Chapter 12

The second wagon train was just over ten miles away when we made camp the next night. We decided to, as the saying goes, catch them with their pants down. We left at midnight and approached using our new night vision glasses. We took their guards down without deadly force and infiltrated the camp. When they woke up the next morning they had a big surprise.

Unlike the train a couple of days ago this train had twenty five of the false bottomed wagons and once again the wagon master was unaware. We did get to meet another of the governor's good friends. They were very distraught to learn of his demise and even more distraught to learn that we were freeing their slaves and the ten young ladies that had been promised husbands. One of the young ladies told us that Mr. Fitzroy had forced her father to send her because he owed him money. Mr. Fitzroy was a total bastard but as much as I wanted to shoot him he never gave me one excuse.

These wagons had more RPGs, mortar rounds, 40mm grenades, M4s and six wagons with no false bottoms but full of 5.56 ammo. Fitzroy also had ten slaves, all female ages sixteen to twenty. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what they were going to do with them. We gave the members of this wagon train the option of going on to Santa Fe on horses or go back to Missouri and most everyone elected to go back. There were six families that had joined for protection. When they heard that we were headed west next spring they asked to join us.

One family was particularly interesting. Two brothers had married two sisters back in Delaware. The older brother had drowned crossing a river. Three nights after they had joined us Jacob "call me Jake" Klein and his wife Ann and her sister Sally walked up to our wagon after supper and after introductions were made Jake wanted to know if he could ask some personal questions. He wanted to know about the plural marriages, ours in particular, "Come on Jake let's go for a walk."

Jake and I chatted and as we walked he told me about his wife and sister in law. And I told him the trials, tribulations, and pure joy of living and loving seven wonderful women. He asked how we were accepted so I explained the Comanche's thoughts on marriage. He was surprised to learn that plural marriages were more the norm in the Band than not.

Jake was quiet for a good bit so we had started walking back, "One of your wives is an Indian and another negress. How much trouble has that caused you?"

"Well in the Band the colour of your skin doesn't matter. We try to judge men and women alike by their heart and their deeds." When we got back to wagon Ann and Sally were sitting with a very beautiful young lady that I recognised as one of Fitzroy's former slaves. Jake's question made a lot more sense

When we walked up Ann jumped up and ran to Jake, "Oh Jake we have to stay with these people! There is so much freedom here and Martha can join us as well. We asked her if she'd like to join our marriage and she's excited but doesn't believe it's possible."

As we walked the final few feet to our camp Sally and Martha stood and looked to Jake. He reached down and took Ann's hand and the two of them walked up to Sally and Martha. He dropped Ann's hand and with both arms pulled both of the women into his embrace. They left our camp four very happy people with plans to be married at sunrise in the morning.

The next morning dawned and the Klein's wedding was put to the side. Sometime after midnight, Matthew Q. Fitzroy had bound and gagged his wife Isabella and ran off to warn Mr. Black. It took less than six hours to find the worthless son of a bitch. Since we were about where the wagons would stop for the night I decided that Matthew must know more about Mr. Black than he had let on. Sure enough he did. Mr. Fitzroy filled in many holes before he passed away. We dumped his naked body in a gully.

We were less than a day away from Ft. Larned in what in my time was Kansas when three of the former slaves that were scouting were taken prisoner as run away slaves. As soon as we got word of their capture Red Hawk ordered the reserve company to stay with the wagons and try to make the fort today if possible. We assembled seven companies of cavalry and Robert's artillery company. This was basically every remaining able bodied person we had. Robert had the two field pieces and the Gatling gun off loaded from the wagon that they normally rode in and hooked them up to their caissons. Robert and Moses had also built caissons and two wheel platforms for the two fifty cal. and the HK MGM's by cannibalizing broken and damaged wagons. Robert's company also maintains four wagons that carry extra ammunition for all of us.

