Novel Description Book 1
English Version: Jan 21tth, 2025
Book 1 - North and South
Published at Harcourt Brance Jovanovich, Feb 1982, 812 pages, todays ISBN 0-451-20081-0
(Cover 1st U.S. edition, 25th (todays) U.S. edition
Contents
Book 1 - North and South
Book One: Answer The Drum (chapters 1 - 16)
Book Two: Friends And Enemies (chapters 17 - 32)
Book Three: "The Cords That Bind Are Breaking One By One" (chapters 33 - 58)
Book Four: March Into Darkness (chapters 59 - 70)
Book 1 - North and South
Prologue: Two Fortunes
1686: The Charcoal Burner's Boy
Joseph Moffat (12), son of
Bess and his stepfather, the poor charcoal burner Thad Windom, is interrested
in many things and works in the iron foundry Archer in England. His father, the
farmer Robert Moffat and advocate of Presbyterianism, had been tortured to
death at the beginning of the Dike of York's (and later King Jacob II,) time in
office. Bess therafter had fled with Joseph to the Severn River in southern
Shropshire and found herself in a marriage with Thad Windom who developed to
quite a tyrant. Without knowledge of the narrow-minded stepfather, Joseph
learns how to read and write by forman Giles Hazard. Joseph intercepts when
That again beats his mother up and kills his stepfather in an affect. Bess dies
on her wounds. Unter the codename Hazard, Joseph reaches the sea port of
Bristol, works under Captain Smollet on the "Mow of Portsmouth" and
finally reaches America.
1687: The Aristocrat
During the political clearing out phase by King Louis XIV.,
Charles de Main and his wife Jeanny fell in disgrace. His escape plan from the
Chateau de Main was revealed by his untrue lawyer Emilion and they both were
thrown to the carcer, where Jeanne is being tortured until she gets mentally
ill. With the help of an influencal uncle, they escape to London and on to
America. At the harbor of Charles Town (later Charleston), they cross paths
with Joseph "Hazard" without knowing each other. Charles Main, as he
calls himself now and works on building a future for him, first rides around
with halfblooded "King Sebastian" to capture Indians as slaves.
Because Jeanne wasn't able to deliver children for him, he calculatingly goes
down on a young Indian woman and receives a son and thus ensures the survival
of his family line.
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Book One: Answer The Drum
Chapter 1
In 1842, Orry Main (16) meets George during a clash with fraudulent baggage carriers in New York, who himself is accompanied by William, Maude, Stanley, Virgilia and Billy Hazard. Virgilia offers her first abolitionistic views to him.
Together, George and Orry resume there trip to the military academy of West Point.
Chapter 2
George and Orry enter West Point, receive a relatively
unfriendly and military welcome and have to get accustomed to the ways things
are done there first. Cadet Elkanah Bent is of fat statue and is quickly
sweating when in action. This way, with his unfairly harsh treatments, he is a
repelling in every way. Being an upper class Cadet, he is ordered to be the
drill instructor for the group around George and Orry.
Chapter 3
The Hazard family (without
Virgilia) are visiting West Point. Orry is invited to lunch with them in a
hotel and gets to know them better. Later, Orry's older brother Cooper Main
(23) pays a visit and gets acquainted with George. Cooper is on his way back
home from Lehigh Station, where he, on Orry's advice, discussed with Hazard
Iron on parts for a steam-powered mill.
Secretly at night, George
and Orry sneak out to Benny Haven outside the academy, but Cadet Bent finds
them there. They run from him, and he breaks into the frozen lake. On Orry's
pleading, the save Bent, but get put on report nonetheless. Orry has to do
extra guard duty dispite being severely ill from the action at the lake, but
Bent threatens to blackmail him.
Bent soon is reassigned
and no longer harasses the cadet group directly. He now takes on newly arriving
cadets.
Chapter 4
Cooper Main returns to Mont Royal and delivers report to his father Tillet Main (48). The head of family strictly opposes any thoughts on industries and free labor that got a hold in Cooper's mind from the visit up North
Chapter 5
George gets promoted to Corporal for their second summer
camp in 1843. His attempts to get Orry engaged with ladies fail on his friend's
inexperience. Even a visit at laundry woman and local whore Alice Peet ends
awkwardly.
Chapter 6
Orry meets Madeline Fabray in her overturned carriage as he
returns home for the first time after two years at the academy. The carriage
made the accident due to heavy rains having swept away the road in parts.
The Main family spends the summer time at their retreat
Summerville. Cousin Charles lives with them from the beginning since his
parents were drowned at the sinking of a ferry. Charles is a stray kid,
recusing himself from the aristocratic life, prefers playing with black
children in the dirt and has no manners whatsoever.
The owner of the neighbouring plantation Resolute, Justin
LaMotte, is a very good-looking man and is able to show irresistable charme if
necessary. But behind that facade, he has a cruel character. The main
plantation building once was a beauty but time takes its toll on it in the
absence of care. Due to the hard and relentless management, the plantation
shows no good profits economically as well. Besides Justin, at Resolute are
also residing his older brother Francis LaMotte, his mentally weak wife (is not
mentioned in person anywhere) and their son Forbes
The wedding of Justin and
Madeline LaMotte takes place just days after Orry's return for vacation, and the
Main family is invited as neighbors. But since their meeting at the wedding
celebration, Orry and Madeline both feel a strong bond connecting them.
In a flashback it is told how Justin gets to know wealthy
sugar industrialist Nicholas Fabray during a gaming trip to New Orleans,
sneakily acquires his confidence and declares his courtship for Nicholas'
daughter Madeline being 15 years younger than himself. After a long time of
waiting, and also after Nicholas Fabray getting quite ill from a stroke, Madeline
accepted.
