Chapter 13: The Invasion of Cape Charles

Only a few days after Simon shared his blanket with Patty, Fate intervened. Early one summer morning, soldiers and marines of JTF Phalanx loaded into their landing craft and prepared for another "show of force" operation. These exercises were meant to show the rebels that the government still remembered them, but were usually little more than a media event. The operations were regular events, with the landing craft sailing back and forth along the coast, well in sight of the rebels, before coming back to Norfolk. This time, however, Major General Manlius had planned a surprise.

While the assault force paraded up and down the Chesapeake Bay, he launched a probing raid at the small port of Cape Charles. This raid was meant to be a small assault test the Shoremen's ability to respond to an amphibious assault. The raiding party skimmed across the sand bars, avoiding the regular shipping channel, in fast hovercraft. Once ashore, the Marines moved quickly in Light Assault Vehicles (LAVs) through the town itself. The raid caught the rebels completely by surprise. The rebel spies had assured the Shoremen command that this operation was nothing more than a demonstration for the media. The result was that the shore defenses were unprepared for an actual landing.

The landing force cut through the town. The JTF staff couldn't believe the success that they were having as the raiding party's reports told of crumbling resistance. Before the LAVs had reached the highway that ran the length of the peninsula, Major General Manlius had decided to expand the scope of the raid into a full-fledged invasion.

Using the troops that had been embarked for the diversion force, the JTF moved to secure the southern tip of the Eastern Shore. The rebels, finding themselves under attack from the land and the sea, retreated northward. Although hard pressed, the rebels reorganized quickly and fought back in small guerrilla-style groups to slow the government advance.

Back at the JTF Headquarters, the general had finally informed the Commission that an invasion was underway. While the military briefer used maps and gun-camera footage to excite the global media, Bobby was handed a single page pres statement for him to read.

Glaring at Madeline, Bobby snarled, "Just as soon as I get hold of your General, we're going to have a discussion of just who's in charge here."

Madeline, her loyalties torn between her commander and her lover, tried to mutter explanations but was cut off sharply when Stuart appeared, telling Bobby that he was on stage next. Bobby's briefing was short and vague, just as Manlius had planned it, and the seething politician was left with only a few minutes of camera time. The General laughed as he watched the press briefing from his wardroom aboard the JTF's command ship.

"Keep the little bastard on a short lead," he told the XO, referring to Bobby in his usual way. "I don't want any information leaking out to the press."

Pressing their advantage in training and armored vehicles, the Marines pushed north along Route 13. Forty eight hours after the landing, the raiding force had reached the town of Exmore, some thirty miles north of Cape Charles, before the Shoremen were able to bring the government's advance to a halt. The attacking force had stayed along the highway, bypassing large concentrations of rebel forces as they advanced. Once the rebels reorganized, they began striking back with stinging raids from hidden groups along the JTF's supply routes and rear areas.

The nature of the shoreline, especially the maze of shifting sand bars, meant that amphibious assaults were very vulnerable to Shoremen armor and artillery responses. The government's paranoia about sustaining casualties made smaller attacks too risky and the presence of the Palladium system nullified the government's air superiority. On the ground, the fighting had been stiff but Major General Manlius had coordinated an attack from Delaware to menace the Shoremen from the north to draw their attention away from the invasion force. The tactic had worked and the government forces soon had solid control of the southern tip of the Eastern Shore.

Following the invasion of Cape Charles JTF Phalanx moved efficiently to consolidate their gains. Discipline among the Federal troops had been good and there were few cases of looting. Officers had held "drum head" courts to divide the spoils of each captured town according to the ancient rules of war. As was the custom, the officers chose body servants from the captives and received a share of the food and other supplies. Each squad of soldiers received the same, often flipping a coin or pitching bayonets at a target to settle disputes in the division of the spoils.

With the invasion force's initial surge waning, Simon sat in Norfolk wondering if the good news from the invasion force meant that he could go home soon. His new problem was trying to figure out what he would go home to. Before he could think too much on the subject of returning to Staunton, Simon was ordered to report to the JTF Headquarters in Cape Charles.

Simon crossed the Chesapeake Bay on a small Navy ferry sandwiched in amongst the spare parts and rations. The best part of the short, choppy journey was seeing Patty working on the docks when he arrived. He quickly arranged to have dinner with her at Alex's bungalow that evening.