Free The Sword by Gilbert Morris Page B

doors opened and slammed, and soldiers went into General Stratton’s office and then came back out, barely glancing at the bearded young officer from the 1st U.S. Cavalry waiting in his outer room.
    And then General Stratton opened his door himself. Stratton was a lean, hungry-looking individual with hawklike features. He had the red eyes of a drinker. He was known to be a good officer, however. He called to Jeb, “Lieutenant Stuart, please come in.”
    “Yes, General.” Springing to his feet, he went into the office. It wasn’t as ornate as he expected, although Jeb admitted to himself that he’d had little enough to do with generals.
    Before he could say a word about his invention, Stratton said,“I’ve got a duty for you, Lieutenant. I know you came here of your own doing, but there’s something you must do for me.”
    “Certainly, General, you just name it.”
    “I need for you to take a message personally to Robert E. Lee. You’re acquainted with Colonel Lee, if I’m not mistaken?”
    “Yes, sir, he was the commander at West Point when I was there.”
    “A very serious matter has occurred. There’s been a rebellion led by a man named John Brown. Have you heard of him, Stuart?”
    “Yes, sir. I even met him once. Old Osawatomie Brown. He was causing trouble in Kansas. He is always causing trouble.”
    “That’s the man, all right. I’ve written this letter to order Colonel Lee to take charge of a force. Brown and his men have taken the arsenal at Harpers Ferry. They are trapped in the engine house, and they have hostages. We have sent ninety U.S. Marines ahead, because we have no army units close, only local militia. You might as well know what the orders are. Colonel Lee is to take command of all forces in Harpers Ferry and arrest John Brown and the other mutineers. The War Department has authorized him to use any means necessary to do so. Please hurry, Lieutenant.”
    “Yes, General, I’ll leave immediately.”

    Lieutenant Stuart arrived at Arlington, the Lees’ gracious white-columned mansion, just a few hours later. They visited only briefly, for Stuart’s message, and the orders he carried, were urgent. No train was available, but the War Department sent a locomotive to take Colonel Lee to Harpers Ferry. Jeb asked to go along as his aide, and Lee agreed. Just before they left, he telegraphed ahead for all action to stop until he was there.
    The two men talked of old times at West Point. Lee was interested in Jeb’s career, news about the Indians, the Stuart family, every detail of Stuart’s life. Stuart remembered that Commander Lee had always been this way with the cadets.
    The train arrived at Harpers Ferry, and they immediately leftthe car. Lee was in civilian dress, a black suit, well-tailored and neatly pressed. He looked like a prosperous merchant on holiday. But he was a soldier and a leader, and he took charge immediately.
    “What is the situation, Lieutenant Green?” he asked as soon as they arrived.
    Lieutenant John Green, head of the militia, summed up the action briefly. He was a short young man, well built, with a thick, solid neck and a pair of steady gray eyes.
    “Brown has raised a rebellion, and there are at least a dozen men dead, including the mayor of Harpers Ferry. We are pretty sure he has about thirty hostages. And sir, one of them is Colonel Lewis Washington.” He was George Washington’s great-grandnephew.
    “Indeed?” Lee asked. “Do we know of the well-being of the hostages?”
    “Sir, we don’t know, but we think that none of them have been harmed. Old John Brown has been communicating, somewhat, with us. He doesn’t seem to intend to harm his hostages. Not now, anyway.”
    “Where are the mutineers now?”
    “They’re in the engine house, Colonel.”
    “Take us there, sir.”
    “Yes, Colonel, this way.” Green led them to a solid brick structure about thirty feet by thirty feet.
    The doors were stoutly battened. Lee considered it, then asked,