General Longstreet rode into the encampment, mud splashing up from his mount as he trotted along the road. Troops were encamped to either side, a few had pitched tents, most had just collapsed in the open fields and were now sitting around smoky campfires, cooking their breakfasts.
Lee's headquarters area loomed up out of the mist, flag hanging limp, tents pitched in a half circle, awning canopying the middle, a knot of officers gathered round the.fire. They looked up as Longstreet approached, coming to attention, saluting.
"The general?" Longstreet asked. "Still asleep," one of them replied softly. "He was up most of the night," another interjected, as if to apologize for the general sleeping so late.
Longstreet said nothing, taking a cup of coffee offered by one of the staff.
Walter came out of a tent and approached Longstreet. "He's awake, sir, and begs your indulgence. He'll be with you in a few minutes." "Thank you, Walter."
Longstreet sipped on his coffee, looking around at the staff. All were silent. Gone was the levity, the high spirits, the usual gibes back and forth, the sense of confidence. None of them had changed uniforms or had them cleaned in days.
"General Longstreet."
Lee was standing at the entry to his tent, beckoning him to come in. He did not have his uniform jacket on, nor vest, having obviously just been awakened.
Longstreet went into the tent and sat down in a camp chair Lee motioned him to while he sat back down on his cot.
"Your report, sir," Lee asked without greeting or the usual polite small talk before getting down to business.
"Sir, I started the withdrawal just after dark. The last troops pulled off the line at around midnight. The head of my column is within two or three miles of here. The tail of it most likely back near the Buckeystown ford. I regret to tell you, sir, there's bad news."
"And that is?"
"Sir, I abandoned over a hundred guns. The pieces we captured at Union Mills. All of them were spiked and wheels smashed."
"I expected that," Lee said. "They were of use at the moment but are a hindrance now."
"I thought so, too, sir. That frees up several thousand infantry who are back in the ranks. The ammunition, though, sir."
"You did not get all the ammunition off the trains?"
Longstreet shook his head.
"Why not, sir?" Lee asked sharply.
"Sir, we are short of horses, transport. I had to strip out an artillery battalion of its horses in order to move the pontoon train. At best we managed to retrieve about a million and a half rounds of small arms ammunition, maybe five thousand artillery rounds, before being forced to set the rest afire."
"Yes, I saw the fires," Lee said quietly. "But why?"
"That's the other bad news, sir. Grierson is at our rear. He came down onto the B and O line late yesterday afternoon with at least two brigades of cavalry. I fear Armistead might be cut off. I've not heard from him since nightfall. Sykes, with a corps strength, has pushed up and is in Urbana."
"That's less than ten miles from here," Lee replied.
"Yes, sir, I know."
Lee looked over at one of Jed Hotchkiss's maps on his field desk.
"Then the only ammunition we have is what our men are carrying, the small reserves at division level, and what you salvaged."
"Yes, sir."
"Enough, though, for one good fight if need be," Lee said, and he forced a smile.
"If required, sir. Yes, sir."
"The pontoon train. Everything rests on that now."
"Sir, it's proving difficult. Even on the best of roads they are difficult to move. The going has been slow. I estimate they are five miles back on our line of march."
Lee sighed, his gaze returning to the map. "We can still retrieve this situation, General," he said.
Longstreet did not reply.
"Do you believe me, General Longstreet?"
Pete looked into Lee's eyes. The gaze was intense, filled with determination, and yet again he found he could indeed believe in this man.
"Yes, sir. If we move swiftly and with daring. Yes, I think we can get back across the Potomac."
"Not just back across the Potomac, General. In the last two months we have dealt repeated blows to the North from which they can ill recover. This one reversal shall not stop us. We hold the line of the Potomac through the winter and into next spring, and surely their political coalition shall collapse."
Pete did not reply for a moment.
"Do you believe that, sir?" Lee asked, and Pete detected that there was a questioning in Lee's voice, a wish to be reaffirmed in his confidence.
"Sir, the first concern, at the moment, is to get this army safely out of Maryland. Then I will think of other things."
Lee finally smiled.
"Fair enough."
Lee pulled Hotchkiss's map over.
"We must move swiftly this day. You take your column, head down toward Poolesville. Then see if there is any chance we can secure Edwards Ferry. I know they are dug in there, but if in your estimate it can be stormed, do so. If not, move parallel to the river and find an appropriate place to cross. I will take the rest of the army and advance toward Damestown and secure our flank in that direction. Grant's forces are worn, but the men coming down on our rear under Sykes must be turned, if possible defeated, and driven back. Succeed in that and we have bought some time."
Longstreet, looking at the map, nodded in agreement.
"We must move swiftly, sir, and the pontoon train must be pushed forward with all possible haste."
"Yes, sir."
Longstreet left the tent and mounted up. He started to ride back in the direction he had come from. Out in the fields the men were breaking camp, some loading up with backpacks or blanket rolls, but many just leaving them behind. They were stripping down for hard marching.
To the east the sun was clear of the horizon, promising a warm and humid day.
Headquarters, Army of the Potomac Near Clarksburg