The Bonnie Blue Ribbon

By James Dedman

“I will tell you a truth . . .I do not think the war will ever end."

The Cumberland Guard was a state militia, filled with veterans of the war with Mexico. When the opportunity for real combat arose, they were swift to answer, but no one could have foretold the consequences. Experience the first days of our nation’s greatest conflict through the eyes of Daphne Harrison, her husband James, Ronald "Sean" Fairchild, and many others in the Cumberland Guard.

This book details several events alluded to in its companion book, "A Woman of Consequence."

• Language: English
• Publisher: James Dedman
• Release date: Sep 11, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301929320

James Dedman

James C. Dedman lives in a rural community in the Midwest, forgotten by the modern world, presiding over an empire of various barnyard critters. An avid Civil War Reenactor and Historian, he enjoys researching genealogy, visiting historical locales, and raising chickens. An author of over 20 novels, he has also directed several independent films, a documentary and even a few plays. A Woman of Consequence marks his ebook debut, with more to follow. A practicing attorney at-law in order to fund his research, in his off time he gathers material for his books by making frequent trips to the West. He is the proud father of three girls, all of whom can sit a horse and fire a gun. He must always defer to his wife of over thirty years, however, as she is the one who feeds his horse.

Book preview

The Bonnie Blue Ribbon

Book 1 of the Chronicles of the Cumberland Guard

By James C. Dedman

Edited By Daryl Debunhurst

Copyright 2012 James Dedman

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Disclaimer: This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to people living or dead (Except historical figures) is purely coincidental)

Table of Contents

Forward: A Note About Civil War Ranks and Regiments

Chapter 1: Wedding and National Election

Chapter 2: The Old River Tavern

Chapter 3: Justice for the Men

Chapter 4: On to Washington

Chapter 5: On to Richmond

Chapter 6: Bull Run

Chapter 7: "After-action Report

Chapter 8: Recruitment

Chapter 9: The New Guard

Chapter 10: The Christmas Ball

Chapter 11: After the Ball is Over

Chapter 12: What A Way to Go

Chapter 13: The White Star

Chapter 14: Pittsburgh Landing

Chapter 15: From the Camps to the Hornet's Nest

Chapter 16: The View From the Rear

Chapter 17: Prisoners of the War

Chapter 18: Counter-Attack

Chapter 19: Aftermath of the Struggles

Chapter 20: Beyond Corinth

Forward: A Note About Civil War Ranks and Regiments

The Regiment depicted in this book, called the Cumberland Guard, was formed from a state militia unit. To be used in the national army it was mustered into federal service. The officer commanding, a Colonel, was appointed by the Governor of the State. Assisting him in command of the regiment were his subordinates: a Lieutenant Colonel and, below him, a Major.

The Regiment, sometimes called a Battalion, was usually composed of eight companies, each commanded by a Captain with a First Lieutenant below him and a Second Lieutenant as the lowest ranking commissioned officer in the Regiment. These men were often elected by the men in their Company. The first Guard Regiment, as depicted, had twelve Companies (like a cavalry regiment) which was not common. There were no Indiana Regiments at Bull Run.

To understand the rankings in the Civil War army, here is a list from the bottom up:

Private

Corporal

Sergeant

First Sergeant of a Company

Sergeant Major of the Regiment

Second Lieutenant

First Lieutenant

Captain

Major

Lieutenant Colonel

Colonel of the Regiment

Brigadier General

Major General

Brigades had anywhere from two to six Battalions (Regiments or large parts of Regiments). In theory they were commanded by Brigadier Generals but in fact the Senior Colonel ended up commanding them.

Two or more Brigades put together to form a Division. In theory a Division should be commanded by a Major General but often were commanded by Brigadier Generals.

Two or more Divisions were put together to form a Corps, commanded by a Major General. The confusion at the top with Major General being the top rank grew as did the size of the armies.

I put this forward in to help clarify the book. The army loved to tinker with the size of the Regiments, the number of men in a Company, and the number of Majors in a Regiment. I hope this over-simplified statement will help the new reader and not offend any hard-core military historians.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 1

Wedding and National Election

Winter, 1860

Daphne Worthington

"It’s my own wedding day and I can think of nothing clever or profound to say."