Chapter 7
After Cadet Bent had
worked the young and feverishly ill cadet Isham nearly to death, George and his
comrades intercept and get Bent dismissed from the academy. But Bent re-appears
just after five weeks, only in lower rank and without permission to training
others. Therefore, he graduated for the infantry only.
Chapter 8
George and Orry graduate from the academy. Orry es sent to
the infantry due to his meager results in writing, and George, being near the
top of their class, steps down to serve in the infantry as well.
After a quick stop at Lehigh Station, George is on his way to Mexico as already ordered and pays a visit at Orry's parental plantation of Mont Royal in South Carolina. There he has a hard time to accept the circumstances of life in the South.
Chapter 9
George is at Mont Royal, when slave Priam was made drunk during a reception and he gets rampage. Tillet Main orders overseer Salem Jones to punish him accordingly.
Orry arranges a meeting with Madeline at the abandoned "Salvation Chapel" hidden in the woods. im Wald. Only by strong forces they withhold the bodily desires felt by both.
Chapter 10
George gets to know his future wife Constance Flynn,
daughter of the irish lawyer Patrick Flann in Corpus Christi, TX, during the
transport ship with him and Orry on their way to Mexico has a damage to be
repaired.
Chapter 11
After a long journey by see, George, Orry and other soldiers
from the ship reach the coast line of Veracruz. At the attack on Veracruz, the
friends meet Captain Bent, commonly called "butcher Bent", because he
has wears down his unit willingly. After more escapades by Bent, the friends
try to envoke disciplinary actions against Bent, but to no success.
Chapter 12
In an attack on the bridge of Churubusco, Mexico, as ordered
by Captain Bent, Orry loses his left arm by the impact of a cannon ball when
storming a cabin held by the enemy. Orry was mustered out and thereafter acted
very depressed.
George gets his older brither Stanley's help to quickly resign from the army after their father William had died at home.
Chapter 13
On his way back to Lehigh Station, George pays a visit to
Corpus Christy and sees Constance. Patrick Flynn allows him her hand and George
wants to have Orry as his best man.
Chapter 14
Cooper Main leaves Mont Royal after war's end based on
unsolvable differences with his father over the system of slavery, and he moves
in to Charleston to manage the cotton shipping company C.S.C. owned by the
family and that Tillet Main has no interrest in.
The skave Priam runs off Mont Royal, hides and re-appears simultaneously at the little depot with George and Orry, Orry wants to capture and maybe shoot him, but George brings his friend to let Priam run.
Chapter 15
Justin misstreats a random slave to find out, if and who on
his plantation has helped Priam on the run. But the slaves refuse to say
anything to keep Madeline's secret. Priam only gets short of the North Carolina
border, when he is shot by a posse.
Nicholas Fabray, having remained in New Orleans, suffers a
second stroke. Madeline's servant Maum Sally thereafter returns to her owner in
New Orleans and remains there after his death. Madeline then opens herself to
her new servant Nancy, who mostly relays messages between her and Mont Royal.
This way, Madeline finally meets Orry again at the Chapel.
Chapter 16
George stopps in Philadelphia, meets Virgilia and is present when her sister delivers her long anticipated hateful speech against slavery ("Southerners all are sons of bitches, their plantations are breeding farms for blacks"), placing her to the far off radical edge of society for good.
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Chapter 17
The Family Hazard's estate is an big old house, being quite
disfigured by many alterations and extensions, and overall not really pretty
any more. George inherits the neighbour plot and builds his own house there for
him and Constance, including an observation tower in one corner, he thereafter
called "Belvedere". George as well receives 50 percent in the
management of Hazard Iron excepting the financial control still held by
Stanley.
George's brother Stanley marries the unattractive but
dominating Isabel Truscott (28). Exactly nine months later, they receive the
twin boys Laban and Levi, but she leaves their upbringing to the house
personell. Isabel then decides unilaterally to have no more kids because the
whole thing would be "dirty".
There are frequent tensions over company management between
George and anti-progress Stanley. George finds out that Stanley has send
several high payments to politician Simon Cameron, but Stanley points out his
financial controling rights.
Sonn after George marries Constance in April of 1848, she
gets pregnant and delivers William III. In contrast to Isabel, Constance
lovingly takes care of the child herself. Nearly two years later, in Winter of
1849/50, dauthter Patricia Flynn follows into the family.
Chapter 18
Virgilia is not very attractive as a woman, having a quite
stocky figure and manly lines in her face. Her overblown engagement for the
abolition of slavery is seen as an excuse for the lack of men being interrested
in her as a woman.
The Hazard family buys a summer home on Newport island.
Since many planter families from the South spend their vacation there as well,
they invite the Main family to there. George's younger brother William (called
"Billy", 14) envys George's military education and develops the
desire to be a soldier himself.
Chapter 19
Orry treats his disability on two differend fashions. One
the one side, he dives deep into his work, has taken over the plantation's
management from his aging father, trains himself to do all kinds of manual
works with his remaining hand, and has accepted that his relationship to
Madeline has to remain in secret. On the other side, his harsh manners and
thick full beard make him quite unlikable.
Orry shines light on overseer Salem Jones as a fraudster,
who doesn't report part of the plantation crops to the books and thus keeps the
earnings for himself, and he fires the man. Besides the slaves, also Charles is
glad on that, since he (14) has a intense sexual relationship with black slave
woman Semiramis.
Chapter 20
Madeline has some bad times at Resolute. Her care for the
slaves is not received well by Justin. Her sporadic meetings with Orry always
are under great fear of being caught and remain unsatisfying for both of them.
Young lawyer James Huntoon (20) proposes to Tillet Main on
the permission to court for Ashton and gets his wish granted, in part because
Huntoon has influencal friends like the Charleston Mercury's editor Robert
Barnwell Rhett.
