Major Luis Castro (eBook)

Laszlo Endrody (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2019 | 1. Auflage
258 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
978-1-5439-8224-4 (ISBN)

Infos

Major Luis Castro's cunning ability to strategize makes him invaluable to the Confederate Army-but it's his ability to empathize that not only furthers his post-Civil War career, but saves his life. Tough as nails, but only when he needs to be, Castro goes to great lengths to live by the Golden Rule. He plays an integral role in driving the Mexican Army out of Texas and back into Mexico, saving hundreds of captives from slavery, and paving the way for the Southern Pacific Railroad to cross through Texas.

Textauszug

1

I first met Lieutenant Colonel Stokes when he came up to us with a white flag, I looked him over in the glasses and decided to go out there and talk to him. Just yesterday, we pushed back the Yankees out of the valley with the help of two other regiments. They had lost a lot of men; the count was already over 600. The Yankees had things their way for so long that they did not expect what we did to them. When my Sergeant Major and I got out there between our lines we introduced ourselves; John Stokes introduced the sergeant that walked out with him, so I introduced Sergeant May Murphy. I asked Stokes what outfit and he told me First Cavalry, I told him First Texas Cavalry. He asked me where my horses were, and I told him that we were saving them in the back, “Of course you can send some more over like you did this morning,” I joked.

“That is why I am here,” Stokes pronounced. “That horse was General Johnson’s stud horse that got away. He must’ve heard a mare over on your side and took off.”

“Well, you lost eight men trying to get it back,” I replied. “You mean to tell me that your General sent a Colonel over here to try to negotiate his horse back?” I laughed.

“I actually volunteered for the detail. I knew that it was stupid to ask for a horse back. The only thing we have to trade is a Private prisoner, his name is Fitzsimmons. The real reason I came was to ask you a favor.”

“I am listening.”

“My son was shot off his horse yesterday and taken prisoner. My Corporal put a tourniquet on his leg, so he may be alive. All I would like to know is if he survived the day or not. I know that this is sort of irregular, trying to get information this way, but he is the only son I have and it is driving me nuts.”

“Let me go and look for that horse. Let’s meet here again in two hours.”

We walked back to our line and I asked Murphy to go back and see if we have a Lieutenant Stokes. I laid down and tried to get a little shut eye, everything I had to do was done. When I awoke, Captain Boulder asked me what the meeting was all about, and I told him that they wanted the stud horse back and are offering Private Fitzsimmons in trade. Captain Boulder recommended sending a little rocking horse back to the general, I told him that it was a good idea. He went off and I went back to sleep. Murphy woke me up apologizing, he told me that Lieutenant Stokes was back there along with four other badly wounded officers. “The doctor told me to tell you that he has no time for them, none of them will fight again.”

“Fine, detail some men and get all five of them up here,” I ordered. “I am waiting for Captain Boulder to come back with a rocking horse, he has somebody making one up.”

When it was time, I sent Captain Boulder out there to meet Stokes and instructed him to tell the colonel to meet again in one hour with ten men to carry stretchers and I instructed him to send Private Fitzsimmons home or bring him with. We were trading five officers and a horsey for Private Fitzsimmons.

Colonel Stokes asked Boulder, “Am I hearing what I think I am hearing?”

“That is what Major Castro told me to tell you.”

“What is Major Castro in charge of?”

“He is our regimental Colonel.”

“Wonderful,” Stokes remarked, and he offered his hand to Boulder.

When Boulder came back, he told me that Colonel Stokes was very happy. Half an hour later, Private Fitzsimmons walked across with the white flag. Captain Boulder asked him a bunch of questions then told him to go back to his unit. Finally, a Corporal brought a little rocking horse that he put together in a hurry; it actually resembled a horse. The wounded arrived, the doctor sent eight of them, three Yankee Privates. He told one of our Corporals to tell me that he had no medication for them. I told Murphy to go out there with the three Privates and tell Stokes that five more were coming next. Stokes was busy hollering for a doctor and more men, he gave Murphy two bottles and told him to give one to Major Castro, “Tell him God bless him, he made a friend.” I watched all of this in my glasses. As soon as Murphy came back, I sent the five officers. I told Murphy to give the rocking horse to the colonel and to tell him that it was for his General. I watched Murphy and Stokes in my glasses, Stokes took the wooden horse and laughed. They took all of the wounded. Stokes shook hands with Murphy, then he looked over in my direction and gave me a salute. He had his boy back.