Just over seven hundred of us left for the fort at a trot. At three in the afternoon we rode into sight of the fort and the surrounding town. We deployed two Companies to cover our flanks, and sent our commandos to position themselves where they could take the fort. We moved the remainder of our troops to a point where the town was within range of the two field pieces and the mortars. Robert deployed his people and set up his mortars, cannons, and the two fifty cals. It didn't take long for them to send some one to find out what we wanted. The Post Commandant, the mayor, and the town sheriff, the very man who was holding our people against their will, rode out to talk to us.

The Post Commandant eyed the troops with fear and envy as he stopped in front of Red Hawk, Two Horses, and me, "What is the meaning of this?"

He had directed the question towards me, I pointed to Red Hawk and he pointed to the Sheriff as the man who the squad leader had described. "That man is holding three of our people, you have one hour to return them unharmed along with their horses and weapons."

The sheriff's face went red with rage, "They're fuckin' niggers and run aways at that and you'll get them over my dead body."

Red Hawk turned and looked at me as I pulled my pistol and shot the bastard. As he fell off of his horse Red Hawk turned to the Commandant, "Were there any other conditions that need to be met before we get our people back?"

"Can I assume that you will attack if we don't?" the Mayor asked.

Red Hawk whistled and Robert's company walked five HE (high explosive) mortar rounds down each side of the double rutted trail that led back to town. When the last rounds hit, "If we don't have our people in one hour starting right now we will start shelling your town and fort until the only building still standing is the place where you are holding our people and we know where they are. If you decide to harm them then we will not leave even one adult alive when we're finished, do you understand?"

The Commandant turned to the Mayor "Is the next person that you're going to appoint to be Sheriff going to want to keep this ... this Army's scouts?"

"I can promise you they're not," the mayor replied.

The Commandant turned to Red Hawk, "Sir, would you like to send an honour guard into town to retrieve your men?"

Red Hawk whistled for an honour guard. Newly appointed Company Commander Maggie Mills and ten troopers left her Company and rode toward him. When she stopped she saluted with her fist across her chest, "Company Commander Mills reporting for honour guard duty, sir"

"Go get our men please but do not enter their town," Maggie saluted Red Hawk and turned and let loose a series of whistles. A trooper came forward and tilted the rolled and cased flag he was carrying. Maggie reached for the end of the flag and pulled the protecting cover off of the flag allowing the brightly coloured flag to unfurl. The mayor jumped as over four hundred men and women came to attention and saluted.

"Jesus, Joseph, and Mary," the Commandant breathed. A sudden flurry of whistles and suddenly the Commandant and the Mayor were facing the drawn pistols of the honour guard as well as the rest of the front rank of the Company he was facing. "What just happened?"

Red Hawk's face was one of pure hate, "We just got word that our three men are hurt." Red Hawk turned to me, "What did they say?"

I pulled out a mirror and flashed it towards the town. We all watched as a similar series of flashes came from the edge of town I spoke in Comanche as the signals came in and Red Hawk translated, "Troopers Brown, Buffalo, and Sampson badly beaten. Team has recovered their guns, horses, and uniforms. Personal effects are missing. Troops from fort are setting up an ambush with the aid of the townspeople. End of transmission awaiting orders."

"That's that hare brained Lt. Hayes. His father is a Senator from New York. He's been trying to take over my command ever since he got here," the Commandant spat.

Red Hawk turned to me, "Signal All Companies advance, fire only if fired upon." Turning to the Mayor and the Commandant, "Come on let's go see how badly beaten our people are and if you think any of those people feel compelled to shoot at us you need to realise that the people behind me are less than half of the troops that we have at our disposal." Red Hawk pointed to the north and the company advancing on the small town. Then he pointed to the south and finally to the east. "We do not want any trouble but hear this, any of your people start something we will finish it. And if the seven hundred troops that we have here aren't enough there are two more companies with our wagon train and they will be here tonight."

Red Hawk whistled advance, "Capt. Mills, stay here. If something happens you know what to do." Red Hawk saluted the Captain and spurred his horse to catch up with the front of the column.