Chapter 21
When Charles dooled around with young Sue Marie Smith, her
alledged groom Whitley Smith demands satisfaction and sends Smith Dawkins as
his second for arrangement of a pistol duel to Mont Royal. Orry then fetches
Charles and trains him in the art of civilized fighting. The affective Whitney
loses the duel and is spared by Charles honorably.
Charles finds his new goal for life, gets interrested in the
army and starts tutoring.
Chapter 22
Cooper takes great interrest with his Charleston-based company
C.S.C. into maritime travel, learns about building ships and goes to Lehigh
Station to order parts from Hazard Iron for his three-chamber transport vessel
"Mont Royal" made of iron - very futuristic for the time. On his
journey home, he gets acquainted to smart singer Judith Stafford, a farmers
daughter from South Carolina. They disvover similarities in their stance to
progress and against slavery.
Chapter 23
Dispite George's wish,
Stanley still sends money to Simon Cameron and - on Isabel's demand - orders a
luxury private railroad car for their trip to Newport. At one of her
conventions, Virgilia openly shakes around with Toby Johnson, a run-off slave
from North Carolina, and this quickly leads to talks.
The Hazard's board their
private car called "Pride of Hazard" and set off to Newport. After
changing trains in New York Central, in the middle of the night the train gets
switched into a dead-end track in New Haven by a drunken railroad worker,
crashes into the end bumper and rolls downhill.
Kapitel 24
There are 20 people dead due to the explosion of the engine
and the subsequent fire burning down the train. Thanks to quick actions by
George and Constance, the Hazard family only loses their cook, and Maude Hazard
suffered some broken bones. After Constance brought the twins to safety, open
fights erupt on Isabel's brusque reaction. Virgilia self-sacrificingly tends to
other wounded passengers.
Just the following day,
Virgilia departs from Newport again. Without opposition, George takes over the
company's financial responsibilities from Stanley. The rest of the Hazard
family continues their journey to the summer estate "Fairlawn" the
next day.
Chapter 25
On July 9th, 1850, President Zachary Taylor dies on cholera.
Millard Fillmore takes over the office.
The Main Family (Tillet, Clarissa, Orry, Charles (14), Ashton (14) and Brett (12) - without Cooper who doesn't want to vacate his company and who meanwhile marries Judith) rent a summer house on Newport and they have lots of contact to the Hazard's (Maude, Stanley, Isabel, George, Constance, Billy (15), Laban and Levi (3), William III and Patricia). There is one wording with Virgilia, but she soon leaves for a convention.
Billy forms a friendship with Charles and the support each
other in an ambush by village boys. Billy is mesmerized by Ashton, but she only
recognizes him when getting notice that Brett looks after him.
Chapter 26
Cooper is waiting for his
family to arrive at the pier. James Huntoon is present with his slave Grady,
whom was pulled the upper front teeth to mark him as having done an escape
attempt before. Huntoon meets editor Robert Rhett and his entourage, politician
Bob Toombs from Georgia. Ashton changes her tactics and turns over to Huntoon,
expecting more from him in her calculated future.
Constance asks George to
use an old barn to hide escaped slaves there on their way to the North, this
having been organized in Lehigh Station by store keeper and quaker Mr. Belzer
(President Fillmore had signed a low on September 18th allowing district commissioners
to search for escaped slaves for bounties). George agrees and only tells Maude,
who complies.
Chapter 27
Summer of 1851. Having
arrived at Newort again, Billy (16) quickly meets Ashton, who changes her
alliances again and looks for fun with Billy for herself and to annoy Brett,
who is slowly growing into womanhood. During Billy is cuddling with Ashtin in
the dunes, Cooper, being present with Judith and their son Judah Tillet,
unexpectately receives commendation for his wife, his success with the company
and as a renowned expert on ship building. Tillet hands over to him 51 percent
on the C.S.C.
The good but fragile mood
between the families - and the whole country - is only being disturbed by
Virgilia, who again, after enjoying too much from the wine, politizises and in
that challenges Orry until she is forced to offer her apology. In otherwise
peaceful mood, the Main family invites the Hazard's to Mont Royal.
Back in Lehigh Station, George sternly talks to Virgilia,
that she has to keep peace on their visot to Mont Royal, or has to stay at
home.
Chapter 28
In October, the Hazard family (Maude, George, Constance,
Billy, William III, Patricia and a nanny) travel to Mont Royal. To recover from
sea sickness, they spend some days with Cooper in Charlestom, where he shows
them his ship "Mont Royal". George and Virgilia visit a convention of
the so-called "Charleston Coalition", where Huntoon delivers a speech
in favor of secession. There, Virgilia meets Huntoon's coachman Grady for the
first time. Thereafter, the Hazard family travels on to Mont Royal.
Virgilia goes on a horseback rode and under sudden rainfall
meets Grady guarding the overturned coach. They have sex together, and after
that, she secretly meets him again in Charleston, hands him money and
informations and enables him to run off.
Billy is confronted by Ashton and decides against a
permanent relationship to her. Shortly after that, he discovers his feelings
for Brett.
Chapter 29
James Huntoon appears at Mont Royal and accuses Virgilia to
have helped Grady to escape. Virgilia offers no clear explanation. Escalated by
accusation on both sides, a brawl breaks out and the Hazard's hastily depart.
Back home at Belvedere (Christmas of 1851), George is asked
by the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania Militia to return as an officer to be
prepared for the surely ineivitable war, but George declines. Virgilia moves
around with Grady after he arrived Philadelphia. When she asks George for money
on new front teeths for Grady, he thows her out of the house.
