'The garrison?'
'What little was here was all but stripped out and sent down to Washington last week. There's the First Connecticut Cavalry based at Federal Hill, several other regiments scattered around the city. It's been hard to keep track of things the last week. Anywhere we attempt to go we are followed by traitors and spies. We are stopped far outside the range of any of the forts or headquarters.'
'The hospitals are packed with wounded coming in from Gettysburg and Union Mills,' Brown interjected. 'A thousand or more, I heard. Also, there are maybe five hundred paroled Union prisoners downtown as well, waiting for the final paperwork for their exchanges along with several hundred Confederate prisoners. At Fort McHenry at least a hundred civilians are being held under guard as well.'
'So your estimate of the fighting strength?'
'As I said,' Kane excitedly jumped back in, 'some of the troops were ordered down to Washington by General Heintzelman. I'd estimate roughly two to three thousand infantry, the regiment of cavalry, some heavy artillery, and that's it'
Kirby smiled and then gladly accepted a second glass of brandy poured by Brown, but this time only sipped from it
'We heard you attacked Washington but not a word of the results. All telegraph lines into and out of Baltimore in every direction are down. Did you take it?'
Kirby shook his head.
'I rather assumed that given you were coming here,' Brown interjected.
'Tell General Stuart this,' Kane said forcefully. 'Come on quickly. There are rumors that the Army of the Potomac is reorganizing at Perryville. If they have word of your coming, they could rush trainloads of troops down here in a matter of hours, man the fortifications, and it will be a bloody price to get in here.'
Kirby smiled.
'We're aware of them, sir.'
'I'll sketch out the fortifications for you if you want, son,' Kane said.
Kirby shook his head.
'Sir, I was told not to be caught carrying any maps or such on me, so I think I'll refrain from that. Just what I can carry in my head. But if you'd draw some rough sketches, I'll try and remember the details.'
Kane nodded and, returning to the table, he called for Brown to bring some papers and a pencil. Minutes later he had produced rough sketches of the primary fortifications guarding Baltimore, Kirby leaning over the table to examine them carefully.
'There are over seventy heavy guns in Fort McHenry, a dozen heavy guns on Federal Hill,' Kane said. 'The garrisons are definitely not front-line troops, but behind fortifications they could be formidable.'
'Suppose rioting should break out in the city?' Kirby asked. 'We don't want anything serious, I'm told to convey that to you. Nothing that could get out of hand, but sufficient to clog roads, prevent the movement of troops, perhaps spread panic with the garrisons.'
Kane looked over meaningfully at Brown.
'Yes, there are thousands waiting for this day.'
Kirby said nothing more, and the two civilians looked at each other and smiled.
Chapter Eleven
General Longstreet, what is the situation?' General Lee, reining in Traveler, looked expectantly at Old Pete, who had been busy shouting orders to several staff officers. The staff, clearly aware of Lee's arrival, hurriedly saluted, turned, and galloped off.
'McLaws's division is deployed for action, sir,' Long-street yelled, in order to be heard above the thunder of a battalion of artillery that was firing less than fifty yards away.
The battalion was wreathed in smoke; General Alexander, newly promoted to command of all artillery for the Army of Northern Virginia, was racing back and forth along the line of guns, motioning another battery into place along the low ridge.
On the flank of the guns, McLaws's division was ready to go, haversacks and equipment dropped in regimental piles, battle lines forming up, officers pacing back and forth nervously. Having ridden up from Ellicott Mills, Lee had just passed Pickett's division, coming on at the double across the open fields.
'Jeb did his job here,' Longstreet announced. 'You can hear his skirmishers forward even now, probing their line.'
'Taking the bridges at Ellicott Mills was a feat,' Lee said in agreement.
His young cavalier was at his best again, the failure before Gettysburg still a goad, a blemish to be redeemed. In a predawn charge he had personally led a brigade into Ellicott, seizing the town, leaving garrison and bridges intact, a feat that had laid Baltimore open to mem. Throughout the day the men of Longstreet's corps had been storming across the bridges, deploying to approach Baltimore from the west side of town.
He raised his field glasses. The town was clearly in sight, high church spires, smokestacks of factories, warehouses, rich homes, all of it wreathed in smoke.
'Is the town burning?' Lee asked.
Longstreet nodded.
'Started around noon.'
'Who started it?'
'It wasn't us, sir. I've held fire back to hit just their fortifications. It must be inside the dry.'
'We've got to get in there before it goes out of control.'
'Here comes Jeb' Longstreet announced
It was indeed Stuart, riding hard on a lathered horse, staff trailing behind him, plumed hat off; he was using it to strike the flank of his horse. Troops seeing him approach let out a rebel yell in greeting.
Grinning, he reined in before Longstreet and Lee.
'A lovely day!' Stuart exclaimed, waving his hat to the sparkling blue skies overhead.
They're abandoning the lines, running in panic, General Lee! Some of my men are already into their fortifications. We need that artillery fire lifted, General Longstreet'
Longstreet shouted an order to a waiting staff officer, who ran off toward Alexander.
'One of my young spies just came through the lines,' Stuart announced, pointing to a sweat-soaked lieutenant behind him.
'Lieutenant Kirby, sir,' and the boy saluted with a flourish.
'Your report, Lieutenant?' Lee asked.
'Sir, it is chaos in the city. The panic started midmorning with the reports that Stuart's cavalry was in sight I tried to get back through during the night but got trapped in an attic loft when I was chased by one of their Loyal League patrols. Fortunately I knew the neighborhood, and a friend of my family hid me. I'm sorry I didn't get back through earlier.'
'That's all right son. I'm glad you are safe.'
'Sir, their garrison is not more man several thousand, but a panic just exploded around noon. Deserters are pouring into the city, many of them heading down to Fort McHenry. Word is the commander there is threatening to shell the city.'
'He wouldn't dare,' Stuart grumbled 'That's against all rules of civilized warfare.'
'He just might,' Longstreet replied.
'Is that what started the fires?'
'I couldn't tell for sure, sir. I did hear some artillery fire. The family mat was hiding me, they said that fighting is breaking out in the streets between the Loyal League and those on our side. It's getting ugly.'
'How so?'
'Burning, sir. Hangings, executions.' 'General Stuart, did you leave the northern roads open as ordered?'
