Chapter 21: JEB Stuart's Return

In this chapter, the long-lost JEB Stuart finally returns to the Army of Northern Virginia to find the Confederate attack on day two ended in failure, the enemy entrenched on the high ground, and General Lee rather annoyed at his absence. What exactly was said between the two will never be known, but in the words of Stuart's adjutant, the talk was "painful beyond description". I have taken some liberties in recreating what I think may have occurred during the infamous "Stuart chew-out", so yeah. Enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to review.

"Do you need anything else, my general?" Zim asked of the elderly commander. They stood in a cozy room in the little log house.

"Not quite yet, young sir." General Lee replied. He sat in a rocking chair. "But I do hope General Longstreet will return soon with good news of the battle." Zim looked down sadly.

"I am not sure it will be so…good, my general." Lee looked at Zim sternly.

"General Longstreet is my best field commander, and if God grants us the victory today, it shall be he that leads it."

"How do you know we will be victorious today, my general?" Zim asked, his voice low and respectful. "It did not seem so when I was there."

"This army has never failed to do its duty, nor to do what was expected of it. I cannot leave the enemy in possession of this field, so I will drive them from it."

"Yes sir." Zim said. Being around General Lee always made him feel better. The wizened old commander could inspire someone just by being in their presence. His very being commanded reverence and veneration. If he made an order, you followed it. Not just because he was a commander, but out of that respect, and the feeling one had that General Lee would never give a bad order, he could never do wrong. Zim never felt that way toward the tallest.

"What are you thinking, Zim?" Lee asked. This caught Zim by surprise. No one had ever cared what he was thinking or feeling. He was unsure how to answer.

"Um…just that…I trust you, sir." He said. Lee nodded.

"I ask that of all my men." He replied.

"And I believe that we will win this battle." Zim added.

"We will." Lee said. "I just wish that General Stuart hadn't disappeared when we needed him most.

"Who is General Stuart?" Zim asked. "I keep hearing people talk about him, and it's usually…not good."

"General Stuart is the best cavalry officer in the entire army." Lee corrected. "And he was supposed to move ahead of the army, reporting on enemy positions and strength. Indeed, if he had been where I has ordered him to be, this entire battle may not have been thrust upon us thusly." This didn't sit right with Zim. Someone had defied a command from Lee.

"He disobeyed your orders?" Zim asked. "That's…he should e punished."

"And there are a great many men and officers who agree." Lee replied. "Even some that go as far that I should have him court marshaled or even shot."

"What do you think?" Zim asked.

"That upon his return, I will see to him, and make certain that he understands the error that he has made." Zim thought about it. He didn't say he was going to kill Stuart, or even that he was going to throw him out of the army. The Tallest would have jettisoned a soldier into space for less, but Lee was talking about doing no more than reprimanding the errant general. It made sense though. Zim would not want to be on the receiving end of a tongue-lashing from General Lee. There was a knock at the door, and General Longstreet stepped into the room. He held his wide grey hat in his hands, and his face was showing despair.

"Yes general?" Lee said anxiously.

"General Lee sir…" Longstreet said glumly. "The attack sir has mostly failed." He sighed. "We were able to take some of the rocks, and to our left I understand that our forces gained a small amount of ground, but I am afraid that our assault was unsuccessful on the heights to the right." Zim felt saddened. He thought of all the men who had died…all in vain.

"It is regrettable." Lee said. "And we must learn from today. Tomorrow I think, we will do better."

"Yes sir." Longstreet sighed.

"General Pickett's division is now up." Lee said. "We now have one of our best divisions, and with you in command, I have no doubt that we will be the victors."

"Yes sir." Longstreet said again, but his tone was one of uncertainty. He finally noticed Zim in the room. "And how are you, Zim?" He asked.

"Much better, General Longstreet." Zim replied respectfully. "How is General Hood?"

"He will no doubt survive." Longstreet answered.

"That is good." Lee nodded.

"He um…he had to have his arm amputated though."

"That is too bad…" Lee said sadly. "General Hood is an excellent commander, and I hope he is well." The three stood in silence for a moment. Zim noticed that General Longstreet still looked as though he had something to say, but was apprehensive about saying it. "What is it, general?" Lee finally asked.

"Well sir," Longstreet said. "General Stuart has finally returned." General Lee looked up attentively.

"Very well." Lee said. "I will be sure to speak to you again shortly, after I have had time to converse with General Stuart. Meanwhile, General Pickett has been most anxiously expecting your return. Longstreet gave a little smile.

"I have no doubt." The general replied. The two men saluted each other, and Longstreet exited the house.

"Will you please go tell Major Taylor to tell General Stuart to see me?" Lee asked of Zim.

"Yes, my general." Zim replied with a salute. He walked out onto the porch where the young Major was sitting on the deck with his legs hanging off the edge, drinking coffee from a metal cup, watching horses passing, pulling odd two wheeled carts with large boxes on them. Zim watched too as they went by.

"Caissons." Major Taylor explained, looking up and seeing Zim looking at the carts. "They have the ammunition for the cannons. It looks as though Alexander is gathering up quite a bit of ordinance."