Chapter 30
Forbes LaMotte (19) is a good-looking but unsuccessfil and
unrestrained young man. He asks Orry (Tillet is sick and bed-ridden) for a
rendezvous with Brett (soon 14). But due to his intrusive manners, Brett soon
drops on him.
Ashton increasingly
receives courtesies from James Huntoon, and the lawyer agrees with Orry on the
marriage portion. Billy asks Orry in a letter to court for Brett. Harriet
Stowe's novel ("Uncle Tom's Cabin") spreads within the South as well
and is discussed controversly, such as between Orry and Madeline at the chapel.
Madeline tells him that Justin locks her up several times and that she is not
allowed to voice her own oppinion. Nancy is the only maid to take care of her.
This time, they hardly contain themselves from intercourse.
After talking to Charles,
Orry decides that the band of friendship is more important than anything, and
he invites Billy.
Chapter 31
While several neighbours are present at the reception for
Billy and Brett at Mont Royal, Ashton seduces Forbes LaMotte in a barn. He has
physical desires for her, but the mentally setback to be rejected by Brett is
still on his mind. So Ashton and Forbes plot out a plan against Billy.
On Orry's invntation, the Hazard's visit Mont Royal, without
Maude who is unable to travel (following this, she isn't mentioned anymore and
is said to have died around the end of the Civil War) . Topics like "Uncle
Tom's Cabin" and secession hay heavily on the conversations. Judith is
pregnant again, and because of this, Cooper will travel to ship building
ingenieur Brunel in England without her this time.
Chapter 32
June 1st, 1862: Billy arrives at West Point. Captain Elkanah
Bent serves in the War Department now and does guard duty in the President Park
of Washington, D.C. He has found Charles' name in the reservation lists for
West Point, besides Billy for the entrance year of 1852.
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Book Three: "The Cords That Bind Are Breaking One By One"
Chapter 33
Billy is as a junior at West Point gets harrassed especially
ba Cadet Caleb Slocum. Furthermore, at the summer camp he gets into a fight with
equel junior and tent neighbor Dillard McAleer from Kentucky and hardly can
hold himself back when that comrade instantly takes front against Yankees and
brags on his father owning slaves. But McAleer soon has to leave the academy
after more quarrels on this topic with other cadets.
In September, Robert E. Lee from Virginia is placed to the
academy as superintendent. The senior inspecting Billy is James E. B. Stuart,
also from Virginia and called "Beauty".
Chapter 34
Tillet Main dies and is burried on January 2nd, 1853. With
the attendees of the funeral are Cooper and Judith, who has given birth just in
December to Marie-Louise. Since the death of her husband, Clarissa remains
mostly mentally absent. When Brett finally offers her share of work on the
plantation, things begin to run smoothly again.
New President
Franklin Pierce introduces his cabinet. On the banquet in Philadelphia,
George gets to know new Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, member of the
volunteer "Mississippi Rifles".
Chapter 35
Charles arrives at West Point and gets tricked by Billy and
Beauty Stuard on his long hair. Tensions between Northerners and Southerners is
also felt inside the academy, and Charles and Billy have to use force to
terminate the harrassements of a newbie by Cadet Slocum.
Chapter 36
Orry, Ashton and Brett visit West Point. While Billy and
Brett are having sweet talks, Ashton seduces seven Northern comrads of Billy,
that Billy learns of only three days later. Charles shall not be informed on
this with regard to his kinship.
Chapter 37
Grady and Virgilia - now
married - are visited in their shabby cabin by the tempered abolitionist Lemuel
Tubbs. But Grady's fear on publicity and Virgilia's extreme position prevent
any collaboration. They rather want to join the instigator "Captain
Weston".
Constance, who had three abortions already, and George are
again housing a slave in their shed who was badly mistreeted by his former
master. George increasingly distances himself from his former, more tolerating
standpoint. But he also is repealed by Virgilia's extremistic positions, who at
their beggar's visits rambles about bloody slaves uprisings.
Grady is sent to "Captain Weston" who is already
found and hanged in his arsenal shed by militia. Grady has to run and hide and
loses his new front teeth.
Chapter 38
Ashton, sho recently has
consented to marry James Huntoon next March, finds out that her activities at
West Point weren't without consequences. She goes to Resolute to ask for
Madeline's help, where Justin shortly engages into a political discussion with
her. Some days later, the women met - excused from their families under false
pretenses respectively - in the woods and drive to midwife Aunt Belle Nin in
the swamps. On their way they meet Watt Smith, one of Justin's friends. Black
Aunt Belle Nin inb her fure and direct manners performs an abortion on whimpy
Ashton.
Back on Resolute, Madeline
is confronted by Justin and then imprisoned and set on bread and water. When he
wants to punish Nancy and her friend Pete, who have helped Madeline, they both
had run off and are never seen again. Days come and go, Madeline developes
delusions. Doctor Lonzo Sapp finds on malnutrition and prescribes a celery
tonic, later to be mixed with opium and laudanum. But Justin still believes
that he was cheated on, and uses the situation in his way while playing the
concerned husband to the doctor.
Chapter 39
End of March 1855, Ashton
marries James Huntoon. Clarissa is still mentally absent. Cooper has joint the
Democratic Party in Charleston, that followed Edmund Burke's writings to stand
for the preservation of the Union, and gets active in politics, during getting
increasingly isolated in his radicalizing homeland. Also Ashton and James,
having taken residence just a few streets off, don't maintain contact to him
and Judith. The question on slavery dangerously sharpenes in several states
now.
Ashton holds social parties for her husband and aspiring
lawyer to give speeches. Among their guests are editor Rhett and sharp-tongued
secessionist William Yancey. Simultaneously, she gets satisfaction by Forbes,
now meeting in the Salvation Chapel ruins formerly used by Orry and Madeline.
