The Saga of Robert E
by
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It is mid March, 1865, and the last few weeks of the Civil War. A fierce battle is raging between a Union cavalry unit and a combination of Confederate infantry and cavalry. The screams of pain of the dying and wounded are only drowned out by the murderous gunfire. The stench of fresh blood and death is overcome by the smell of gun smoke. The sound of cannon fire is no longer heard since the overwhelming attack of the Union cavalry has been so drastic and compelling that the big guns are abandoned. It is man against man. A vivid nightmare in reality. In this onslaught, the Union forces have again outnumbered the Rebel forces at least three to one and the tide of battle has turned into an imminent defeat. As the Rebels begin falling back, four of their officers make a break down a road through the forest.
In the heat of the onslaught, the relentless Union Captain is far ahead of his men and is a witness to this retreat. He has just reloaded his Colt revolver and without hesitation, gun in hand, and being the true leader in battle, yells, “We’ve got’em on the run! Let’s get’em!”
With that, he heads full stride after them knocking over a Rebel soldier as he heads toward the road they are taking. His horse is a magnificent beast and readily closes the gap between them. He is a battle savvy veteran and knows all the tricks of the trade. He has learned well from the enemy. He watches carefully the men on horseback ahead of him for he knows well the lengthy procedure for reloading his ball and cap Colt and doesn’t wish to waste one precious shot. The man in the rear merely reaches over his shoulder and fires blindly at the Union Captain hoping for a lucky hit or to un-nerve him.
The Captain rides smoothly and steadily with no bounce in his saddle as he aims his revolver. One shot and the Rebel is knocked out of his saddle when the .45 caliber ball crashes into his back. The Yankee never slows down as he passes the now riderless horse.
Again, he is carefully watching for any offensive motion. He is drawing closer as the next man, now in the rear, turns in his saddle to
fire. The Yankee’s aim is again perfect. Blood spurts from the Rebel’s neck as he is literally knocked out of his saddle. This time, the Captain is slowed down by the man falling from his horse. One of the other two men grabs the opportunity to take a shot. He fires at the Yankee officer. The Yankee has already pulled the hammer back and immediately fires back. A little too hasty. A miss! He takes another quick shot at the Rebel. Another miss, but it causes the Rebel to retreat.
Once free from the confused and riderless horse, the chase is on again. The men have gained some ground from him and are rounding a curve out of the Union officer’s sight for a second or two. He has to slow his gait to a walk as he advances to the curve, gun cocked and held in position to take a shot. Sure enough, as he approaches the curve, the third man has dismounted and fires at him. He answers with a quickly, but, this time, a deadly aimed shot and the man lurches backward. Now, he wonders, “Where is that fourth man?”
A shot rings out as a horseman suddenly bounds from the brush! The Union officer then feels something hit him on the right side of his head near his eye. In a smooth reflex motion, he fires at the man on horseback. The Rebel jerks the reins and causes his horse to fall with him. Since the falling Rebel is to the Captain’s right, he quickly dismounts putting his horse between them. The Rebel’s horse staggers up and off leaving its rider lying on the ground. The dying Rebel officer looks as if he is trying to say something. The Captain walks over to him and sees he is still trying to fire his weapon. His hand goes limp and he slumps back.
The Captain looks down at him as he holsters his now empty revolver. Everything is suddenly blurring. He wipes the side of his head with the back of his hand and sees the blood covering it. He staggers back to his horse and, with great effort, pulls himself up into the saddle. He slowly and aimlessly rides off, but in the same direction they had been traveling.
And so begins, “THE SAGA OF ROBERT E”.
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About the Book
George Custis is a battle savvy
After regaining his memory and returning to his regiment he finds himself in a myriad of adventures that are fast moving'' and will delight the reader with their twists. A romantic thread is woven throughout the saga and creates only one of the great twists experienced.
About the Author
Verne Foster is retired Air Force and also firefighter that became interested in historical locations and events while researching his family genealogy. He became quite interested in the Civil War Era when he found his paternal grandfather was a Union Captain in the war and his maternal great grandfather was a Corporal in the Confederate Army.
This relationship caused him to delve further into the history of the war and the people who were involved. His research made him so familiar with these people that he felt as if he knew them personally. Such greats as Robert E. Lee, Nathan Bedford Forrest, U.S. Grant, Sheridan, and even Abe Lincoln.
In this literary novel, no detail was left to question. Each item was researched for reality and dates remain the glue that holds the events together. Thus, “The Saga of Robert E” was born.