They had abandoned the ambush when the rest of our troops were sighted. Now as we rode into the town, the townsfolk stood on both sides of the street and stared. The town was not all that big and by the time our troops had ridden in from north, south, east and west the streets were filled with armed men and women. Lt. Hayes had fled for the fort when he found out how large the force really was. I got my medical kit and went to check on our men. I took one look and almost threw up. They had been whipped until their backs were a bloody pulp. I heard Red Hawk and the Commandant asking who beat our men. There was a lot of yelling and name calling from the deputies. I drew up three syringes full of Demerol with a Phenergan chaser to help with the nausea. Normally I'd give IM or intramuscular but there wasn't a big enough area of muscle that didn't look like hamburger meat. I went ahead and put an IV in and used three bags of my precious IV antibiotics and injected the Demerol cocktail into the IV. Jana and Fran had been helping me, "Go," Fran ordered, "we'll keep and eye on them."

I walked to the front of the building and when I walked out, Red Hawk, the Mayor and the Commandant had the Sheriff's three men and were arguing with them. Red Hawk held up his hand when I walked out, "How bad is it Tom?"

"We could lose them if infection sets in, at the very least they are going to be laid up for weeks."

"What should we do with these men?" Red Hawk asked.

I pulled out my O katana, "Tie ropes around their hands and stretch them out. I'm not cruel enough to give them a whipping like they gave our men but I damn sure don't mind fixing them where they'll never hold another whip."

The biggest of the men was looking back and forth, "You can't do that," he turned to the Commandant and dropped to his knees, "please don't let them cut off our hands. We had to do it the Sheriff made us. Please mister."

"Don't beg me," the Commandant spat, "these are the people you wronged." The Commandant looked to Red Hawk, "There is plenty of room for your people to camp up by the fort. And if you don't mind I'll have my men lock these yahoos up till you decide what to do with them."

Two soldiers took the three deputies back into the jail and locked them up.

Red Hawk extended his hand and shook hands with the Commandant, "Thank you. Our wagons should be here," Red Hawk paused and turned to Fanny who pulled the leather satchel over her head and handed it to him. Red Hawk opened the case and removed the paper from inside, "Two hours, they should be here in two hours." Red Hawk took a pencil out and wrote a brief message on it and handed it to Fanny, "Get that to Capt. Mills right away."

Fanny saluted, "Yes Sir!" She stuck the message into the satchel and put the strap over her head and took the reins of her horse. Fanny made a little kissing sound and the horse dipped his head down. When she grabbed a handful of mane and whistled loudly, the horse bolted almost violently but it was a long practiced move for horse and rider she was in the saddle and fanning the reins as she shouted, "Rider coming through!"

The Commandant smiled, "I don't suppose I could swap aides with you could I?"

Red Hawk smiled back and shook his head, "Thank you. Mr. Mayor I think I need to clear your streets." Red Hawk let loose with a series of whistles which began to echo back and forth as squads joined Companies. "Do you have a particular place for us to put our horses Commandant?"

The Commandant turned to soldier standing near by, "Show them the Cottonwood grove. They can picket their horses there." The soldier saluted and grabbed his horse and started riding out of town.

A man ran up to the mayor, "There's a huge heard of cattle and horses going around the town.

"Is that some of your bunch Red Hawk?" the Mayor asked.

"Yes that would be our herd. Do you know of anyone that has cattle for sale?"

"I'll pass the word, are you looking for beef cattle or..." A woman screamed from across the street and moments later a man ran up, "It's Timmy Jacobs, he was trying to see the herd better and fell! He's hurt real bad."

Red Hawk turned to me, "Tom get your kit."

I stuck my head in the jail, "Jana grab my bag and come on, a boy is hurt." I hadn't much more than got it out of my mouth and she was there and we ran across the street to find the boy. Red Hawk had got there quickly and wouldn't let them move him but the Commandant had to restrain the mother.

Jana was well trained by now, skills honed by dozens of accidents along the trail. It was obvious that the boy's leg was broken and he may have had a concussion albeit a very slight one. The boy was screaming from the pain and after making sure the leg was the worst of it I gave him a shot. In a few minutes the boy was out like a light. I set the leg and was looking around for some way to carry the boy when two of our troopers showed up with one of the stretchers we'd made. They helped me get the boy on the stretcher and I turned to the mother, "Ma'am I need to put a cast on that leg and I won't have the stuff until our wagon gets here."