Orry finds out on this without knowing who it was. He also recognizes at a
social event the brokeness of Madeline.
Chapter 40
The political situation gets increasingly tense. Senator
Sumner of Massachusetts attachs Senator Andrew Bitler of South Carolina in a
personal way during a speech, whereafter Congressman Preston Brooks from the
same state as the attacked Sumner badly beats Sumner with his cane and is being
celebrated for this in his home state, so doing James and Ashton. Billy at this
time prepares to graduate in the Class of 1856 with the Hazard family expected
to attend. He es to be sent to Fort Hamilton in New York Harbor as a Brevet
Lieutenant. In contrast to Billy, Charles only has meager ratings and is on his
way to the horse units.
Chapter 41
Cooper discusses the
construction of a much bigger freight ship with Orry he wants to name
"Star of Carolina". He again travels to England for more detailed
planing, rides on the wide gauge train to London Paddington, and meets with
Isambard Kindom Brunel. There, Cooper also talks to inventor Henry Bessemer who
seeks patents on a method to produce steel more efficiently but doesn't want to
tell on it now, also because it wouldn't be ready by now. Cooper researches on
all available informations on that for George Hazard.
Chapter 42
Cooper directly travels to
Lehigh Station dud hands over the informations gathered in England to George.
While Stanley declines an investment of two million Dollars in Cooper's ship
endeavor, George wants to do it after checking his private finances, even with
a mortgage if necessary. Cooper imploys the ship building ingenieur Levitt Van
Roon and calls him to Charleston. The paperwork for George's investment are
layed down by James Huntoon, but George would have been consent just by a
handshake as well.
In the spring of 1857, Billy finishes repair works at Fort
Hamilton and is ordered to St. Louis to repair the Mississippi floodwater dams
erected by Robert E. Lee 20 years ago. Charles graduates as one of the lowest
in his Class of 1857 and after his furlough has to report to the 2nd Cavalry
Regiment under Robert E. Lee in Texas.
Chapter 43
Lieutenant Charles Main reports to Colonel Lee in San
Antonio, Texas, who will hand over command to Major Thomas soon. Charles is
sent to Company K in Camp Cooper at the Brazos River, commanded by Captain
Bent. (Bent meeded some line service for his career and has just been delegated
to this lonesome post after learning that Orry's cousin Charles will be ordered
there as well.)
Because Bent recently was unfir for service by dysentry,
Charles is introduced by First Lieutenant Lafayette O'Dell who himself doesen't
put much weight on correct clothing orders and other regularities. Charles is
disguted by Bent from the start, but he is unaware of the experiences George
and Orry have had with that man.
Chapter 44
Charles has a difficult
standing by three quarters of Company K originating in Bent's home state of
Ohio. The services is marked by bordom. Bent tries to physically close up with
Charles. When Charles brushes him off, Bent starts to harrass him.
In harsh winter conditions, Bent sends out Charles with some
men to find the missing stage coach amidst a snow storm. Charles succeeds
without losing one man but has to sacrifice his horse. Charles writes a letter
to Orry and questions him on Elkanah Bent. Due to the long running time, the answer
doesn't arive timely.
Chapter 45
Charles receives a formal recommendation by his commandant
for the engagement while Bent is critisized for sending the search troop out in
that weather without leading it by himself. Now, Bent ends his harrassements on
Charles and Charles' position in his unit improves. Now Bent is isolated and
seeks for personal revenge on Charles.
Months later, Bent is sent out to liberate a lonesome farm
from an Indian attack. He orders 20 soldiers with him and hopes to kill Charles
from behind.during a fight. When they arrive the scene, they find out that the
Indians are in clear numerical advantages.
Chapter 46
Despite his original plan, Bent leads his men to the farm in
the dark of the night, but performes several tactical errors, getting Charles
to take the initiative. When Lieutenant O'Dell watches as Bent wants to shoot
Charles in the back, he is killed by the superior officer in cold blood. The
soldiers overcome the Indian guards and reach the farm, but loose four men and
are surrounded by the stronger Indian band. Bent is overwhelmed by the
situation and has to accept under threats Charles planning their escape during
the next night.
Kapitel 47
Charles' escape succeeds, and Bent and the surviving farm
people can get away. Nevertheless, Bent threatens Charles with court-martial on
insubordination on the farm.
Kapitel 48
In a night camp on their
way back, Bent indecent touches the 12 years old farmers daughter and is set up
by Charles who mediates the situation and prevents an open confrontation of the
farmers against Bent. Charles, with the farmer's wife on his side, threatens
Bent with a testimony by the woman in case that Bent should try any move on
Charles regarding his escape orders at the farm.
Chapter 49
During Bent being on
furlough, Orry's reply arrives, urgently warning Charles on Bent and telling
him on Bent's behavior at the academy and in Mexico. Political agitations are
rising throughout the country, and Bent openly talks to his men about an armed
conflict of the North against the South.
When Bent steps into Charles' quarters in April of 1859, he
sees photographs of Mont Royal at the table. Pointing on Orry, Bent claims to
only recollect him vaguely. But Bent catches the image of Madeline, on whom
Charles delivers short informations only and tells no names. After another
sexually approach, Charles sends his superior out of his quarters.
Chapter 50
In South Carolina, secession feaver has a fully outbreak in
the summer of 1859, supported also by James Huntoon. The Union friendly and
slavery critical statements by Senator Wade Hampton of Columbia, being heavily
critizised in the South, are helping Huntoon to further significance.
Cooper reports that the shipyard is ready to begin
construction of the "Star of Carolina" next year, and Orry brings
this news to Lehigh Station, with Brett traveling with him to see Billy in St.
