She stomped a few times to restore circulation to her feet and curled her hands inside her gloves. This little jaunt had already cost her several hours and the rental fee for the ATV. Perhaps it was time to cut her losses and go home. Or maybe ride around for a while. She’d already spent the money and it did look fun. She cruised out to an open area and played with the controls, going forward and back, fast and slow. She wondered if her dad had ever ridden one. It would have been right up his alley.
The roar of another vehicle caught her attention and she slipped back into the brush and cut her engine. While she’d been fooling around, she’d missed Anne’s arrival. The same man who had demonstrated the three-wheeler to her, was now showing Bob and Anne how to work a larger vehicle. They loaded up the back with several bags, more than seemed necessary for a picnic, and strapped the kid, Anne’s daughter, into the back seat. Diamond wondered why they had brought the child along, but they had taken her out on the boat as well. Maybe Anne couldn’t find a babysitter.
What are they doing? She had the feeling they were looking for something. Something near Reelfoot Lake. Something valuable? Dangerous? Worth killing over? A tingle darted down Diamond’s spine. She was on to something. When they took off, she followed, being careful to stay as far back as she could and not lose them. They headed towards the Mississippi River. She had no idea what they were searching for, but she knew an awesome story was just within her grasp.
Two
Chapter 2
March 13, 1862, New Madrid, Missouri
The Union Army camped outside the small town of New Madrid. The Confederate soldiers defending the town shelled them daily, but the enemy didn’t budge. A week earlier, the Yankees sent troops against the town, but heavy artillery thwarted their advance. Now they sat beyond the city limits, a growing throng of thousands.
Jesse had nearly become accustomed to the constant bombardment, though his ears rang even after the mighty guns ceased firing. Outnumbered and unlikely to receive reinforcements soon, the Confederate forces faced certain defeat, but Jesse’s main concern was for his sister, who was alone, except for their slaves, at the family farm on the outskirts of town. The area was now under Union control and he had no way of knowing if she was safe.
His buddy, Cole, a neighbor who had enlisted in the same regiment, assured him that Janet could take care of herself. “Your sister is a formidable woman. She’ll be hiding somewhere.”
“You’re probably right.” He and his friend were on picket duty. Two forts protected New Madrid, Fort Thompson and Fort Bankhead. He and Cole were stationed at Bankhead and tasked with patrolling the perimeters of the town. He should have insisted Janet move into town where he could keep an eye on her. He respected her fortitude, but it was only March and still cold. A week ago, it had snowed. He hated the thought of her without shelter and protection, and couldn’t count on the slaves’ loyalty. He wouldn’t blame them if they had run off, seeking a chance at freedom. Or the Yankees might have confiscated them if they knew of Jesse’s status as a Rebel and his father’s position as part of Missouri’s government in exile. Slavery was still legal in Missouri, but the slaves of enemy soldiers could be taken as spoils of war.
“It’s our farms we should worry about,” Cole continued. “The feds will strip them of livestock and stored food and may burn the rest.”
Jesse winced at the thought of his family home going up in flames. As a young man, his father had bought a plot of land in Missouri and used his inheritance to build a fine Georgian home and start a profitable farm growing wheat, cotton and much of their own food. He’d married a New Madrid girl and they’d produced three children before Jesse’s mother succumbed to a fever. Still, things were more easily replaced than people. “Houses can be rebuilt and fields resown,” he said.
“Not without slaves.”
“They build houses in the north, too.”
“Who has funds for paid labor?”
“Buying slaves is a major investment. If the government would compensate us for our property, we could put that money towards wages.”
Cole grunted. “Tell me again why you joined the Confederacy and your brother went for the Union?”
They walked to the end of the street and surveyed the surrounding area. New Madrid sat at a bend in the Mississippi River and often flooded during high water. The entire area was marshy. The fields were fertile, but in March, mud ruled, and the nearby Union camp was mired to their ankles. Still, the Yankees showed no sign of retreat.
“Father decided who would go where. My own conscience was divided. I would like to see an end to slavery, but am at heart, a Southerner, and can’t condone Northern Aggression.”
“So, your dad told Jack to join the Union and you the Confederacy and you both complied? No muss, no fuss?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t listen to your father.” He knew Cole’s father to be a hard drinker and the old man had a heavy hand when drunk. “It’s our duty as sons.”
“But why would