- Diary of Daphne Athena Worthington Harrison, Indianapolis, November 10, 1860

As the fall was passing quickly away, Daphne Worthington traveled to Indianapolis with her Aunt Jane to prepare for her wedding to C. James Harrison. A four month engagement had seemed like an eternity to her and she often wished they had eloped in July. Together with her Aunt Jane, she had traveled from their hometown of Centerville to stay at her sister’s for that wild indefinite period which always seemed to precede a wedding. By an interesting stroke of fate, her fiancé was also her brother-in-law-- the elder Worthington girl, Cloe, had married the elder Harrison brother in the years where Daphne had assured all who would listen that she would never wed. The little group was quite comfortably housed in the Harrison mansion, where, in between the various crises a wedding precipitated, the two reminisced about old times and planned for the future.

I just could not go to another wedding in that old church, Daphne explained. She had grown up in the small town of Centerville to the west of Indianapolis and attended church at Moonshine Church-- Cloe had even been married there. In the past couple of years, however . . Well, she had made rather a mess of some of her friends’ lives, she supposed-- there had been a very unhappy marriage for which she blamed herself in the old church. Now she wanted to put all of that behind her and start a new life in the city where she would live.

Not to mention the fact that there are now more members in the choir than there are in the rest of the congregation. Cloe sniffed, giving the bright cross-stitching in her hands a critical look. I think if we had packed the place with all your local well-wishers those poor old pews in the back would have collapsed in sheer surprise!

Daphne shared a laugh with her sister, but acknowledged the truth in her words.

And Old Reverend Livingstone’s passing sealed my decision, she replied. I don’t even know the new pastor, so getting married here would be just as good.

Better! Cloe promised, I have always wanted to give my baby sister a proper send-off and there is no city better suited than here in Indianapolis! We have all the resources necessary to make it a day to remember!

Daphne smiled knowingly. The Harrisons were very wealthy and, though Aunt Jane had always seemed to have enough money to raise her two nieces well, they had rarely had the chance to really take advantage of it.

The girls were interrupted as their Aunt, Jane Worthington, entered with a telegram in hand.

"Good news, girls-- your Aunt Rosa says that she is coming to help with the wedding arrangements.

Two faces fell instantly.

Really? Daphne finally said in a small voice.

She will only get in the way, Cloe sighed.

She is your Aunt, too, Aunt Jane reminded them gently. And her heart truly is in the right place.

You are right, Aunt Jane, Daphne stood rebuked. But she is so . . . .

Yes, isn't she, just, Cloe set her mouth in a thin line.

~

Indeed, Auntie Rosa arrived in a whirlwind of cheek pinching, squealing, and weeping. While Daphne despaired of ever getting anything done ever again, Cloe, ever resourceful, seemed to be able to come up with any number of innocuous small tasks to occupy their overzealous aunt. In the meantime, Cloe made the more important arrangements and even managed to find ways for them to sneak off and spend some time out of Rosa’s perfect storm.

Are you certain we’ve thought of everything? Daphne’s brow furrowed as she racked her brain. Cake, flowers, invitations . . .

Cloe gave her head a determined nod.

You’re worrying far too much-- we are doing fine getting everything ready. Trust me. It will be perfect: just a small, tasteful affair. Candles. Warmth. Love. You and James, Clifton and me. Just like when I got married.

Remember how hot that was? Daphne recalled fondly, thinking of her first adventure as a young woman six years ago in the heat of the Indiana summer.

I don't, actually, Cloe muttered, a distant look on her lovely features. I know it must have been, but I do not recall the weather. A light blush on Cloe's cheeks was the only hint of what she actually DID recall.

Aunt Jane! Daphne looked up as their aunt entered the parlor with a stricken look. What ever is the matter?

I have been reading too much, the elderly Worthington dame replied. I was at the library reading some southern newspapers. You ladies have things well in hand and I thought I would take the opportunity to broaden my view of national matters. Of course they are over a month old, but what they say about Mr. Lincoln is just awful.

Some people around here have that opinion of him, too, Cloe frowned.

Like those Sherringford brothers-- I do not understand how James can be friends with them. Daphne declared, in total agreement with her sister. At the debate they called Mr. Lincoln a baboon! I was amazed that James went to the River Tavern with them at the end.

Well, James won the debate, Aunt Jane said. In victory he can afford to be gracious.