Louis. On their journey North, they experience several affronts. In a Baltimore
restaurant they nearly have a brawl when Orry gets into a discussion with simple-minded
Yankees.
George prowdly announces that he has the licence for
Bessemer's converter, which some professional in Wales has improved but not yet
perfectioned. He also had written to Billy about Bent. Orry tells him that
Charles now chases Mexican bandits at the Rio Grande.
Then, Virgilia appears and mentions her meeting John Brown
in Chambersburg to support him. This man already has killed five slaveowners at
the Pottawatomie in 1856 and seeks to erect his own government now. A fiery
argument ensues between her and Orry, with also standpoints of Orry and George
colliding, and Orry and Brett are leaving Belvedere instantly. Orry then even
ignored George's written apology.
Chapter 51
Stanley still supports
Sumon Cameron, what is known to President Buchanan as well. While Cameron,
having switched to the Republicans, needs Stanley for his money, he hopes for
himself - driven by Isabel - for an influencal political position
Brett visits Billy in St. Louis and they engage in hot flirtations because they were frequently unobserved by Orry. But Orry withholds his consent to the marriage by stating also that this is probably not is last word on that.
Chapter 52
On October 17th, 1859 at
12:30 a.m, the train that Orry and Brett are in is stopped at Harpers Ferry,
the last depot in Virginia before reaching Baltimore, MD, and all passengers
are forced out and into a hotel in town. The leader calls himself "Captain
Smith, Commander in Chief of the Provisional Government of the United
States," but it is John Brown from Osawatomie. While the conductor
negotiates with Brown for letting the train continue its ride, Orry meets
"Garrison" Grady, who tells him that Virgilia is on a nearby farm
with other women.
Hours later, the train can roll out again, and Orry later
reads in the newspaper that Brown was captured by a troup under Robert E. Lee
and J.E.B. Stuart. While Brown's men had killed four men collectively, only two
if the insurrectionists survived that military action. John Brown himself was
hanged publically on December 2nd. The whole affair deepens the dislike of both
parts of the country.
Chapter 53
During Clarissa being
still mentally locked in at Christmas of 1859, Orry lays out once more to Brett
that he cannot give his consent to the marriage now. Orry gets drunk that night
and some mirrors get broken. The next morning, Orry finds Brett having left
Mont Royal and went to Cooper and Judith in Charleston. Brett ignores his
written request to return home.
Chapter 54
The Democrats were looking
for their presidential candidate. Douglas has nearly no chance, and after some
delegates have left the convention under protest - Huntoon among them - the
party splits up. Douglas gets nominated from the National Democrats in
Baltimore. The separated Constitutional Democrats in Richmond call on John
Breckinirdge from Kentucky. For the Republicans, Abraham Lincoln surprisingly
prevails over Seward.
Ashton visits Brett in
Cooper's house. Things are not good for Cooper, his contruction gets delayd and
his mentor Brunel had died last September shortly after his ship
"Tricomalee" sank after an explosion in the cargo compartment. But
Ashton is more interrested what Brett has to tell about Billy who is
transferred for repair works to Fort Moultrie near Charleston.
Billy notices during his
efforts there, that it was more of war-like fortification than repair.
Commander of the garrison is Colonel John Gardner, a opponent to slavery as
Captain Doubleday. Further officers besides Billy are Captain John Foster and
Lieutenant Meade. Billy is greatful that Foster sends him to Charleston several
times, but where he gets unfriendly receptions by the citizens on his uniform
alone. At least he can meet Brett on those occasions, who still waits for the
marriage approval by her family.
On election day in late
October of 1860, Billy on Gardner's orders is in Charleston once more on. He
has to transfer orders to Colonel Humphreys at the federal arsenal to deliver a
great shipment of weapons by ship the next day to save it from plundering. At
the pier already, Billy gets harrassed by some men. After sitting in a
restaurant with Brett, men from the pier still come after them in the streets.
Billy resists that and manages to escape to Cooper's house.
Lincoln's election victory
is fixed the next day. There are jubilations all ofer Charleston because
secession seems to be inevitable and the senators Chestnut and Hammond already
have resigned in Washington. Despite the failure to catch Billy, Huntoon has to
pay out the street gangster Cameron Plummer.
Chapter 55
Cooper visits Orry at Mont
Royal, which looks run-down in Brett's absense. He pleads for Brett, but Orry
still stands firm, even if he would love to approve the marriage by now. That
way, Cooper quickly leaves his increasingly drinking brother. Since not only
his construction timetable was far behind but now also his ingenieur Van Roon
has quit on disagreements with the local workers, Cooper sees his project as a
failure.
To apease the citizens,
Major Gardner is replayed by Robert Anderson from Kentucky. He now wants to
fortify Fort Sumter, built 1828 to 1829 but never was finished or in use.
To the end of November,
cadets from the South begin leaving the West Point academy. While Orry is distressed
over that, the brothers LaMotte are rejoicing on it and hold further
inspections of her voluteer militia unit "Ashley Guards". Madeline on
the other side is severely weakened and thinned down by hunger and abusive
medication.
Chapter 56
George pays a surprise
visit to Mont Royal, and Orry welcomes him with delight. But their conversation
runs mood until George's detailed apologies on the events that depressed him
for more than a year. They both agree that South Carolina will leave the Union
(the special convent on this matter is called already) and that the Union will
not tolerate such a move. Proposals for a compromise by Washington are not
payed attention on, because some state politicians (Huntoon among them) are
seemingly begging for a confrontation. Orry aligns with George on the
sentiments that secession is a disaster, but he holds all compromises to do an
end to slavery as impracticable.
George finally succeeds to
get Orry to consent on Billy and Brett. They send Cuffey to Charleston with the
news and stay at Mont Royal to enjoy some whisley on that.