"Are you a doctor?" the mayor asked.

"As close as we have to one." I could see Jana about to speak and shook my head.

"Mr. Dunlap I would be happy to have you and your wife over to my house for supper."

I was about to reply when the Commandant spoke up, "Mayor I had already invited Red Hawk and his officers and wives, why don't you and your wife join us."

I looked at Red Hawk and raised my eye brows, "Have you... ?" Red Hawk grinned and nodded.

Fanny walked up to Red Hawk and saluted, "Sir the wagons are here and they have been given directions to the camp site."

"Thank you Fanny would you go and get Beth to bring her wagon here? Tom needs some of his medical supplies, and after that the officers and their wives will dine at the fort. To keep the numbers down, make it Company commanders and members of the council. Get an exact number and see to it that the Commandant is informed."

Fanny saluted, "Yes Sir!"

"She's just a little girl," the mother of the boy with the broke leg complained.

Red Hawk turned to the woman, "That little girl has killed two men in battle. She spends ten hours a week training and twenty to thirty hours a week studying. She's not a little girl she is a very brave young woman."

A little later I heard Beth pull up out front of the house and went around to meet her, "Hello my beautiful wife," I reached up to help the now very pregnant Beth and the just starting to show Prissy. Mae had been in the back of the wagon gathering the plaster and bandages needed to make the cast. I turned to the two troopers, "I'll grab these two saw horses, you two take the boy through to the kitchen."

I set the saw horses up and the troopers set the stretcher on them and I dismissed them. Jana finished cutting the boy's pants off. The boy's mother watched as my wives moved with practiced ease getting everything ready. She was pulled from her trance when Sam knocked on the front door of the house, "Is my husband here?" Sam asked the woman.

"We're back here Sam," I called out.

"Mr Dunlap which of these women is your wife because I thought she was," she pointed to Jana.

"Well ma'am let me introduce my wives to you, this is Jana, Beth, Prissy, Mae, that's Mia cutting up the strips and this is Sam. Fran is down at the jail taking care of the men that were beaten." I was interrupted by someone else knocking at the door. The stunned woman returned with Fran, "That's Fran. How are the guys doing?"

"Red Hawk and the Commandant moved them to Lt. Hayes" quarters at the fort. They're resting but Sampson's wife showed up. Boy howdy is she ever pissed! I hope they have at least five squads guarding those deputies cause she is ready for some one to pay. Trooper's Brown and Buffalo's wives are upset, but they can't hold a candle to that Pawnee's rage." Fran had just noticed the stunned look on the boy's mother's face, "Ma'am are you alright?"

"So many and you two aren't white," the woman seemed to be in a daze.

"My heart doesn't know what colour they are. By the way while I have all of you together we have been invited to dine with the Commandant." Mia was sliding the muslin stocking on to the boy's leg. It got busy after that as we layered the cloth strips and plaster on to the boy's leg. An hour later it was all done and Jana and I moved the boy's bed down out of the upstairs and into the living area

"Oh dear!" The boy's mother suddenly got very agitated, "Doctor I..." she reached up to her neck and took off a locket from around her neck, "this is all I have to pay you with I..." tears started streaming down her face.

"You don't owe me anything. Ma'am, where's your husband, the boy's father?" The water works really took off then. Boy howdy was that ever the wrong question to ask. Fran had her arm around the woman trying to comfort her. I got that 'you've done quite enough' look so I decided that I'd go do something constructive, "I'll take the wagon and go set up camp." Jana, Mae, Beth, and Mia came with me to make sure I didn't make any more grievous errors.

Fran and company returned an hour or so later and announced that Jenna would be leaving with us when we left. In keeping with the pattern I had established for the day, "Jenna?"

"Jenna Jacobs the boy with the broke leg," Fran stared at me like my ears had grown together, "his mother."