The next day, I received orders to fall back. I called in my battalion commanders and told them that we were falling back, nobody was very happy about it. Of course, we did not see the whole picture like General Hood. We were to fall back until he contacted an artillery battalion behind us, and they were to consolidate with us under my command. I got Captain Mason to take a platoon of horse soldiers and contact the artillery battalion. Then, I ordered Lieutenant Darvin to stand by with a platoon of cavalry in the woods out of sight. I instructed all, “The line of companies are to take every other man and fall back at oh-nine-hundred the next morning. The Yankees will send some cavalry after us to harass our rear or to recon our intentions. I want the remaining men out of sight, and when the cavalry is even with them, shoot them down. Lieutenant Darvin, you will then come in behind them and bring their horses, see if we can pick up a few NAGS. Then the rest of the men will fall back.” We had a battalion A8 rear guard with a good field of fire back in position where our line was five days ago.

The next morning, we had done everything on schedule and everything worked out perfectly. We gained 22 horses. They lost over 30 troopers. It took them an hour to get a company of troopers behind us to harass our rear, but they were very careful. When we got to our old position, our rearguard got about 25 to 30 of them and then they road back out of range.

Captain Mason came in that night and reported contact with our artillery battalion. He told me that they had 18 heavies and five light Napoleons; they had 25 rounds left for the light guns and 14 for the heavies. They had been promised ammo and supplies and were waiting on it, 600 rounds for the heavies and 400 for the light guns. I told Mason that we would start falling back at 0400 in the morning and I would ride back with him and organize our defenses. I told Major Smith, my second, to bring the troops and to send Lieutenant Darvin with all the mounted troops back at 1300 and I would organize our rearguard. When I got back to the artillery unit, I met there BNCO, a Captain Wise. We had a long narrow valley with high ground on both sides. We placed all the guns so we could cover the whole valley. A Colonel Wolf Road in and told me that our supplies would be coming the next day. We had two big infantry units on both sides of us. He showed me on his map what was going on. It would be our job to stop the enemy, their normal route of advance would be down our valley.

When Major Smith arrived with the troops there was no sign of the Yankees. We had a lot of horses to feed now, since our artillery battalion had 75 horses. Captain Mason had his hands full just grazing the animals. The following day, our supply wagons arrived, we worked our men in shifts getting the powder and shot up to the guns. With the 24 wagons we gained 96 horses. Four of the wagons were loaded with oats, and we also got a wagon full of pinto beans and another full of cornmeal. We had orders to hold the wagons in case we had to shift positions.

Finally, the Yankees arrived. They formed their line just outside of our valley; they did not know, but we had them barricaded in. We had a false line of defense in front of our real line that they did not detect. When attacked, they would fall back with the enemy following and lure the Yankees closer. I told Captain Wise that as soon as the Yankees attack to use two light guns from the back and open up on them with two guns only. Two days later they attacked. About halfway to our false line the two guns opened up. They did considerable damage. The false line fell back and then all of the rifles on line opened up. It was so bad that the Yankees were recalled. A lot of our men went out and got themselves some shoes, pants, blankets, pistols, rifles and ammunition off the fallen men. They had wounded out there, so I told Murphy to get a white rag and tell the Yankees to get 24 men, a doctor and an officer to gather their wounded. The Yankees got their wounded and we buried two of our men.

We saw the Yankees messing some troops, they were getting ready to try again. I told Captain Wise to use three light guns and one heavy. When the Yankees were halfway across, Captain Wise opened up on them and our line started firing soon after. The Yankees recalled the men, they had about 100 dead out there. The Yankees sent a Sergeant with a white flag and he asked if they could get their wounded. I told Murphy when he went out to talk to tell them that they could have the wounded. We did not lose anyone. After dark, our men went out to get some shoes and boots and they brought in some guns again. I told them to pass the word not to go too far.

In the morning, the Yankees brought up ten Napoleons. Captain Wise told me that with four of our heavies he could reach those guns. I told him to start firing as soon as the light was bright enough. Captain Wise did a beautiful job. He got six of them and the Yankees came with the horses to pull...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 9.8.2019
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Historische Romane
• ISBN-10: 1-5439-8224-7 / 1543982247
• ISBN-13: 978-1-5439-8224-4 / 9781543982244