Never Call Retreat - Civil War 03 Read Free Page B

with him, he knew he should be nervous, but he wasn't. If anything, he was angry, damn angry.
    The servant knocked on a door and seconds later it opened. Ely was surprised to see that it was the president himself opening the door.
    The man towered above him, dark eyes looking straight at Ely.
    "Thank you, Jim," the president said, then extended his hand to Ely.
    "Come on in, Major. I was hoping you or someone would come down from our General Grant. Are you hungry?"
    Caught a bit off guard, Ely lied and said no.
    "Jim, could you bring our guest a cup of coffee?"
    Ely stepped into the office. One other person was in the room, shirt half open, tie off, sitting on a sofa by an open window.
    "Major Parker, is it?" Lincoln asked.
    "Yes, sir. I'm on General Grant's staff, sir." - "Congressman Elihu Washburne," Lincoln said, nodding toward Elihu, who stood up and offered his hand.
    "So do you think you'll fight that duel with that Copperhead down on the street?" Elihu asked.
    Ely looked at him with surprise, dark features flushing even darker.
    Elihu chuckled and pointed toward the open window.

    "I heard you're a Seneca," Elihu said. "Yes, sir."
    "Noble tribe," Lincoln said with a smile. "I'm glad you're on our side "
    Lincoln motioned for Ely to sit down on the sofa alongside of Elihu while he sank into an overstuffed leather chair facing them.
    Even as he sat down Ely reached into the haversack at his side and drew out a sealed package and handed it to the president.
    "These come directly from General Grant," Ely said. "I should add, sir, I was with General Sickles during the fight on Gunpowder River. After being separated from Sickles I recrossed the Susquehanna where a courier from General Grant met me, handed over the dispatches you now have, with orders to deliver them to you personally."
    Jim came back into the room, bearing a small silver tray with several cups and a coffeepot, and placed it on a table, then filled the cups.
    Lincoln placed the package on the table and motioned for Ely to take some coffee.
    "So you were with Sickles during the fight?"
    "Yes, sir, right up till he was wounded and taken from the field. After that, I felt it was my duty to retire and report on what I had seen."
    'Tell me about it. Everything that's happened this last week. Why were you there with Sickles? What happened?"
    Ely sighed and could not help but shake his head.
    "Go on. I know you're tired, Major, but I want to hear it all."
    "Of course, sir. No, I'm not really tired," he lied. "Well, sir, it's just the waste of it all, sir. It never should have happened.
    "Sir, in brief. General Grant suspected that General Sickles was about to take the Army of the Potomac and cross the Susquehanna River to engage Lee on his own. That was specifically against Grant's orders.
    "General Sickles, as you know, sir, crossed the river and fought Lee at Gunpowder River, and he was soundly defeated."
    "Annihilated is more the word," Elihu interrupted.
    "Sir, I was there throughout. That is why I felt I should come and report to you personally while carrying those dispatches at the same time."
    He paused, taking a long sip of coffee. It was good, darn good, the best he had had in weeks. It hit his empty stomach, and for a second he felt slightly nauseous from it, suppressing a gag. He let it settle, Lincoln still staring at him.
    "Take a minute, Major," Lincoln said, "then you can tell me the rest."
    Lincoln had his shoes off, threadbare stocking feet stretched out, cup in his hand, sipping on it.
    Where do I start? Ely wondered.
    Lincoln put his coffee cup down, reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded paring knife, opened it, and cut the cords wrapped around the dispatch, peeling off the matches attached to the wax seal, and opening the cover.
    He opened a dispatch of several pages and Ely immediately recognized Grant's handwriting. Lincoln scanned the sheet, features impassive, saying nothing, and then passed it to Elihu.
    He picked up a second