Gods and Generals - Jeff Shaara [44]
“Fine uniform you have there, Captain. I’ve heard you’ve been a captain for quite a while. Any chance of a promotion soon? Certainly you deserve one. You’re in charge of a wide area, a good deal of responsibility, and a good reputation too. A man who knows his duty.”
“Staff officers aren’t promoted as quickly as the line, the men in the field. If there’s a vacancy above me, there’s always a chance I will be considered.”
A brief look on Hamilton’s face betrayed him, and Hancock now saw he wanted more, wanted him to say something about the army, make some complaint. He stiffened in his chair, felt foolish for having given the man even a small piece of information. He was cautious now, felt that behind the charm, the polite banter, this man could not be trusted.
“Well, Captain, I hope your fortunes change. That is, in fact, why I asked you to stop by. Have you heard the news from back East? The election?”
Hancock said nothing, knew the word would be received soon, it had only been three weeks.
“No? I thought not. I seem to get the news before most here. My job, you know. A newspaperman learns to talk to a great many people, make a great many friends, people who love to pass along information. Fact is, Captain, there’s a steamer anchored this morning on the coast, just arrived from the Isthmus. The captain brings me the newspapers, and in return he goes home with a little gold. A fine arrangement, works with most of those fellows, certainly works for me. Let’s see. . . .” Hamilton bent down, reached under his desk, lifted up a newspaper and pretended to read. Hancock knew there was some game being played, some little piece of strategy that Hamilton was enjoying.
“Mr. Hamilton, I should return to my post. You said you had a message for me?”
“Oh, certainly, Captain, forgive me. It’s just, well, when events happen around us that are certain to change our lives, well, it’s momentous. Today is such a day!”
“How? What has happened?” Hancock began to lose patience, leaned forward with his hands on the desk. Hamilton did not flinch, and Hancock thought to himself, Careful, this man does not intimidate, too much arrogance. Find out what he knows.
“Captain, the election, as you know, was held just a few weeks ago. What we greatly feared has happened. All of us who value the sanctity of our freedoms, those of us who treasure the sacred right of the American people to determine our own futures, are sickened, sir, mortified at the outcome. Mr. Abraham Lincoln has been elected President of the United States. The Democrats beat themselves, split their vote between Breckenridge and Bell, a foolish, fatal mistake.”
Hancock absorbed the news, had not believed it would happen, had thought Breckenridge would carry the vote.
“I take it by your silence, Captain, you do not approve of Mr. Lincoln?”
Hancock stood up. “Is there anything else, Mr. Hamilton? I really must be leaving.”
“Please, Captain, a moment more. Please, sit.”
“If you have a point, sir, please make it.”
“Really, Captain, there is no need for that tone. I have no ill feeling toward the army, and certainly not toward you. I have an instinct for these things, Captain. I sense you have your own strong feelings about Mr. Lincoln, and I know that you are in fact a Democrat.”
Hancock felt a curiosity, wanted to leave, but more, wanted to know what Hamilton was up to. “Go on.”
“Captain, I’m sure you have heard, from your own sources, that the army is going to face a severe crisis because of this election. I know that in San Francisco this news is going to be received, is being received, with a great deal of anger, and I also know that many good men, officers of high rank, will resign from the army and return to their homes in the southern states. Many men, men you know well, I’m sure, anticipate hostilities to break out. Mr. Lincoln is a misguided fool, a puppet for the radical elements in the North who want nothing less than total domination and control over the South.” Hancock said nothing.
“Forgive me,