Coffee Bluff, Page 4

with no hope of reinforcements or resupply. At best they could hope to hold off Sherman's army for a day or two before they were injured or killed. For their part, they would maim and kill as many of my friends as they possibly could before they were themselves injured or killed.

  “Well, man? Cat got your tongue? Where is it?”

  I swallowed. Julia won't be fooled. She'll recognize me and say my name. I pulled my cap down low and waited for the carriage to pull away and for this to be over.

  Baker hobbled forward one step. Apparently he wasn't so concerned as I about being recognized. Of course he wasn't going to be stood in front of a firing squad if he was remembered, either.

  “The fort is about two miles across the marsh there, to the south-southwest,” he said.

  Julia was staring at me with her eyes wide. If she knew me and acknowledged me, it would be my death. Surely she knew that. I hoped that the rags, the beard, and the cane were adequate disguise. My life, perhaps her life, and the fate of Savannah hung on her reactions. I knew I needed to hide my face or turn away, but I couldn't. I stood there like a tree and watched Julia look from me to Baker and back to me.

  Branch stood up in the carriage and looked in the wrong direction. “Where? I don't see it, man.” as if it were Chester's fault the fort wasn't visible.

  “Look further to the right,” Baker said. “Alls yer going to see from here is the tree-line.”

  Julia had recovered somewhat from her surprise: “We've been traveling for over an hour,” she said. She fiddled with her parasol and smiled at me uncertainly.

  She doesn't recognize me! The beard, the cane, and the filthy clothes are a pretty effective disguise. You've gotten even more beautiful in the last four years, Julia. And I have gotten rather less beautiful. I surveyed the callow, overdressed young dandy sitting beside Julia. And you, dear Julia, are wasted on your present company.

  Baker was breathing like he was in a footrace. He pointed across the marsh and found his voice. “You won't be able to see the fort, but can you see that little column of smoke there? That will be the Montauk, a Yankee gunboat, moving into position to engage the fort from the river. The fort is just to the right of it, ma'am.”

  Branch sat down. “Drive forward onto the grass, Herb,” he said. “We'll dismount there.” Herb's answer was a slap of the reins; the carriage jerked and rolled away.

  That's right, Alexander Branch, you got what you wanted. You can ignore us now.

  Against my will, I watched the receding Julia. She was staring back at me. Her eyebrows were arched and her lips made a small dark circle. I became aware that Baker was staring at me too. Alternating expressions of surprise and consternation crossed his face. I looked down at the ground then, and let the bill of my cap hide my face.

  The soldiers lost interest and moved back into the saloon. Jake and Harry followed. I drew in a long breath, it was the first time I had breathed in a while. I turned away. It was time to concentrate on surviving and getting my message to the General.

  I glanced back at Baker, he was standing, holding the door of his saloon open with his left hand and leaning on his crutch, watching me. Without my willing it, my left hand raised in a little wave. Reluctantly, Baker returned the salute.

  I turned and faced up the road. A chuckle escaped me. I took a step forward and the ridiculousness of the situation descended on me full force. Tears formed in my eyes, and my laugh grew into a guffaw. When I stopped to breathe I became aware that, behind me, Baker was still standing outside the front door to his establishment, laughing out loud.

  The empty dirt road stretched out invitingly to the north. It looked like success, freedom and survival.

  On the 13th of December, 1864, Fort McAllister fell after a sharp (134 U. S. casualties, and 71 C. S. casualties (of 120 men total)) twenty minute battle. On December 20th, the ten-thousand man Savannah Garrison built a floating bridge consisting of boats and cotton flats and escaped overnight across the Savannah River into South Carolina. On December 22nd, General Sherman's army marched into the city. Sherman sent his famous telegram to President Lincoln, presenting the city of Savannah as a Christmas present on December 24th.

  Thanks for reading Coffee Bluff. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it. If you enjoyed Coffee Bluff you might also enjoy the sequel; Occupy Savannah. Luke, Chester and Julia collide once again during Sherman's army's short occupation of Savannah.

  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 Coffee Bluff 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: SciFi; 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.

  Occupy Savannah: Short story Coffee Bluff sequel. Luke, Chester and Julia collide again.