Jake was stunned and interrupted the major when he exclaimed, “But my enlistment isn’t up for another three months!”
“I’m aware of that and I’m also sure that you intended to reenlist. But while you were escorting Chief Sitting Bull’s party, I received a telegram from Choteau County Sheriff Zendt. I assume you know him.”
Jake felt sick as he nodded and replied, “Yes, sir.”
When the major seemed reluctant to reveal the telegram’s contents, Jake was even more alarmed. Major Brotherton had seen men die in horrible numbers yet seemed troubled by what he was about to tell him.
“The reason that you’re being mustered out is that you need to return to your family ranch. I’m sorry to tell you that your mother died on the second of July.”
Jake closed his eyes and fought to avoid shedding tears in front of his commanding officer. He loved his mother dearly and couldn’t understand why she had been so abruptly taken from him. She had always seemed almost invulnerable to the many diseases that claimed others.
Jake recovered enough to wonder why her death would make the army prematurely end his enlistment, so he opened his eyes and quietly asked, “Did the sheriff say how she died, sir?”
The major slowly replied, “She was murdered, Jake.”
Jake was so stunned that he ignored his military training as he burst to his feet and shouted, “She was murdered?”
Before the major could answer, Jake said, “I’m sorry, sir,” then returned to his seat.
“Your reaction was understandable, Jake.”
Jake then asked, “But why do I have to leave the army? My father can handle everything. He always has.”
Major Brotherton sighed then said, “Because your father is no longer on the ranch. He was seen riding away after she had been killed and hasn’t been found since. It was your father who murdered your mother.”
The revelation of his mother’s death was bad enough but hearing that his father was the one to commit the heinous act shook Jake to his core. He sat in stunned silence trying to understand how that could have happened.
His commander didn’t say another word but just sat watching Jake. Having to deliver the horrendous news was bad enough, but he couldn’t imagine how horrible it would have been to receive it.
After he’d recovered from the shocking revelation, Jake asked, “Sir, why did it take so long for them to send the telegram?”
“The sheriff didn’t seem to know where you were. He sent it to the War Department where it was forwarded to a few other departments before it was retransmitted to us.”
Jake nodded in acceptance as the major said, “I’m really sorry for your loss and its horrible implications. It’s a long way to Fort Benton. How do you plan to get there? If you want to ride, you can take your horse. We have more horses than men right now.”
Jake shook his head as he answered, “No, sir. I’ll just take the next riverboat. I’ll get there sooner. We have plenty of horses on the ranch.”
Major Brotherton didn’t ask what Jake planned to do when he reached home. He expected that he’d just take over the operation of the family’s large ranch.
Jake needed to think and knew that he wouldn’t be able to make any kind of decision while sitting before his commanding officer.
He asked, “Is that all, sir?”
The major slid the rerouted telegram across his desk then replied, “Go see Sgt. Hammersmith in the payroll office. He’ll have you fill out the mustering out paperwork. Tell him you’re taking a steamboat and he’ll give you a voucher. If you need any help before you leave, just tell Private Wilkerson and he’ll take care of it.”
Jake took the telegram, folded it, then slowly rose.
He said, “Thank you, sir,” then saluted, did a sharp about face and marched out of Major Brotherton’s office.
He didn’t glance at Teddy as he passed and almost forgot to pull his hat back on as he left the building. Once outside, he stepped to the side of the door and read the telegram. He had hoped that it might provide more details, but it didn’t. He slipped it into his pocket then turned to the right to walk to the paymaster office. He knew that Sergeant Hammersmith was expecting him and wondered how many others knew of the telegram before he did. He expected that outside of his company, the entire population of the fort heard the rumor.
Jake entered the office, and just as he removed his hat, a solemn Sgt. Alfred Hammersmith waved him into his smaller back office. He followed the sergeant and after he entered, Sgt. Hammersmith closed the door.
“Have a seat, Jake.”
Jake nodded and sat down while the payroll NCO walked around his desk and took his seat. Jake was able to read the upside-down papers on his desk and wasn’t surprised that they were his mustering out forms.
His discharge paperwork was completed in just ten minutes and his release from his enlistment would be effective tomorrow. He collected his mustering out pay of $62.40 and his voucher to pay for his passage back to Fort Benton before Sgt. Hammersmith slid all of the papers into a thick brown envelope and handed it to him.
_____
After he’d returned to the barracks to prepare for his departure, other soldiers in his company approached him in waves to offer their sympathy. Whether it was heartfelt or just a courtesy didn’t matter to him. When they returned to their own bunks, he set his duffle on the floor before he laid atop his well-made bed and stared at the beams above his head.
He’d read the telegram three more times hoping that some of the letters might have been misinterpreted by the telegrapher. But as much
