THE BORDER EAGLES
CHAPTER ONE
This is another of my very AU stories set in the 19th century. Castle (Rodgers in this story) has a very different back story. Kate also is a very different character. The story is set during and after the Mexican -American war of 1846-1848. Rick is an officer of the U.S. Regular Army. Kate is an Irish widow with two small children, living in Mexico. How they meet and what follows is the story. Set mostly in Mexico and California. There will be no Alexis, Will or Josh in this story. Rick and Kate are nearly the same age in this story, Rick born in April 1823 and Kate in November of that year. As is usual in my AU's there will be fictionalized battles set within the overall time frame. Although battle is not the main focus of this story.
THE AMERICANS
U.S. Military Academy, West Point New York, May 1844.
Four Young men, dressed in their brand- new blue uniforms stood together after their graduation. They were: brand new second lieutenants of the United States Army. Twin Brothers Richard A. Rodgers and Robert S. Rodgers. Both were very large men for their time, standing six feet two inches tall and weighing over two hundred pounds. Kevin S. Ryan somewhat smaller at Five Feet ten, and John Laughlin about the same size as Kevin. All four were handsome men, the Rodgers twins, ruggedly so. Both had brown hair and blue eyes, square chins and wide mouths that wore a smile, more often than not.
Kevin also had brown hair and blue eyes but with a narrower face than the Rodgers twins. John was a green-eyed blonde with classic features.
The men came to attention as a man in the uniform of a colonel of Engineers walked up. He was Duncan Ian Rodgers, the Rodgers twins' father. It was easy to see where the twins got their size and looks, as he was just an older, gray- haired version.
He was accompanied my two beautiful redheads. His wife, Martha and their daughter Jessica. He was carrying two walnut boxes.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen."
"Good afternoon, sir." They said in unison.
"You will excuse us for a few minutes, gentlemen. I wish to talk with my sons." The other two stepped away. Duncan handed one box to each of his sons.
"Open them" They did. Inside each case was a gleaming blue-steel revolver with a powder flask, an oil bottle, screwdriver, cleaning rod, bullet mold and a percussion cap dispenser and a spare cylinder.
"Those are Colt-Patterson number five holster pistols. five shots, .36 caliber, rifled and effective out to 65 yards. The pistol belts and holsters are at the house. You will have to buy those .54 caliber single shots required by regulation but no one says that you can't carry extra weapons in the field."
"Do you have your orders yet?
"Yes sir." Rick spoke for all of them. "John, Kevin and I are posted to the Second Dragoons, Bob to the Third Artillery. All of us at Fort Leavenworth."
Martha spoke;
"Well, at least we'll have three weeks together before you have to leave. Would you gentlemen care to join our family for supper?"
John and Kevin eagerly agreed.
Jessica Rodgers, at sixteen was a young beauty. She had bright red-gold hair, like her mother's, the family blue eyes and delicate features set in a heart shaped face. She drew the notice of any young man around her and most of the older ones.
Kevin Ryan caught her attention and she was casting flirty glances at all afternoon and evening. It wouldn't go anywhere as Kevin had a fiancée and he was loyal. Also, although at that time many young women of her age were already married, the Rodgers family considered her too young.
The leave time passed all too quickly. And it was time for the twins to leave.
The Rodgers' home, New York City, June, 1844
The family indulged in hugs, Martha and Jessica kissing the twins' cheeks, crying softly and telling the twins they loved them. Duncan said;
"Travel safely my sons and write as soon as you have arrived. I expect that you will do your duties in an exemplary manner. Godspeed."
Kevin joined them at the train station and the three young men traveled together. It took them eight long days by train and stagecoach to reach Fort Leavenworth and they were exhausted. Fortunately, all three had good commanding officers who understood the difficulties of travel and they were given three days to recover.
John Laughlin had traveled separately and met the other three at the fort.
The next few days were occupied with buying their horses and tack. All clothing, equipment, weapons and horses were issued to enlisted men, but officers had to purchase their own. All four men bought two horses.
Their weapons had been purchased in New York, or in John's case, Richmond. Kevin, having taken Duncan's advice had purchased a colt-Patterson. All four had bought a pair of the regulation M-1842 single shot percussion pistols, carried in pommel holsters. (Attached to the saddle) Rick and Kevin purchased M-1840 Cavalry Officer's Sabers, Bob and John bought M-1840 Light Artillery Officer's sabers.
Although not required, and most officers didn't, Rick and Kevin bought the same carbine as carried by their men, the M-1842 Hall-North .52 caliber single-shot breech loaders. The next few months were very busy for the dragoons. Chasing and fighting Indians, outlaws and other renegades.
Kansas Territory, near Fort Leavenworth, April 1845
A few days past his twenty-second birthday Rick was out with ten men on a hunting expedition when he heard the sound of gunshots, not far away. Without hesitation, he led his men towards the sound of the guns.
Topping a small rise, they saw a band of about thirty mixed Kiowa and white renegades attacking three wagons and a coach. Instantly understanding the situation, Rick drew his carbine and shouted;
"Form line, draw carbines and follow me." The Kiowa and the renegades were so intent on their prey that they didn't hear the dragoon's approach. At fifty yards Rik called out;
"Halt. Volley fire, Fire!" Eleven shots rang out as one, the heavy fifty-two caliber balls tearing into the shocked attackers, felling eight of them.