"Ah." Zim said. "Major, General Lee asked me to ask you to ask General Stuart to see him."

"Oh. Well that's a fine lot of asking isn't it?" Taylor replied with a smile that made Zim smile. This was the first time he had seen the Major away from General Lee, and it was odd to see that he was actually a good natured man with a sense of humor when he wasn't doing his duty. "I'll go find the General directly."

"Sir." Zim said, saluting. Taylor saluted back and went off in search of General Stuart. Zim turned and walked back into the house. General Lee was seated in the rocking chair, gently rocking back and forth. He looked as if he were lost in a deep thought, and a look of worry was on the face of the commander. He looked tired.

"Um…I did as you asked, my general…" Zim said quietly. General Lee looked over to him.

"Mm?" He asked. "Ah…yes, thank you." Zim looked at his general curiously. There was a slow realization that General Lee, the man-god that everyone in the army adored and revered was just a man. The Lee that Zim now saw was a tired, sad old man. Rather than lessening Zim's respect for him though, Zim actually respected him more. He was not born a great man, nor was he just a great man, but he was made so by doing his duty, Zim realized. He did his duty, and to him, duty was the most important thing. He was pained by this war, and he was saddened no doubt by all the men who had fallen, but he could not stop. He could not give up. To do so would be an affront to his duty.

"Is there…anything else I can do for you, my general?" Zim asked respectfully. General Lee stopped rocking.

"You said that General Stuart is on his way?"

"Yes sir." Zim replied. General Lee sighed and stood from the chair.

"Will you please bring me my coat?" The general asked. Zim pulled the general's heavy grey wool coat from off the back of a chair and approached Lee. He helped the general put on the coat. "When I speak to General Stuart, I wish to do so in private. You may retire to the next room. There is a nice cot there with warm blankets, and you may rest yourself Zim. You will most certainly be needed later."

"Yes sir." Zim repeated. Le nodded. The front door opened. Zim turned to see who had entered. A man, probably the most flamboyantly dressed man Zim had yet seen stood in the opening. He wore tall black boots that came up nearly to his hips, and a grey wool jacket heavily trimmed in gold and yellow. He held a large black hat in his right hand, which had a large black feather attached by a sizeable golden eagle. He had a thick brown beard that came halfway down his chest, and Zim was reminded of the pictures of those humans called 'pirates' he had seen in his research. The man saluted. Lee did not return the saluted, but motioned to Zim, who left the room. Zim closed the door, but stood near, as to hear the conversation between General Lee and the man who was no doubt the General Stuart he had been hearing about.

"General Lee." He heard the newcomer say. There was a moment of silence.

"General Stuart…" Zim heard Lee reply. "Are you aware that among the officers and many of the men in this army that there is an opinion that you should be court marshaled?" Stuart let out a choke.

"Sir!" Stuart gasped. "I would like to know on what grounds these…opinions are based!"

"They are based, sir on the fact that you left this army to pursue your own interests for days, leaving us vulnerable to enemy attack, and you failed to report back to me the location and strength of the enemy. I would like to know why, general."

"Sir…" Stuart began defensively. "I have brought you an entire supply train of enemy wagons and…"

"They are a hindrance to me now!" Lee protested. "Why you felt it was within your orders to take your cavalry…to take in essence my cavalry a hundred miles from the main body of the army to steal enemy supplies, I do not know. But it was not within your orders, and while you were capturing that supply train, this army has been embroiled in costly fighting here where you were needed most." There was another long silence, and Zim tried peeking through the keyhole in the door. He could see General Stuart standing in the room, almost on the verge of tears it seemed.

"I…I apologize sir…" Stuart said. "I was only acting in a manner I thought…"

"It does not matter." General Lee interrupted. "You have made a mistake, and you are but a man, the same as I, and we all err."

"Would you…have me resign my commission, sir?" Stuart asked.

"I will not, sir. No, I will not." Lee replied. "You have proven your value to this army many times over, and I'm sure you will again in the future. I cannot spare a great cavalry commander such as yourself, and I trust that you will never fail to do your duty again."

"I will not." Stuart whispered.

"Good." Lee said. "Then it is over, and no man will say another word about it. Make sure your men are rested. I believe I will need you tomorrow."

"General Lee…" Stuart said soberly. "If I am needed, you may call on me for anything."

"Thank you, general." Lee replied. Stuart saluted, and doubtlessly, Lee returned the salute this time. Stuart turned, and left the house. Zim was astonished. The Tallest would have probably executed the man on sight for what he had done, but General Lee had caused Stuart more pain that physical torture with just his words. The sad, tired old gentleman who only minutes before had been sitting meditatively in a rocking chair, had nearly caused a general to cry. Zim felt as if he could never become the kind of soldier and the kind of leader that Lee was. He imagined himself ruling the planet, but even if he did, he felt he would always be living in the shadow of a man like General Lee. He turned and gazed out the window. It was twilight now, and the sky was nearly black. He decided to go for a walk.