Chapter 57
Brett is fully happy and
Ashton hardly contains her anger on Billy to her. She better prepares for the
special convention that havin been relocated from Columbia on the fear of a
smallpox epidemic to Charleston.
On December 20th, 1860,
Cooper listens to the convention in the Institute Hall, with resigned senators
Gist and Chestnut at the podium besides James Huntoon. Opposite to James, he is
dismayed on the upcoming development, because it will bring unsolvable
economical problems. The secession declaration is passed by 169 to zero votes.
Orry and George also did
come to Charleston from Mont Royal but get no seat in the hall. They are dining
with Cooper in his house, and everyone is depressed. Brett worries on her
future with Billy, while Billy has to stay at Fort Moultrie that is placed on
alert.
Cooper, Orry, George,
Judith and Brett take the street and watch the celebrations with grim feelings.
They meet Huntoon in boisterous mood. Ashton meets Forbes in the crowds and
they make a date to plot against Billy.
Chapter 58
Due to his reassignment,
Elkanah Bent is on his way to Washington and makes a stop in New Orleans. He
plans on chances for his career by the crisis with the South and wants to try
in Washington to further hurt to the Main and Hazard families.
Major Anderson relocates
to Fort Sumter on December 25th and gives up the other installments around
Charleston to the secessionists. President Buchanan reforms his cabinet and
expells all Southern influences to be able for a stricter course. On January
9th, 1861, the "Star of the West" with livestock and amunition for
Fort Sumter is shot at by Citadel cadets and turns off. Senator Davis leaves
the Senat with others and wants to form a new government in Montgomery, AL.
Bent visits the noble
brothel of Madame Conti. Because he disconsented on the price for the service
he used, Madame Conti receives him in person in her office, where he sees the
painting of a woman with a face that seems familiar to him. Madame Conti tells
him, that she was a poor but exclusive girl from her etablissement until she
married a customer shortly before her death. The daughter of that woman, who is
married to somewhere else, thus has one eigth nergo blood.
On February 13th, 1861, Charles is sent with messages from
Camp Cooper to regimental commander Robert E. Lee, but this officer is just
preparing to go to Washington. Texas has left the Union on February 1st. In
Alabama, the new government under Jefferson Davis was established, and chaos
spreads all over the country.
Major Anderson is still sitting in Fort Sumter but has sent
several men out for Washington to get instructions. Captain Pierre Beauregard
has been superintendend at West Point for only a few days until suspicions
aroused by Louisiana's secession.
The officers pay Lee a farewell to Washington. On Charles' question, he couldn't say on which side he will be, but is is confident that the development will lead to sufferin on both sides. Two days later, Daviy Twiggs hands all army camps in Texas to the militia, Union-leaning soldiers should leave the state. Charles has a fist fight with Yankee Corporal Tannen, finds his patriotism by that, resigns from the army and rids off towards home.
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Book Four: March Into Darkness
Chapter 59
On February 21st, Billy still is at Fort Sumter. The
bricklayers also captured there are kept working on the fortification and are
also watching, how several canons are positioned against the Ford, commanded by
Pierre Beauregard, a fine comrade from West Point and now a C.S.A. brigadier
general.
Charles is back at Mont Royal and exchanges informations
with Orry on the situation and on Elkanah Bent. Cooper is ready to write off
the ship construction because parts of his shipyard are now used to place
cannons.
Jefferson Davis, James Huntoon and other gentlemen are on
the spy ship "Nina" inspecting the situation at Fort Sumter. While
the soldiers locked in there are barely supplied to survive, Ashton arranges a
buffet on the ship. James speakes out for the rights of the individual states,
while Davis defends the central command on the military.
Chapter 60
In this phase of
inactivity, Forbes starts drinking hard in bars and to beat tourists to the
ground for no reason. In this mood, he meets Brett by chance, invites her into
his carriage and gets intrusive on her. Brett escapes from the carriage, but
that rises his anger on her even more.
In President Lincoln's new cabinet, Stanley's friend Simon
Cameron is appointed as Secretary of War. Stanley hopes to be awarded as well,
mostly to make good profits by the war-like rebellion in the South.
Chapter 61
Major Anderson sends Billy
to Washington but grants to him one day leave to meet and marry Brett. Billy is
shipped to the C.S.C. pier and gets picked up by Cooper. The coach ride through
the town is dangerous and a small incident occurs. Brett awaits Billy in
Cooper's house while Cooper relays the news on the wedding to James' house.
Hastily, Ashton orders Forbes LaMotte to a secret meeting place.
Cooper, Judith, Brett,
Billy (in civilian clothings) as well as Cooper's children Judah and
Marie-Louise take carriages to Mont Royal, where Orry and Charles (in full
uniform) are waiting. Soon after, Ashton and James arrive as well.
Chapter 62
In all haste but with all
honor, the wedding ceremony is held at Mont Royal. Over at Resolute, dispite
her dimly mind, Madeline picks up a conversation between Justin, Forbes and
Preston Smith, finalizing plans on killing Billy Hazard, a friend of Orry's
family. When trying to leave the house, she receives beatings by Justin.
Instinctively, she picks up a saber, cuts him in the face with it and manages
to escape to Mont Royal
Chapter 63
Ashton brings Billy and Brett to let them drive to the
station by Hontoon's coachman Homer. Charles wonders why Ashton's slave Rex
comes in running over from Resolute. Then Madeline drives in with a carriage in
high speed.
At a clearing, Forbes and Preston Smith hold up the carriage
with Billy and Brett. Forbes provokes Billy by insulting Brett badly and on
Billy's reprimand he demands satisfaction by a duel. While Smith manipulates
one of the prepared pistols, Billy waves on Holmes to act as his second. Homer suspects
some form of fraud and picks up a stone.