"Return carbines, draw sabers. Charge!" In the close-in melee that followed, the trooper's sabers were extremely effective, more so than the knives and lances of the hostiles, where there wasn't room to use their bows Ten more hostiles were down, when the rest broke and tried to run. Another five were cut down before they could get out of range.
Only seven or eight hostiles got away, none of the white renegades among them. Rick managed to capture the lightly wounded war chief, but what really shocked him was one of the wounded, captured renegades. He knew him!
Tom Demming, had been two years ahead of him at West Point and delighted in harassing the underclassmen. He had been cashiered for embezzling funds from the officer's mess.
Demming looked up, hate in his eyes.
"Just shoot me, damn you and get it over with!"
"Not a chance, Demming you murderous renegade, you'll live long enough to hang for your crimes."
Demming and the other surviving renegade had rough dressings applied to their wounds the had their hands bound and their feet tied into the stirrups. Rick rode down to the wagons. A well-dressed, portly man got out of the coach.
"Thank God, that you arrived when you did Lieutenant. It would have been the end of us if you hadn't and my wife would have suffered terribly at the hands of those damned savages. I'm Jared Hartley. I own these wagons and the cargo."
"I'm Lieutenant Richard Rodgers, second Dragoons, Mister Hartley what were you carrying that required five armed guards?" (Three of the guards were dead, the other two wounded but able to fight).
"Twenty Hawkins rifles plus powder and ball as well as goods for the stores at the fort. But nobody was supposed to know about the rifles. Only a few people knew. I will find out who talked and have him hanged!" (Actually, it wasn't a him, it was a her. The disgruntled wife of his chief clerk, was easily bribed.)
Two weeks after the incident a brief trial was held and a month later, Tom Demming did indeed "dance on air" The other renegade died of his wounds.
Rick's report just laid out the facts, without embellishment, but Hartley was a friend of the territorial governor and Rick's actions reached his ears. He, in turn informed the war department. Two months later, a very surprised Richard Rodgers was promoted first lieutenant, well ahead of his peers,
There was some resentment in the regiment but most of the officers realized that it was luck that put Rick and his men in the right place at the right time, but it wasn't luck that made him act decisively when he was.
July, 1845 Fort Leavenworth, to Texas.
The Second Dragoons were part of Brigadier General Zachary Taylor's army that moved into the disputed area of Texas between the Rio Grande and Nueces rivers Texas and the United States claimed the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico. Mexico claimed that it was farther north at the Nueces. There were a number of small skirmishes between Mexican and American forces with no major casualties on either side.
Rio Grande river, Texas, 08,09, May, 1846
Rick's baptism of fire came on two battles in early May. The battle of Palo Alto on the eight, was mostly an artillery duel resulting in a draw. The next day, the battle of Resaca de la Palma despite early setbacks, ended in an American victory and the beginning of General Taylor's invasion of northeastern Mexico.
On May thirteenth, Congress declared war on Mexico.
One week into the invasion, Rick's horse was shot from under him and Rick was thrown, breaking his leg and dislocating his shoulder. Unable to ride, his leg was set and his shoulder put back into place. But being that he would be out of action for at least six weeks, he was relieved from the regiment and sent back to Jefferson Barracks Missouri for reassignment when he healed.
While at Jefferson Barracks, Rick heard about the formation of a new regiment, the U.S. Mounted Rifles A unit that would have the mobility of a cavalry regiment with rifles capable hitting beyond the range of the dragoon's carbines. They would be armed with M1841Rifles, two single shot pistols and the M-1840 Heavy Cavalry saber. (Old wrist breaker) Since both dragoon regiments and light artillery regiments were in the field, experienced officers were hard to come by. Therefore, the government was offering captain's commissions to veteran first lieutenants. Rick applied and was accepted , Rick was commissioned captain. As he had with the dragoons, Rick purchased a rifle, directly from Remington. It would prove a wise purchase, as the mounted rifles were engaged in some of the hottest fighting of the war and the rifles were a tremendous advantage over the Mexican's smoothbore muskets, most of which were surplus British muskets.
Notes on the uniforms.
The field uniforms for all three of the mounted branches were very similar. All three wore dark blue, waist length jackets with stiff standing collars and nine gold buttoned front. The dragoons and mounted rifles were piped in yellow with yellow chevrons of rank for enlisted men. Artillery was piped in red with red chevrons. Artillery and dragoons wore medium blue trousers while the mounted rifles were dark blue.
The artillery had a red stripe on the trouser leg the dragoons, a double yellow stripe. The mounted rifles had a wide black stripe bordered in yellow cord. Enlisted men's belts were white leather with brass buckles. Officers had black leather belts with brass buckles. As noted, enlisted rank was shown by chevrons on the sleeve. Officers wore fringeless epaulettes on their shoulders with rank centered on the pad. Officers also wore silk sashes under their sword belts. Crimson for artillery and mounted rifles, orange for dragoons.
Headgear was a round topped visored cap much like a modern service cap. All cap's visors and chin straps were black leather. Cap bands were dark blue for dragoon and artillery officers, black for both officers and enlisted mounted rifles, red for artillery enlisted and orange for dragoons.
Author's note one: Although the majority of the regular U.S. infantry was armed with flintlock muskets little better than the Mexican's , the muskets were usually much better maintained, and the quality of the powder and ball was much better. Also, a number of the volunteer regiments had cap lock muskets. In addition, there were several other rifle armed units. Most notably the . Foot Rifles and the Mississippi volunteers.
Author's note two: The first posted chapter was a mistake and while I am trying to replace it. If that doesn't work, there will be two chapters labeled as chapter one.
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