"Esther, dear lady, I am surprised you will talk to anyone wearing this uniform after what those monsters did to you. I am just grateful you let me help you and bring you here."
"John, I learned a very long time ago that there are good men and there are evil men. The clothes do not make the man. It is what is in your heart. You are a good man, they are evil."
"Thank you, Esther. I am honored to know you think me a good man. I fear there are more people in the world who think I am more of a rake than a saint."
"Yes, well, I would imagine that would be my rather vocal Southern cousins. Would you think me odd if I told you I never supported this war? I knew it would be a foolhardy venture. I am proud to be Southern, John, but I never believed we could win a war with the Federals. If our way of life has been destroyed, we destroyed it ourselves."
"Ah, Esther, I appreciate your perspective on this war, but I am afraid I was referring more to my own personal life. I have, um, been known to, ah, avail myself of, er, the company of ladies of less than sterling reputation in the past. I have also been told I have the Irish predilection for a bit of the jug."
"I have never known an Irishman that was not a scallywag, John Jackson. You are a perfectly charming gentleman and you know it."
"Well, ma’am, if you can stand having the support of a known scallywag, I would be honored to stand as your support. And when this whole thing is over, perhaps……"
Jocko stopped for a moment, then looked at the floor.
"You see, Esther, I think you are going to need someone to stand for you. Our troops captured Davison and two other men last night. The General said he plans to turn them over for civilian justice, but either way, you will be asked to testify."
"Will they be hanged?" she asked with very little emotion.
"If I have anything to say about it. I know that General Redmond does not have any compunction about hanging rapists. But it remains to be seen what Mayor Frazier chooses to do."
"Frazier does not have the backbone to make a decision like that. I can say that, as I have known him all my life. He and Mr. White used to go rabbit hunting together. Horace is a good hearted man, but he is not a leader."
"Well, I suspect that whatever happens, General Redmond will play a major role. And he does have the backbone."
"You are very fond of your General., very loyal to him. What has he done to deserve such fierce loyalty?"
"He saved my life and then he gave me a place in the world." The stark simplicity of Jocko’s statement spoke volumes about the relationship between the two men.
"I can tell you the people in the area are torn between calling him friend and hating him just because he is a Union officer. They realize he has done more than they ever expected but their damn foolish pride will not let them thank him." She sighed and looked to her friend. "I would be grateful for your support through this John. Thank you."
"You know, Esther, I have seen women after they had been violated, and most of them were far more emotional than you are. I am worried about you, sweet lady. Holding in the anger and the pain are not good for you."
"I am past all that, dear man. I am old enough to know it will not make anything different. What happened, happened. I did nothing to encourage it, but I most certainly cannot change it."
"Well, ma’am, I believe you can expect a visit from the General soon. If you would like, I will be here with you when he calls."
"Yes, I think I would like that very much. Thank you."
"Now, ma’am, to pass the time, would you like to play a little two handed whist, or perhaps some checkers or chess?"
"I would be careful if I were you, Sergeant. Before my husband died, when he could no longer get out of his sickbed, we played checkers all day. I am quite good." She smiled as Jocko brought the game table closer to her seat.
Jocko set the checkerboard down on the small table and pulled the box of markers out. They were setting them in place when they heard the crack of gunshots ring out. Jocko leapt up, knocking the table over, and raced through the door.
--*--
Charlie and Richard had gone to Charlie’s office to review the reports of the arresting officers. Charlie then prepared articles of arrest, defining the formal charges and remanding the three men to the civilian authorities. Finally, he prepared copies of the documents, along with a letter to Frazier, and sent them off with a trooper to be delivered to the Mayor post haste.
He then stopped upstairs to check on Rebecca and the ladies. As he entered the small back parlor, he was confronted with most of the women in the house all sorting through the material, lace, and notions he had brought, sketching details of design, or sipping tea. The din was overwhelming and he hastily kissed Rebecca, tousled Em’s hair and started backing out of what had become a totally feminine domain. The sound of gunfire penetrated even that cacophony. He bolted from the room.
--*--
Captain Peter Dewees, the new commander of Company C, had accepted responsibility for the prisoners from Captain Maguire with a certain level of pride. All three men had been members of his company, all three had been special cronies of the late, and to be truthful, unlamented, Major Montgomery, and all three were an embarrassment to his company. That Colonel Polk saw fit to allow his company to mount the guard was an honor; one that he believed they had earned by winning the gymkhana.
Dewees strode into the small stone building. The three men were standing in irons, looking decidedly the worse for wear. Maguire had said they had resisted arrest; from the looks of them, the men of Company G had not been gentle in their efforts to subdue them.
"Shamus Davison, Otis Dumpire, and Edward Osborn, you are charged with the crimes of rape, theft, and assault on a civilian. Because you have broken the terms of your dismissal, you are also charged with failure to obey a commanding officer and dereliction of duty. On the charges of rape, theft, and assault, you are to be remanded to civilian authorities, as is appropriate because of your discharge from the Army. Only after the civilian authorities have pursued their charges will you then be tried on the military charges. Consider well, men. Mr. Samuelson will be along shortly to tend to your injuries."
Young Lieutenant Swallow led the detail assigned to guard duty, supported by Raiford, the new color bearer. Raiford and the other guards unshackled the men, one at a time, and marched them into the empty storage room at the back of the overseer’s office. A few minutes later, Samuelson arrived. Raiford volunteered to go in with him.
As they opened the door, the three men exploded out of their makeshift prison. One stiff-armed Samuelson, who fell unconscious. Another grappled with Raiford for his carbine, while the third went for Swallow. Young Swallow reacted as he had been trained. He fired his pistol, one clean shot to the heart. Raiford’s carbine went off at almost the same time, blasting up through the jaw and brain of his assailant. The third man was running; Dewees dropped him with two shots in the back.
Dewees checked on Samuelson and the other men. Apart from the obvious fact that the medic had a glass jaw, all of the men were healthy, if somewhat shaken. All three miscreants were dead. Dewees was just ordering a detail to handle the bodies as Charlie, Richard, and Jocko roared around the corner, the two officers with side arms drawn. They drew up short as soon as they saw the three bodies on the ground.
"Captain Dewees reporting, sir. The prisoners attempted to escape, assaulting several of our men. As is standard procedure, we responded with force. I am sorry, sir, that we were unable to bring them to trial, but to be honest, I am just as glad it ended this way. Good riddance to bad trash."
Charlie looked at the bodies crumpled in the mud, then at the faces of the men around him. These were the same men who had marched, slept, eaten, and fought side by side with those lying in the mud. There was not a single face that showed any grief for the loss of a comrade. Perhaps justice had been done.