Chapter 64
Madeline reports on what she overheart ad Resolute and that
she has seen Rex there. Charles finds Ashton's slave and he cornfirms that
Ashton has sent him. Charles - still in full uniform - takes his horse and
follows the carriage.
The duel is underway. Charles appears when Preston Smith is
counting "nine". That is when Forbes turns early, but his shot misses
Billy's back because Homer throws his stone and distractes Forbes by this.
Preston Smith kolls Homer with a big knife, which he throws over to Forbes, as
well as another boot knife. Billy recognizes that his pistol was manipulated
and he has to back up from Forbes with his two knifes. Charles throws over his
saber to Billy, but Preston Smith reaches his horse, takes his derringer out
and hits Billy's left arm with a bullet from it. Cornered, Billy finally stabbs
Forbes with Charles' saber.
Charles chases Preston Smith off into the woods, nurses
Billy's wound, and brings his friend and Brett to the train stop to catch the
train at the last minute. The friends part without knowing if and under which
circumstances they will see each other again.
Chapter 65
Orry confronts Ashton. He
holds back Homer's body and wants to find his family in Savannah. Huntoon
attempts to take side for Ashton, attacks Orry and is sent to the ground with
one well-aimed stroke. Then, Orry sends Ashton and James off the plantation for
good. At Mont Royal, some slaves receive muskets in case Justin LaMotte comes
over for his wife or Francis LaMott on Forbes. Orry sends Cuffey to Resolute
with a message that Madeline is at Mont Royal on sancuary.
Justin, badly wounded in
the face and very upset, gets prevented by his brother Francis under much labor
and whiskey to storm over to Mont Royal. Preston Smith returns and reports on
the outcome of the fight.
Orry talks to Madeline who
slowly gets clearer. Finally, she tells him about her mother and that she has inherited
one-eighth of negro blood. Orry assures her not to push her away, and they make
love. Orry the comes to the conclusion that Madeline was kept under a dosis of opium
the previous years.
On riding out, Charles
crosses paths with Francis LaMotte. But after Charles tells him the facts
leading to Forbes' death and that he witnessed it himself, Francis keeps
silent. After that, there are no more incidents between the families.
Orry feels guilt over the
money that George has invested for the "Star of Carolina" and is now
lost by the secession. After traveling to Atlanta, where he takes a mortgage on
Mont Royal for just only 650,000 Dollars, he demands Cooper to add to it all he
can afford. In the night leading to April 12th, 1861, the bombardment on Fort
Sumter begins. Because of the chaotic situation, Cooper can give none.
Chapter 66
13 house after the start,
the bombardment of Fort Sumter is over, no deaths occured (other than at the
hand-over ceremony two days later, where a soldier dies in an accident). Orry
travels North and gets these news in the train. At the depot of Washington, he
gets harrassed by Northerners and has to bluff his way out of it. Because of
this, he gets a Union rosetta made as a disguise. After three days of journey,
Orry reaches Lehigh Station. George and his som William (11) are pleasantly
surprised. Orry hears that Billy and Brett have arrived Washington savely and
that Virgilia is at Belvedere.
Orry hands over the money to George, who is touched. The
discuss on the political situation and agree on that the new government in
Montgomery is set by konservatively and that extremists especially from South
Carolina were left out in it. Both friends forsee a new, cruel war coming
along.
Chapter 67
A mob gathers outside of
Belvedere, a stone crashes through the window. Virgilia enters the room and
accuses Orry and his kinship to have murdered Grady. George takes initiative
and steps outside the front door, dressed in uniform jacket and army revolver
in hand. After some clear words, he convinced the mob to leave.
Accompanied by armed servants and George, Orry gets carried
to the depot. George stoppes a freight train and tucks Orry into the breakman's
caboose. The servant that Virgilia has sent with the message of a Southerner in
their house was found and fired. Virgilia flees from Belvedere with a bag of
costly things to sell them off.
Chapter 68
While Orry's train has to wait at the small depot of Realy
House for changing passengers, at the platform he meets with Billy and Brett.
They have little time to exchanges news before continueing their respective
journeys in opposite directions.
After long thoughts, Cooper transfers the rest of the C.S.C.
assets and the ships to the marine. Seeing secession as an error, he has to
decide between supporting his homeland and changing over to the North, because
neutrality is unacceptable for him. So he will delegate himself with Judith and
the children to England the coming week to take part from there to support the
maritime supply of the South.
Chapter 69
With some luck, Hontoon
gets a small post in Montgomery Ashton again plans on expanding her power -
under use of her body if necessary.
In Washington, Bent moves
in a vacant apartement. By connections and contemporary common promotions, he
now has the rank of a brevet colonel. He dreams on a war as long as possible,
so he can track down Billy Hazard and Charles Main.
After visiting Grady's secret
grave near Harpers Ferry, Virgilia too is hoping for a long war and dreams
about battles and countless dead Southerners.
Charles declares to Orry,
that he plans on joining Wade Hampton's Legion. Orry receives a letter
requesting him to take command of a brigade on the grounds of his much meeded
experience. Madeline respects Orry's wish to follow up to this.
Stankey has a position in
the Washington government under Secretary of War Cameron, where war profitteers
are gathering. Isabel sees her wishes fulfilled. Her children, now 14 years old
ruffians, were sent to an elite school.
George has to travel to
Fairlawn, RI to look after some storm damages. Constances goes with him, and
Billy and Brett stay with the children. Hazard Iron turns to 24-hour production
and George ponders on if to follow a call to Washington or to the army if that
should come in.
Chapter 70
At Belvedere, Billy receives the order to go to Washington at once. Brett is worried.
Epilogue
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