CHAPTER X
A STUBBORN PROPOSITION
The general, who was always on the alert, ordinarily began his workwith the sun, and rarely did he stop with the setting of it, either.The next morning, therefore, he was at his headquarters at an unusuallyearly hour.
Fortune had favored him in that one of the harbor patrol boats, makinga daring reconnaissance about midnight, to discover if possible whathad happened to the _David_, had captured a whale boat from one of theUnion ships, bound on a similar errand, and had brought her crew to thecity. By questioning them Beauregard learned of the blowing up of the_Housatonic_, and the almost certain loss of the torpedo boat. He wassorry that he missed the _Wabash_ and the admiral, and intenselygrieved over the lack of any tidings from the _David_ or her men,which, however, caused him little surprise, but he was glad, indeed,they had been so brilliantly successful in eliminating the magnificentnew steam sloop-of-war _Housatonic_ from the force blockading them.
Incidentally he learned, with some additional satisfaction, thatAdmiral Vernon was to be relieved of his command on account of illnessand was going North with his flagship in a few days. The admiral hadshown himself so intensely enterprising and pugnacious that Beauregardhoped and expected that any change in opponents would be for thebetterment of the situation from the Southern point of view.
When he had digested the important news of the morning, he sent for hisprisoner of the night before. The general had been very indignant onthe wharf, and justly so, but he instinctively felt that there wassomething in the situation, which, if he could get at it, might relievefrom the odium of his position the young officer, whose family history,no less than his personal character, absolutely negatived the idea ofcowardice or treachery.
General Beauregard hoped that by questioning him quietly and calmly,and by representing to him the critical situation in which he foundhimself, that he might induce him to clear up the mystery. He spoke tohim kindly, therefore, when he was ushered into the room and bade himbe seated. He marked with soldierly appreciation of the lieutenant'sfeelings the evidences of his sleepless night, the anguish of his soul,in the haggard look upon his face.
"Mr. Sempland," he began with impressive and deliberate gravity,carefully weighing his words that they might make the deeper impressionupon the younger man, for whom he felt profound pity, "you bear one ofthe noblest names in the commonwealth. I knew your father and yourgrandfather. They were men of the highest courage and of unimpeachablehonor. Their devotion to the South cannot be questioned. I grieve morethan I can say to find you in so equivocal a position. I am convincedthat there is some explanation for it, and I ask you, not as yourgeneral, but as your friend, to disclose it to me."
"You called me a coward last night, sir."
"In the heat of my disappointment and surprise I did make use of thatterm, sir. It was a mistake. I regret it," said the general, magnanimously."I do not believe your failure to take out the _David_ arose from anyfear."
This was a great concession indeed, and Sempland was intenselyrelieved, and an immense load was lifted from his breast by thegeneral's reassuring words.
"Sir, I thank you. I could have borne anything than that."
"But, my boy," continued the general, severely, "you must remember thatyou still lie under the imputation of treachery to the South, and youwill recognize readily that such an accusation is scarcely lessterrible than the other."
"General Beauregard, believe me, sir," burst out Sempland, impetuously,"I pledge you my word of honor, I am not a traitor to the South, Iwould die for my country gladly if it would do her service. I fullyintended to take out the _David_. I begged for the detail, and wasthankful beyond measure to you for giving it to me. I was overwhelmedwith anger and dismay and horror at my failure. I swear to you, sir, byall that is good and true, by everything holy, that it was not my faultthat I was not there--I--I--was detained."
"Detained? By whom?"
Sempland only bit his lip and looked dumbly at the general.
"Come, my boy, I want to help you," said the veteran officer,persuasively. "Who, or what, detained you? Where were you detained? Itmust have been some man--or was it a woman? Tell me, and, by heavens,I'll make such an example of the traitor as will never be forgotten inSouth Carolina or the Confederacy!"
"I cannot, sir."
"Think! Your rank, your honor, it may be your life, all depend uponyour reply. You are concealing something from me. You do not answer,"continued Beauregard, keenly scanning the face of the young manstanding before him in stubborn silence. "I see that you are shieldingsome one, sheltering some unworthy person. Who is it?"
Still no answer. The general's patience was gradually vanishing in theface of such obstinacy. Yet he restrained his growing displeasure, andcontinued his questioning.
"Where did you go after you left me?"
"To my quarters, sir, to write a letter."
"Were you there all the time?"
"No, sir."
"Where did you go after the letter was written?"
No answer.
"Major Lacy said--" began the general, changing his tactics.
"Did he tell you?" cried Sempland, in sudden alarm and great dismay.
"He knew then?" exclaimed the general, triumphant in his clew. "No, hedidn't tell. He never will tell now. I have learned from a picket boatthat was captured last night by our patrols, that nothing was seen ofthe _David_ after the explosion."
"Poor Lacy!" said Sempland. "Well, sir, he died the death of hischoice."
"Yes," said Beauregard, "little in life became him as the ending ofit."
A little silence fell between the two in the room.
"And I might have been there," said Sempland at last.
"I had rather see you dead, sir, than in your present case," commentedthe general, deftly.
"Yes, sir, and I'd rather be there myself," returned the young man,"but I--I beg your pardon, General, were they successful?"
"In a measure. They missed the _Wabash_, but blew up the _Housatonic_."
"Did the cotton ships get out?"
"Unfortunately, no. One of them was sunk. The other two returned insafety. But all this is beside the question. We are losing sight of themain point. For the last time, will you tell me why you failed to be onhand?"
"General Beauregard, as I said, I would rather be where Lacy is nowthan have failed as I did, but I cannot tell you what detained me"
"For the last time, Mr. Sempland, I beg of you to answer me. You knowthe consequences?"
The general spoke sharply now. Such determination and contumacy had atlast got the better of his patience and forbearance. He had tried tosave Sempland, but the young officer would give him no assistance.Well, on his own head it would be.
"You realize what is before you, sir?"
"Yes, sir."
"A court-martial. Possibly--nay, certainly, death. For in the face ofyour refusal to explain I can do nothing more for you."
Sempland bowed to the inevitable.
"You have said," he began, "that you did not believe I was a coward,nor a traitor. If you will not allow the stigma of either of thesecharges to rest upon me, I will bear with equanimity whateverpunishment the court-martial may award."
"Even to loss of life?"
"Yes, sir."
"Very well," said the general, shrugging his shoulders, a trick of hisFrench ancestry. "I have done my best, Mr. Sempland, for you. As to mypersonal beliefs, I can and will express them, but I cannot tellwhether the court-martial will receive them or not. Will nothing moveyou?"
"Nothing, sir."
The general struck a bell on the desk before him.
"Orderly," he said, as a soldier presented himself, "my compliments tothe assistant adjutant-general. Ask him to come here. Ah, GeneralWylie," he said as that functionary presented himself, "will you makeout an order assembling a court-martial to try Lieutenant RhettSempland, here, for disobedience of orders and neglect of duty in thepresence of the enemy, and--well, that
will be enough, I think," hecontinued after a pause which was fraught with agony to Sempland atleast, lest the general should mention cowardice or treason again."Meanwhile see that Mr. Sempland is carefully guarded here in theheadquarters building."
"Very good, sir," said the officer, saluting. "This way, Mr. Sempland."