As can Mr. Lincoln, Cloe pursed her lips. Do you suppose that the turmoil from the south will settle down since the election is finally over?

Perhaps I thought so, once, Aunt Jane looked very troubled, But after reading what they had to say . . . it goes beyond the normal mudslinging you might expect. It sounds as though parts of the South would sooner see the country in pieces than be led by a man like Mr. Lincoln. Slavery is more than just an issue of preferences-- it is an ugly system that resorts to fighting in an ugly fashion to preserve its wretched existence.

So THIS is where you’ve all been hiding! The three were interrupted by the sudden arrival of Auntie Rosa. Cloe, dearie, I have finished the place cards, but I cannot seem to make head or tail of the seating arrangement.

And what is the problem with our guests sitting where they wish? Daphne raised an eyebrow.

Oh no, that will NEVER do!! Auntie Rosa looked horrified. What will happen if people all sit on one side? Or leave seats empty? We could have a disaster on our hands!

Ah, well, Cloe smiled graciously, I’m sure we can come to an arrangement.

Amidst this turmoil the wedding plans were concluded.

~

When the wedding day finally arrived, Daphne was sure she was going to be a bundle of nerves, but was instead blessed with a contented calm. Cloe was as good as her word and better-- the mansion glowed with beautiful candles and was filled with warmth. The rich smells of fall permeated the house along with tasteful, hand-picked decorations.

In keeping with the intimate setting, there were only a few friends present-- Daphne’s parents were long dead, so the only family present were her surrogate parent Aunt Jane, Auntie Rosa and her husband Charles, and, of course, Cloe with her husband and little boy Junior. That left only Daphne and James’ friends to make up the remainder.

Among them was Alnette Curtis, who had come escorted by Lionel Powers-- but Daphne didn’t care whether they got together anymore or not. Ronnie Sean Fairchild and his wife were also in attendance and Daphne, to her own surprise, did not care if Alnette, Sean's former sweetheart, was upset by that fact. In fact, it occurred to her that perhaps she had been far too fixated on the personal lives of everyone but herself-- a trait she vowed to correct. From then, she had thoughts and eyes only for her soon-to-be-husband.

Cloe was running the affair with a practiced ease, keeping everyone where they belonged and making sure that all the proper cues were obeyed. After Auntie Rosa had been placated with a supposed seating chart, it was quietly abandoned when she was snared into the spirit of the event.

Isn’t this just amazing? Of course, I just knew it would be spectacular-- I remember Cloe’s wedding perfectly. She was surrounded by a whole company of soldiers on horseback who escorted her everywhere. The weather was divine-- an unbelievable feat for June, to be sure. And who could forget the dancing afterward-- the whole town must have been there!

Cloe nearly shook with laughter-- Auntie Rosa could always be relied upon to completely misremember every event she had ever witnessed. She recovered quickly with a signal from Aunt Jane, which she passed on to the Reverend.

Everyone automatically hushed as Daphne entered the room. Her dress was an incredible shade of green, perfectly complementing the golden hair piled high atop her head. The elaborate bouquet in her hand was no rival to her beauty-- she was truly radiant and it was all poor James could do not to stare openmouthed.

By candlelight Crispus James Harrison and Daphne Athena Worthington were united in holy matrimony. Everything was as gentile as Cloe had planned and Daphne went through the motions with her usual perfection. The only time her face broke its absolute calm was with the final words:

You may kiss the bride.

Here, she was helpless to stop a massive smile from lighting up all her features.

~

At the wedding supper a portrait of her, painted by a young new artist of the city, Robert Southerland, was unveiled for an approving crowd.

You look like a classic Greek, my dear, James had lovingly observed. He had found the young man recently back from a trip to the west where he had assisted with a book of sketches.

Why, I didn’t realize, she fibbed, preening happily. She loved how the painter had captured her favorite pose in the painting-- her head tilted slightly and her hands clasped on her lap. She loved to strike this pose and knew it brought joy to those who could watch her hold it for hours, but today the poses were different-- it was now a compilation as she mentally paired her motions with those of her husband. They were a matched pair, gazing lovingly and in perfect step. She knew his friends on the railroad thought he had found the perfect little picture wife but they did not know the conversation and exchange of ideas that passed between the pair. This was truly an example of soul mates-- and it was nothing like the silly poetry that Sean had shared with such fervor when they were schoolmates. This