left to conquer.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Matthew was almost crazed with worry for Carrie.  Word of the evacuation of Richmond had reached behind the Union lines so he was almost certain Thomas was no longer in the city.  The idea of Carrie there alone, without Robert or Thomas, was causing his heart to pound.  He fought to remain calm as he and Peter moved down the road on horseback.

“It’s quite an honor to be one of the few newsmen they are allowing to come into Richmond this morning,” Peter said with a broad grin.

Matthew nodded.  “Quite a switch from the way we left it a year ago,” he replied wryly.. 

“You got that right!” Peter laughed.  “It’s going to make a great story.  I can just see the headlines: 
Former Libby Prison Inmates There For the Fall of Richmond
.”  He glanced over at Matthew’s somber face and reached out to squeeze his arm.  “We’re going to find Carrie,” he said quietly. 

They rode in a silence for a few minutes, watching the excited expressions of the black corps given the honor of being first into the city.  The rest of Grant’s soldiers were in fast pursuit of the ragged remnants of Lee’s army.  Major General Godfrey Weitzel, commander of all the black troops, was in charge of the occupation of Richmond.  The symbolism of ex-slaves being the first to enter the conquered Confederate capitol would not be lost on anyone.

Matthew thought it fitting that the city built on the backs of slaves would be claimed back into the Union by former slaves. He could appreciate the justice while also envisioning the bitterness of Richmonders who would be forced to accept the authority of the people they had once owned.  Nothing was going to be easy about any of this.

“At least there have been no more explosions for the last couple hours,” Matthew said with relief.  The fires and explosions had kept him awake all night.  Watching the growing orange glow on the horizon had been terrible. Imagining Carrie in the madness had almost driven him mad himself.

“It didn’t take our boys long this morning to discover all Lee’s troops are gone,” Peter said with satisfaction.  “You should have heard their hollering when they realized the last line of trenches are empty; evacuated sometime last night.”

Matthew nodded, and then stiffened.  “Someone is coming out of the city,” he announced. “It’s a rickety old carriage with a white flag of surrender flying.”

“I bet it’s the mayor,” Peter said.  “The same thing happened in Atlanta and Savannah. Once they realized there was no escape the mayors came out to surrender the city.”

They watched as the leading officers, Majors Stevens and Graves, rode forward to meet the carriage bearing six men who might have looked distinguished if they weren’t so disheveled and exhausted looking.  Matthew felt pity for the men who had fought so hard and so long to protect their city.

“What will happen now?” Matthew murmured.

“The Union commanders have been given strict orders to protect the city,” Peter said firmly.  “President Lincoln met with them earlier and said they were to treat the citizens with respect and compassion; that there was to be no revenge or retribution.”

“Thank God for Lincoln,” Matthew said fervently.  “I know there are many in positions of power who feel quite differently.  They believe the South should pay heavily for what has been done.”
              “And Lincoln understands they have
already
paid a horrible price,” Peter said solemnly. “He simply wants the country to reunite.”

The word passed back down the procession until it reached Matthew and Peter.  The man now riding with Major Stevens was indeed Richmond Mayor Joseph Mayo.  He had requested the Union to take possession of the city to preserve order and also protect women, children and property. 

“Carrie!”

Carrie, bleary eyed with exhaustion, turned away from watching the city.  “Jeremy,” she murmured, moving into the strong arms he held out.  “I’m so glad you’re safe.”

They turned together to watch the scene unfolding below them as the sun topped the horizon.  Now that daylight had returned, looting was once more rampant. 

“Is no one trying to put out the fires?” Carrie asked in disbelief.  “Are they just going to let the city burn?”

Jeremy shrugged helplessly.  “The city is such a madhouse that I don’t think anyone knows what is going on.  It all happened so fast… Things are totally out of control. A group of men tried to put out the fires, but they just couldn’t.”

Carrie pointed down to the bridge.  “Look!  Our soldiers have been crossing all morning.  They’ve been down there with torches for a while. Are they setting it on fire now?”

Jeremy nodded.  “And just in time,” he muttered. “That’s the last of the cavalry crossing over.”

Carrie rubbed her eyes and stared harder.  “Are those Union soldiers riding up Main Street?”

“Yes.  Mayor Mayo rode out this morning to surrender the city.”

Carrie took a deep breath as flames began to devour the bridge.  Shots rang out from the Union troops as the last of the Rebel soldiers disappeared into the woods on the other side.  “I’m so glad Father isn’t here to see this.  It would break his heart to watch Richmond burn.”

