'The other side, they have some advantage. At a number of points the land on their side is higher, fine positions for massed batteries."
"The range?"
"Eight hundred to twelve hundred yards at a couple of points."
Lee nodded.
"I didn't get across the creek, but locals tell me that there's a fairly decent road behind the ridge, perfect for them to shift troops to one flank or the other and to keep men concealed until they attack."
"And you believe they will attack?"
Longstreet took a sip of the tea and set the mug down on die ground. He leaned over, hands clasped, gazing at the fire. "They have to."
"I have my reasons to believe so, General," Lee said. 'Tell me yours."
"Meade will be forced to. We trumped him these last two days. He's new in command. Communications with Washington are most likely still down for him, though a courier might have slipped past Stuart by now and gotten in. If so, that courier will describe what is most likely a mad panic in Baltimore and Washington."
Longstreet chuckled sadly and, lifting up the mug, took another drink.
"First off, he'll be ordered to break through at any cost, an order he cannot deny or refuse. Second, he is new in command. If he allows us to achieve what we did without a fight, he'll be branded an incompetent and a coward. If he turns back, retreats toward York or Harrisburg, he will definitely be branded a coward and relieved of command. Therefore he will attack."
"What would you do if you were Meade?" Lee asked.
Again the sad chuckle. "I'd retreat"
What would I do? Lee wondered. There was a flash of arrogance, a sense that he never would have allowed this to happen in the first place. Then again, I did attack frontally at Gettysburg two days ago and was within a hairsbreadth of doing it again the following morning, until Pete talked me out of it. Don't be so quick to judge.
"I believe he will attack come dawn," Lee said.
"I do too."
"What will he have?"
"I know that Second Corps is there. Additional troops were spotted on the flank of Second, a skirmisher reporting he recognized Slocum commanding the Twelfth Corps riding along the line."
"The Fifth attacked in front of Taneytown today" Lee interjected.
"I heard."
Longstreet looked at him, and he flushed slightly. Most likely word of the incident with the Texans had spread.
"I understand Pickett did it right this time."
"Masterful," Lee replied. "If it hadn't been for one regiment holding out, diverting Armistead, we might have bagged the lot."
"Sir, that still leaves four of their corps unaccounted for."
"Where you are, the road toward Westminster, that's where you will see them next."
"You mean Union Mills."
"Yes, where the road crosses Pipe Creek. That's what he'll drive for."
"You expect everything then on that flank?" Longstreet asked, cradling the mug of tea and then taking another sip.
"Yes."
"What about Taneytown?"
"If his intent had truly been to try and cut our flanking march, the time to act was this time yesterday. Meade sent down only one corps, and I suspect that the commander of that corps took upon himself the responsibility of hitting as hard as he did. If he had been backed up by another corps, he'd have cut us apart today.
"No," Lee continued, 'Taneytown is not his focus. It's Union Mills."
'Tomorrow then?"
"Five corps most likely. Maybe one in reserve or back even at Gettysburg. The last report from Stuart, dated at noon today, reported a mass movement of troops on the road from Gettysburg toward Westminster. But some infantry, Stuart identified it as Eleventh Corps, remains at Gettysburg and still holds the high ground there." "And what of Stuart, sir?"
"He's doing his tasks as ordered. He continues to shadow Gettysburg, but reports, as well, that he has heavily engaged the Union cavalry on the road from Gettysburg to Hanover. The results are not conclusive, but at least he is keeping them occupied, which is all he need do at the moment."
Lee turned and looked off.
"At dawn," Lee said, his voice now cool, eyes half-closed as if he were looking off into some distant land, "they'll open with a barrage, every gun they have. Under cover of that, they'll advance. It won't be piecemeal, as at Fredericksburg. I suspect Meade is still bitter about that fight, how he almost broke through when commanding his division there but wasn't backed up. Meade will have time to think about this, and he will come in with everything at once. His goal will be to overwhelm with sheer numbers."
Lee fell silent and like Longstreet he sipped at his tea.
"We've lost fifteen thousand men so far in this campaign," Lee whispered. "Johnson's division is shattered almost beyond repair. Hood has taken heavy losses as well. We can't afford another day of losses like the last three."
"I know that, sir. But we're dug in now."
"You'll finally have that defensive battle you've talked about so much," Lee offered.
Longstreet looked over at his commander, not sure if there was a touch of reproach in the last comment
"Your placement of men?" Lee asked.
"Two brigades of McLaws's astride the road and to the left Next is Anderson, then Pender, Pettigrew, and Early on the left Rodes is the reserve, with one of his brigades to the right of McLaws.
"Our front is about four miles, the left extending to a bend in the creek, which again refuses the flank; the land below is marshy. It's not as dense a line as I would like, roughly one rifle per foot." "Artillery?"
"Alexander has done an excellent job," and Longstreet nodded toward his artillery chief, who was gathered with the staff over by the blacksmith shop.
"He's warned me, though, that if Hunt brings up all his reserves, it will be hard going with counter-battery. We'll have somewhere around a hundred and twenty guns on the line."
"Supplies?"
"That's the good news, sir. McLaws is overseeing the movement of captured supplies up from Westminster. I believe he sent a list up to you."
Lee nodded.
"We're moving up every captured round we can lay our hands on," Longstreet continued. "Wagons loaded with shovels and entrenching tools are getting the highest priority at the moment. There's plenty of rations as well. We can stay here for a week, fighting a pitched battle throughout and still have supplies left over. In fact we would have more supplies than we have ever had before. The Union army does have its supply system mastered."
"Have one of your people draw up a detailed map for me, then have them go over it with Walter. I want place names clearly marked so there is no confusion. Major topographical features to be shown and the placement of troops indicated.
"Copies are to then go to each division commander. Communicate to McLaws as well that I want the tightest security on Westminster. Property of civilians is to be protected and aid given to those displaced and injured. Any soldier who violates the law will be dealt with harshly, swiftly, and publicly before the citizens of that town."
Longstreet nodded in agreement
"I want a list of those civilians who died. Personal letters of regret signed by me will be sent to each of their families, along with offers of compensation. I'll not have the Northern press blame us for that tragedy or lay accusations of abuse on us."
"The Yankees started that fire, sir."
"Yes, but it is we who now hold that town."
"Yes, sir."
"I'm establishing my headquarters here. That will put me equidistant between the two wings of the army." "Sir, regarding the arrangement of troops." "Yes?"