Army, we'll bring in the bummers. Do you know what the bummers will do? They'll remove every piece of jewelry you own, every stick of furniture from the house, the carriages will be taken away, then they'll set fire to your house.
Julia's eyes were still defiant, so I pressed on. "Oh yes, they'll drink all your Daddy's alcohol and laugh while your home burns, and they'll continue to laugh when your neighbors' houses catch fire. The whole neighborhood, hell the whole city, could burn and they'd still be laughing. Do think I'm joking? I was at Atlanta, I saw it. And I've seen Andersonville. Your slaves will be driven off. You may well be dragged into the street. Your father will try to defend you and he'll be murdered before your eyes. Everything and everyone you love, Julia, will be destroyed. And what would you achieve? At best you'd make this hell of a war last even longer.
She began to cry. I hated myself, but it was absolutely imperative that I change her ways. I heard the noise of a heavy horse and wagon in the alleyway.
"You must also get Chester to quit. I know he's a spy. Let me tell you what happens to spies: They disappear. Sherman sent four spies into Savannah, three of them were just never heard of again. But oh, and this is the important part, Julia. They weren't just killed and buried. I am certain that, before they died they told their captors every secret they possessed. Think about that.
Chester is the bravest man you know, he's certainly the bravest man I know. But if he's caught he won't be able to keep a single secret. Before he dies, he'll spill everything he knows, including a hole in the wall in Julia Branch's garden. Think about the consequences for him and for everyone you love, Julia. Get Chester Baker to quit the war and be damn sure you quit it yourself.
Tears ran down her face and dripped off her chin. She attempted to mop herself up but the tears and the snuffling sobs continued.
I was spent. It was time to go. Before I straightened, I said, "Julia, don't even think about pulling that brick out of the wall."
She straightened up. Her face was a mess, but she seemed to be recovering.
"Luke," she said. "If you're so smart - you know what is best for Chester and me - why don't you get yourself out of it?" She pointed at my knee. "You have the means there to get while out you're still alive. Why are you carrying on?"
"I buried thirty one of my men on Kennesaw Mountain," I said. "I've seen the graves of twelve thousand Union prisoners at Andersonville. Do you know what that means? I don't expect you to understand this, but there is no way in hell I can just go home and sit and let others do the fighting."
"You are crazy," she sobbed, "You're just as crazy as Chet said." She hiccupped and drew a breath. "Go away!"
I straightened up. Julia hated me. It was time to go. Lavonia and Jackson stood side by side and watched me climb the stairs. They hated me. I hated me.
"Back to camp, Abe," I said when I got myself into the carriage, "I think we're finished here."
The blockade runner Alma was captured by the USS Perry on May 2nd, 1863; she is on display at the Mystic Seaport Museum.
The Water Witch was captured by the Confederate Navy in the early morning of June 3rd, 1864, and she was burned and sunk in the Vernon River on December 19th, 1864.
On January 15th, 1865, Sherman's army departed Savannah. The right column used ships to move to Beaufort, SC, and then marched in a feint toward Charleston. The left column moved ostentatiously northwest alongside the Savannah River, toward Augusta, crossed over the river at Sisters Ferry and made a convincing dodge toward Augusta. This subterfuge caused the Confederate militias to mass in a defensive strategy in these cities, leaving the center of South Carolina weakly defended. A month later, the citizens of Columbia were completely surprised to discover Sherman's entire army was just across the river.
Thanks for reading Occupy Savannah. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. My job requires me to spend approximately 50 days a year traveling on the airlines to and from my assigned airplane and about 140 nights in hotel rooms each year. Consequently Occupy Savannah was written all over the world during these times of forced isolation.
Books by Willard White:
Starting Over in Savannah: Adventure and Romance
Michael's Journals: Young Adult Historical; Civil War, sailing, pirates, blockade-running
Savage Evolution: Sci-Fi; Kevin is the only human who can fly. Or is he?
Broken Windows: Action Adventure. Supersonic corporate airplane used as weapon.
Low Level Terror: Action Adventure. Terrorists hijack a helicopter to drop a bomb.
Savage Cargo: Action Adventure. Terrorists hijack a rusty tramp ship to use as weapon.
Coffee Bluff: Short story. Historical fiction. Spy vs. Spy and romance in Savannah in 1864.
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