She watched as the Confederate flag was lowered from the dome of the Capitol and replaced with the Stars and Stripes.  Her relief that the war was closer to being over was mixed with the horror and grief she felt from a long night of watching the city burn and implode.  She was simply too exhausted to know how she felt right now. 

Suddenly she wanted to be with the people of Richmond.  Whatever she thought of the war, they had stood and survived together for four years.  She belonged with them.  “Let’s go down to the city,” she said, turning away and tugging at Jeremy’s arm.  Janie and Clifford had gone back to the house earlier, and Hobbs had been called away for something.  None of her patients needed her right now.

Jeremy frowned.  “It’s not safe down there.  It’s a madhouse.”

Carrie nodded calmly.  “Yes, and I’m a part of this city.  I want to know what is going on.  I’ve watched enough from on top of this hill.  Now I want to be there.”

Jeremy opened his mouth to protest again, but closed it, obviously knowing it would do no good.  He merely held out a small bundle.  “I stopped by the house and May gave me some biscuits for you.”  He reached into the bag he was carrying.  “Along with this canteen of water.  If we’re going into chaos, you need to eat something.”

Carrie smiled and reached for them hungrily.  “You’re my hero,” she sighed as she bit into the biscuit.  “I guess having you for an uncle isn’t so bad after all.”

Jeremy laughed and started down the hill.

Matthew was close to the front of the procession as they entered the city, the regimental bands out front playing
Yankee Doodle
.  Hordes of well-wishers, almost all of them black, lined the roads and handed them fruit and whiskey.  The former slaves danced, shouted, waved their rag banners, laughed, cried and called out thanks to God.  Matthew made no attempt to hide the tears in his eyes.  This was the first true day of freedom for people who had paid a horrific price.

Following the lead of the officers, Matthew grabbed every bottle of whiskey and smashed it.  The Union soldiers were under strict orders to not touch one drop of alcohol while they were in the city, and to destroy all they could.  He wasn’t sure, though, how anyone could merely stand on the side of the road and watch them ride in when their whole city was in danger of burning to the ground. 

Heat seared his lungs as he coughed in the smoky air.  As they neared the capitol building, he felt tears sting his eyes.  He could hardly believe this was the elegant city he had visited so often.  Buildings threatened to collapse from all sides.  Hundreds of Richmonders were huddled on the square, their red-rimmed swollen eyes staring up at them as they sat surrounded by bedding and household items piled on the grass. 

“They must have all been burned out of their homes,” Matthew said quietly, his heart going out to them.  He relaxed some when he saw the same look of compassion on General Weitzel’s face.  From everything he had heard the twenty-nine year old graduate of West Point was a fair and compassionate man.  He could only hope Weitzel had a plan to save the city.

“I understand he is putting Colonel Ripley in charge of the city,” Peter said quietly, his gaze also settled on the miserable, displaced people staring up at them with fear and misery.

“A twenty-five year old?” Matthew asked in astonishment.

“I’d say four years of war has matured him far beyond any twenty-five year olds we’ve known,” Peter observed dryly. “He’s a natural leader.  His black regiment loves him.”

Matthew nodded quickly.  “You’re absolutely right.”  His attention was caught by a small train of wagons rumbling their way down the road, a contingent of black soldiers surrounding it.  “What’s that?”

Peter glanced over and frowned sympathetically.  “There was a group of black soldiers wounded during the last few weeks that were still in the hospital.  I understand the commanding officer demanded they be brought to Richmond to try and save their lives.”
              Matthew thought immediately of Carrie – not that his mind had thought of much else the last few days.  “Where are they taking them?”

“I don’t think they know.  They’re just bringing them into the city, hoping someone will help them.”

Matthew pursed his lips.  “Bringing black soldiers into Richmond right now who need help might not be the wisest thing.  Every medical person is white.  I don’t think most of them will be sympathetic toward black Union soldiers who are former slaves.”

Peter shrugged.  “I don’t think their officer felt he had any other options.”

A sudden shout caught Matthew’s attention. 

The holler came from a young Union officer standing on top of the Capitol stairs.  “Every able-bodied man is being called to fight the fires!” he yelled above the noise.  “I don’t care if you’re black or white.  We want to help you save your city, but we’re going to have to work together.” 

As he spoke the wind shifted, sending sparks flying onto the roofs of more surrounding houses and buildings.  New flames shot into the air.  His call to action mobilized all those who had been merely standing around as their city burned.  They may be occupied now, but they still had some of their city left.