Gods and Generals - Jeff Shaara [43]
“Gentlemen, please remain here for a few moments,” Houston said. “I would like to speak to Colonel Lee.”
The men sat back down, expressionless, and Houston led the way outside, down the stone steps, into the cool December air.
From a distance, Lee saw people stop, staring. There were waves and greetings. Houston was the most beloved Texan of his day, and Lee could see it in the faces.
“We may draw a crowd, Governor.”
“They’ll keep their distance, they usually do. I never get tired of hearing the calls, though, the warmth. I just wish these people would understand . . . they are on a reckless course.”
Lee did not speak, knew there was a reason for this, felt very comfortable speaking with the big man.
“I take it you and General Twiggs do not often confide.”
Lee nodded. “No, I believe he sees me as General Scott’s spy.”
“Are you?”
Lee smiled. “Certainly not. I rarely see the commanding general these days. General Scott is a good man, Governor. It is a shame to see him grow old.”
“We are all growing old, Colonel. The important thing is to grow old doing the right thing. Forgive me for saying so, Colonel, but I do not believe your commander here is doing the right thing.”
“General Twiggs? I do not pass judgment on my superiors, Governor.”
Houston laughed. “Well put, Mr. Lee.”
They walked around a corner, and Lee glanced up, knew Twiggs’s office window was just above them.
“Tell me, Colonel. As a Virginian, are you sympathetic to the Southern cause?”
“Governor, forgive me, but I have learned that with events, emotions, as they are now, it is best for a military commander to keep his opinions to himself. It seems there is a lot of hostility in the air. An army that is swayed by politics and rumors stops being much of an army.”
“Colonel, I regret to say that these days we are all swayed by politics, whether we choose to be or not. And it is not a rumor . . . your army is falling apart around you. Your commander is about to jump ship and throw his command to the wolves. And I believe the new President is about to send troops to stop a rebellion . . . maybe right here.”
Lee stopped walking and said, “Do you really see that . . . do you think this lack of reason will prevail?”
“Colonel, you heard what I said up there. The state of Texas is about to vote to withdraw from the Union. I have spoken with the governors of four other states, all of whom support secession, and all of whom expect their states to follow South Carolina.”
This was all new to Lee. He suddenly felt very small. “Governor, will God allow this to happen?” Lee knew it was a question Houston could not answer.
“Colonel, I know of your duty in Mexico, your duty here. I know you to be a good soldier, and I believe you are a decent man. I must admit to feeling a good bit isolated these days. I am wondering if I am the only one around here who believes that there is a bountiful surplus of stupidity in all this.”
Lee glanced up, toward Twiggs’s office, thought of the harsh talk from his officers, the rising anger, the feeling that the world was falling out of control.
“Governor, allow me to say you have a gift for words.”
8. HANCOCK
December 1860
“COME IN, Captain, thank you for coming. Pleasure to finally meet you.”
Hancock felt wary, moved into the small office slowly, and the man said again, pleasantly, with a warmth Hancock did not expect and did not trust, “Come in, please.”
“I received your invitation, Mr. Hamilton. The note said you had a message for me.”
“Yes, yes, we’ll get to that in a moment. Please, sit down. We have some coffee, if you would like. Cigar?”
“No, that’s all right, thank you.”
Hancock looked around the newspaperman’s cluttered office, saw clippings tacked to the wall, some framed, some loose, large headlines, small columns. There were pages from cities back East, from papers Hancock had read in St. Louis and Philadelphia.
“Surprised we haven’t actually met before now.”
Hancock looked at the man, saw a small bald head on a short round body, and he studied the face, looked