Hannah

                Hannah

Suzanne Marsh

“No, don’t” Hannah Morgan begged Union Captain John Elroy. Things had happened so quickly, Jeremiah, her brother had ridden hell bent for leather attempting to rid himself of the Union patrol. He hid himself in the swamp waiting for the patrol to pass. Then his whinnied, giving away his position. Hannah, her fears taking over hid in the basement of their shelled out plantation home The Ivy, it was the only safe place for her. She heard the thunder of hooves, heard a pistol crack. She raced up the steps of the basement, out the front door to find Captain John Elroy standing over her brother, ready to kill him. Hannah wondered how all this had come about. Jeremiah, was scouting for the Confederate General, Nathan Bedford Forrest, he was only sixteen but that had not concerned Forrest, he required the best scouts and Jeremiah was the one. The boy knew the swamps like the back of his hand, he learned from Cedric, his friend and playmate since they were babies.

Captain Elroy was cold and tired, his uniform wet from riding in the swamps after Jeremiah, his troops and horses fatigued. Hannah stood quietly watching the scene unfold; an 1851 Navy Colt Revolver hidden in the folds of her skirt. She knew she could not aim quickly enough to fire at the Yankee Captain, she would bargain for her brother’s life if she had to. The captain pointed his 1860 Army Revolver at Jeremiah, attempting to ascertain whether he shoot the kid, take him with him for questioning at headquarters. The captain wanted to know exactly where General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s headquarters were located, what this boy had seen while he was scouting. He watched Hannah closely, sensing something but not knowing what, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He knew not to trust a southern woman, most would shoot him first and ask questions later, Hannah Morgan was no exception.

Jeremiah had never known true fear up until today, he lay silently on the dusty road with the revolver pointed at his head. He realized he knew way to much information about the Yankee headquarters, it could cost him his life unless Hannah had an idea or the Yankee had waited long enough. Jeremiah, had to find a way to get the information to General Nathan Bedford Forrest, he had seen at least a division of Yankees under General Ulysses S. Grant. Jeremiah knew if he could stay alive he could get this information to General Nathan Bedford Forrest, he knew it would not win the war but it would stop Grant for a few months. He gave a Hannah a side glance, his brown eyes huge with fear, she simply stood silently waiting patiently for a moment when she could aim and fire accurately at the Yankee captain.

Captain Elroy determined that killing the boy would not benefit anyone, he motioned to his sergeant to tie the boy on his horse, they would take him to General Grant, he would talk or die there. Once Jeremiah was mounted on his horse the column of troopers rode off down the dusty road, leaving Hannah standing there, the revolver still hidden in her skirt. She ran to the stable where one horse remained from an entire stable that had been full until the Yankees arrived. She began to saddle Mayfair, the old mare on a good day would trot a short distance and stop. Hannah had to stop that patrol, she decided that she would find General Forrest’s headquarters, tell him that Jeremiah had been captured, he was being taken to Grant’s headquarters. Hannah knew that Forrest was near the Pearl River, near the swamps. She kicked the old mare hard to get her to move, she had to get to General Forrest before Jeremiah found himself in front of a firing squad or if he were lucky Elmira prison, a hell hole prison in New York. Neither prospect was good; the old mare sensed something broke into a gentle lope. Hannah, wished now she had paid more attention to the swamp when Jeremiah had taken her riding before the harshness of war had taken over The Ivy.

She rode as quickly as the old mare could carry her; she had never met General Forrest, was he as charming as folks said he was. She heard the rhythmic beat of horse hooves, and headed the mare behind several trees; she dismounted held the old mare’s reigns in her hand, and patted the neck hoping not to give away her position. She waited several minutes, her patience rewarded; Elroy and his cavalry troop galloped by. Hannah wanted to follow them, wait until dark then rescue Jeremiah, although that seemed foolhardy. She had no illusions about what would happen if Elroy caught her. She would find General Forrest, and he would rescue her brother. Once Elroy and his troopers were out of sight Hannah remounted the old mare, heading toward the Louisiana border in a secluded area where Jeremiah had shown her, where General Forrest’s headquarters had to be.

Hannah rode into the darkness, praying she would see a fire or anything that would give her the location of the General. Finally, she saw a small fire and rode toward the area, she dismounted quietly, tying the horse to a small tree. She peered around a tree that served as her hiding spot, those men she spotted wore the gray, and she sighed a sigh of relief. She moved cautiously toward the fire, there sat the man she sought. She cleared her throat to announce her presence:

“General Forrest, my name is Hannah Morgan, my brother Jeremiah was captured and is being taken to General Grant’s headquarters. Not only is my brother in danger but also your headquarters.” Forrest stood up to his full six foot, he was more than surprised that this wisp of a girl had found his headquarters, and then it dawned on him who she was. Hannah Morgan, Jeremiah Morgan’s only living relative, Forrest had known her father, he wasn’t sure where he was last he had heard John Morgan fighting somewhere up north, Forrest was not sure if the man was even alive.

He turned to face Hannah:

“Which direction did they take him? Can you show me, we can be mounted a ready to ride.

How did you get here, Jeremiah informed me that there were no more horses in your stable.”

Hannah told him about the old mare, how they had loped most of the way; she had tied her to a tree about one hundred feet from where they were conversing. She ran to the mare, remounted, she was going to help rescue her brother. She lead the way to where the troopers had taken her brother, she hoped they would not be to late, her biggest fear was that Jeremiah would be executed after the had questioned him.

Forrest and his men rode hard, making it difficult for Hannah and the mare to keep up. One of Forrest’s scout’s came loping up:

“General Forrest sir, I found their camp, about five miles from here nestled in some trees. I saw Jeremiah, he is tied up securely but it ain’t nothin we can’t remedy. Forrest smiled, this was going to be easy to snatch the kid and return to camp. Forrest quickly devised a plan, Hannah wanted to participate in the rescue. Forrest had her ride into the Yankee camp, he and his troopers hid silently; waiting until they saw Hannah’s hand.

Captain Elroy was astonished when Hannah rode into camp, he strode over to her horse:

“What are you doing here? I could have you shot!” Hannah gave him a smile:

Captain Elroy, please let my brother go, he can’t do you any harm, he is only sixteen, please

sir.” Elroy could just let the kid slip away, no one would be the wiser. Hannah quickly realized he was not going to release her brother, she raised her had in the air as if primping her hair. Forrest and his troopers rode in fast, one of the troopers grabbed Jeremiah off the ground, cut the ropes that bound his hands and feet. Jeremiah was in the back of the trooper as they rode off into the night.

The following morning Jeremiah took Hannah back home, she had saved his life:

“Hannah, if you had not been so brave I might on be here, how did ever find General Forrest’s

camp?” Hannah turned to face him, a smile on her thin face:

“You used to take me there when you were a little boy, you said it was a safe place. It

turned out to be a safe place for General Forrest; now how about some breakfast?”