A steam whistle sounded in the distance, then once again. Johnston pulled his watch from his pocket and looked at it.
“Accurate to the minute. I wish that all operations of war went this well.”
They emerged from the tent as the warship came around the bend, two more steaming in her wake.
“Cargo ships from Lake Ontario. They had the armor plate and guns added in Rochester. Originally built to stop any waterborne British invasion — across the lakes. But I think they will be just as good on the attack as on the defense.”
Papineau was wild with delight and would have embraced and kissed Johnston if the general had not stepped quickly back.
“I am overwhelmed, mon général. Before, when we had our rebellion I had only men, boys really, armed with their fathers’ hunting guns. So we lost. Now I have these so marvelous weapons you bring. Your soldiers, big cannon — and now this. I tell you Montreal will fall at a single blow, for there are only a few hundred English troops in the city. And I have agents there already, talking to the local Canadian militia who have no love for the Anglais. They will rebel, follow us to a man.”
“And they will be reinforced by my troops. Since the British are raiding south from Canada, I have no compunction about invading your country.”
“It is no invasion. You are most welcome. I see this action as brother aiding brother.”
“We will have to cross the river. Where do you suggest that we land?”
He spread out a map and Papineau examined it closely, then pointed to a spot.
“Here. There are flat meadows and an old timber dock, just here, so landing from your ships will be quite easy. Also — this small forest shields the landing from the city which is around this bend in the river. It is not a long journey and my men know all the paths and roads. A march could be done during the night, to be in position to attack at dawn.”
“Agreed. That is just what we will do.”
A steam whistle sounded as the ironclads swung in toward the landing; the troops cheered and went down to greet them. Papineau’s eyes were unfocused, as though he were seeing the incredible events of the future taking place before him.
“First Montreal — and then on to Quebec. We will succeed, we must succeed. Canada will be French once again.”
General Johnston nodded as though he agreed. Though in truth he had little thought of Canada, French or not. He was fighting this war to lick the British. If an uprising in French Canada could help destroy the enemy, why then he was very much in favor of it. In war you use any weapon to hand. In this he was very much in agreement with his new commanding officer, General Sherman. You fight wars to win.
Far to the south, in a far wanner clime, a brief but fierce engagement was coming to an end. The only fortifications in the British West Indies were on the islands of Jamaica, Barbados and St. Lucia. The two smaller islands, important coaling stations, had fallen quickly to the American attackers who then pressed on to Jamaica. The headquarters of the Imperial West India Station had always been considered impregnable to attack by sea. The harbor of Kingston had heavily reinforced gun positions guarding its entrance; any enemy ship attempting to enter would be destroyed by fire.
Any wooden ship that is. General Ulysses S. Grant had experience at reducing gun batteries with ironclad gunboats, at Forts Henry and Donelson. Now he had the Avenger with her twin turrets, each mounting two 400-pound Parrott guns, far heavier than the guns he had used before. From the deck of the steam frigate Roanoke he had watched emplacement after emplacement pounded and destroyed. Some of the gun emplacements were shielded by stone walls that fell slowly when struck by solid cannonballs. For these the Avenger used explosive shells that blasted great openings in the defenses, destroyed the artillery behind them. The defenders kept firing to the last — and every cannonball bounced harmlessly from the ironclad’s armor.
When the last gun was silenced the wooden-hulled Roanoke had led the troop transports into the harbor. Resistance was slight — as expected. Spies had revealed that the garrison in Newcastle consisted of only four companies of the West India Regiment. The other regiments, infantry, Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery had been sent to the American campaign. The remaining regiment had been dispersed about the island and could not be assembled in time to prevent the Americans from landing. When the port had been taken and Government House seized, Grant had finished his report on the operation and taken it personally to Commodore Goldsborough on Avenger.
“Well done Commodore, well done.”
“Thank you General. I know that you have experience of combined army and navy operations, but this was an education to me. Is that the report for the President?”
“It is.”
“Excellent. I shall have it telegraphed to him as soon as I reach Florida to take on coal. I will get my ammunition and powder that I need in Baltimore, then continue north. At full speed. It is hard to realize in these salubrious islands that winter has arrived.”
“There is much to be done before the snow comes and the lakes and rivers freeze. General Sherman has his troops in position by now and is just awaiting word that you are on your way.”
“I am, sir, I am — with victory in my sights!”
THE BATTLE OF QUEBEC
The air was filled with the clatter of the telegraphs, the scratch of the operators’ pens as they transcribed the mysterious, but to them knowledgeable, clickings. Nicolay seized up one more sheet of paper and hurried to the President’s side.
“Montreal has been seized with unexpected ease. The ironclads bombarded the Royal Battery below the city, and the Citadelle above. The battery was destroyed and the Citadelle so knocked about that Papineau’s men took it on the first attack.”
“What about those Martello towers that General Johnston was so concerned about?”
“Papineau’s agents took care of that. The towers were manned by the local volunteer regiment of gunners — all French Canadian except for their officers. When the battle began they threw their officers out of the gun ports and turned their guns on the British. Within an hour of the first shot the defenders had either surrendered or ran. The Canadians are now in command.”
“Wonderful — wonderful! The doorway to Canada opened up — while Grant and Goldsborough have cleansed the West Indies of the enemy presence. I hope that I am not tempting fate when I say that the end may be in sight. Perhaps with a few more military disasters the British will reconsider their delaying tactics in Berlin. They must surely begin to realize that their disastrous adventure here must eventually end.”
“There is certainly no sign of it in their newspapers. You have seen the ones the French ship landed yesterday?”
“I have indeed. I was particularly enamored of that fine likeness of me with horns and pointed tail. My enemies in Congress will certainly have it mounted and framed.”
The President stood and walked to the window, to look out at the bleak winter day. But he did not see it, saw instead the bright islands in the Caribbean no longer British, no longer a base for raids on the American mainland. Now Montreal taken as well. Like iron jaws closing, the military might of a reunited United States was cleansing the continent of the invaders.
“It will be done,” the President said with grim determination. “General Sherman is in position?”
“He marched as soon as he received the word from General Grant that Jamaica had fallen and that Avenger was steaming north.”