LlTTLESTOWN
It had been a long night the longest of his life, General Longstreet at the head of the column of Pender's division, led the way up the main street of Littlestown. The road to either side was packed to overflowing with troops, both Confederate and Union. The men of Johnson's division cheered his approach, and at that moment it touched him profoundly.
These were the veterans of Stonewall, and across the last year-since the Army of the Valley had fallen in with the ranks of what would become the Army of Northern Virginia-he had always sensed a certain haughtiness on their part, that they saw their leader, "Old Jack,” as the superior of Lee's two lieutenants.
That was gone this morning. Men saluted at his approach, then took off their hats, shouting and waving. Behind him the mud-spattered boys of Pender marched with a jaunty swagger, returning the cheers. A group of Hood's men, drawn up in a small column, each of the men carrying a captured battle flag, fell into the line of march to resounding cheers.
The disarmed Union prisoners, part of a long column of troops now being marched back toward Westminster, had been pushed to die side of the road. They looked up at him, some with open hatred, most with that vague, shocked, distant look of troops who had seen and endured far too much. An officer in their midst stepped forward a pace and saluted.
Pete hesitated, looking down. It was Maj. Gen. Abner Doubleday, left arm in a sling, a comrade from an eternity ago, a fellow graduate of the class of 1842.
"Abner, sorry to see you're hurt," Pete said. "How are you?"
"That was you I faced yesterday at Union Mills, wasn't it, Pete?"
"Yes, Abner"
"A long way from West Point now, aren't we?" "Yes, Abner."
'And the pledge you made mere to our flag." Pete could not reply.
"Abner, if you need anything, let me know, send for me."
Abner shook his head. "No, Pete, I won't"
"I'm sorry, Abner."
"So am I, Pete. So am I."
Pete drew up, saluted, and rode on.
Hospital flags, hanging sodden and limp in the morning rain, were draped in the doorways of churches and school-houses. Every house in town was a hospital as well. Union and Confederate surgeons and orderlies, working side by side, tended to the wounded. Women of the town scurried back and forth, carrying buckets of water, torn-up bedsheets, and blankets.
A grim sight hung in the center of town, a dead Confederate soldier at the end of a rope slung over a tree limb… ATTEMPTED ASSAULT OF A WOMAN was written on the sign draped around his broken neck, two provost guards standing beneath the corpse.
The men marching behind Pete fell silent at the sight of him, more than one spitting on the ground at the feet of the dead man as they passed.
Passing through the town, the column worked its way up a low hill, an orderly waiting for them atop the crest, motioning for Pete to follow his lead.
As they crested the ridge, the sight spread out before him was breathtaking. The fields north of town had become a vast holding area for thousands of prisoners, a long, serpentine column of them now marching along the side of the road in the opposite direction, heading south.
And there was Lee.
Pete spurred his mount, covering the last few yards, grinning in spite of his exhaustion, snapping off a salute as he approached.
Gathered round Lee were Taylor, Hood, and dozens of others. The rain picked up, the sky dark and sullen; but around Lee, at this moment, there almost seemed to be a strange golden light
"General Longstreet it does my heart good to see that you are safe," Lee said, riding up the last few feet to him, warmly extending his hand, which Longstreet took.
Pete did not know what to say.
"You were magnificent General. This victory is to your credit sir."
"No, sir," and Longstreet started to fumble, embarrassed, "it is yours, sir. Let me congratulate you for this, your greatest victory."
"You were the one who first proposed it"
'It was merely a suggestion, sir. It was your leadership that inspired it"
Lee smiled. "We'll argue about that later."
Longstreet lowered his head, not sure what to say.
'1 just received a report from General Pickett," Lee said. "He is stalled just outside of Gettysburg due to the rain, but reports that their Eleventh Corps, and what is left of the Third, have abandoned die town and are moving toward Carlisle."
"They're trying for the river, for Harrisburg most likely," Longstreet replied.
"My thoughts exactly, General. We will pursue them of course. I understand the bridges there are all down, burned by them last week. If this rain continues, Stuart might pin what is left of the Union forces against the Susquehanna and finish that as well."
Pete nodded.
"And Washington?"
"In due course, General. We've cast our net wide," and as he spoke he nodded to the prisoners marching past, "but it is safe to say that maybe thirty thousand of their forces, perhaps more, have broken out We know their Third Corps, as well as what is left of the Fifth and Eleventh, are back in Gettysburg. I hope we can still pin those. Elements of their cavalry are largely intact, though scattered, and will serve as rallying points for those who are fleeing. That is our first goal, to finish their army.
"Then we need to see to our prisoners, to move them safely out of the way, and to tend to the wounded of both sides. The losses have been grievous. Our men need rest. We have to push them toward Harrisburg for now, if we can indeed destroy what is left of the Army of the Potomac. Some of the units are so battered, however, that they may need to be reorganized before they can fight again."
"I still wonder about Washington, though, General," Longstreet replied.
Lee fell silent, looking at the column of Union troops passing by along the side of the road, Pender's men moving in the opposite direction. Longstreet pointed to the head of the column. Leading the way were the captured standards of thirty regiments or more. The men carrying them falling out of the line of march, coming up to Lee's side. One of them was Sergeant Hazner, another Sergeant Robinson, who had stopped Lee in front of Taneytown.
For Longstreet the moment was etched like a frozen tableau, the rain-darkened clouds, the mud-splattered, weary prisoners marching past, but in the eyes of more than one a look of steadfastness, that even in defeat there was still pride as they looked at their colors now being presented to Lee.
It seemed that Lee sensed it as well. He stiffened in the saddle, back ramrod straight, and drawing up his right hand, he saluted the captured flags. The Union troops marching past slowed, some stopping, looking on with surprise. A Union colonel, blood-soaked bandage wrapped around his head, came to attention and saluted the colors and Lee as well.
Lee, seeing the gesture, turned and nodded. "Colonel, sir," Lee said, "I shall pray that soon this will all be over and that you and your gallant men swiftly return home to your families."
The colonel bowed slightly. "Thank you, sir, and I shall pray the same for you," he replied, "but, sir, it will not be over until the Union has been saved."
Lee nodded and then looked away.
The colonel fell back into the ranks and disappeared with his men into the rain.
There was a long moment of silence, a soft peal of thunder rumbling in the distance.
"I suppose you heard about General Meade," Lee said, his voice distant
"Sir?"
"He's dead. They're bringing his body in now." Longstreet sighed.
"East of here," Lee continued, "about five miles. A regiment of Stuart's cavalry, led by Wade Hampton, came upon him just after dawn. He had a couple of dozen staff and troopers with him. Meade charged. In the melee, Hampton recognized Meade, begged him to surrender, but Meade just tried to cut straight through. He was shot before Hampton could stop him." Lee lowered his head.
"I think I'd have done the same," Pete replied.
"'My fault, all my fault,' those were the last words Meade said."
"Another old comrade gone," Longstreet whispered.
Lee looked away and said nothing for a moment
"We press toward Gettysburg today and try to finish what is left of their army, General Longstreet We must make this victory decisive and so overwhelming that the North will sue for peace. If not, then it will be a march on Washington."