Richmond, Virginia
January 1864
Jefferson Davis was uncharacteristically calm, reading from a stack of newspapers arranged neatly on the floor next to his chair. His wife looked up from the socks she was knitting by the fire.
“You’ve become a voracious reader of newspapers, Northern and Southern.”
Davis didn’t look up. “Good news has its salubrious effects on the mind.”
“I see. Have you heard directly from General Burgoyne?”
“Yes. The newspaper reports are generally true. He routed McClellan at Saratoga. Routed is my word. I believe the general’s message mentioned a ‘providential outcome.’ Perhaps I should introduce him to General Jackson.”
“What of these rumors about Irish soldiers?”
“Burgoyne didn’t mention them, but it seems to be true. Longstreet reports that Irish regiments didn’t simply stack arms. They came over to our side and actually fought with the British. Took up arms against their former comrades. Welcome news, I’m sure. But frightening at the same time.”
Varina pondered his words. “You refer to our slaves.”
Davis finally looked up from his newspaper, frowning. He disliked the word. “Perhaps I am. If Irish soldiers can so easily turn on a promise of future freedom, what’s to stop our people from doing the same?”
“There are those in your government who favor the arming of slaves. Forming Black regiments as Lincoln has done. To counter the manpower advantage of the North.”
Davis shuddered. “The sooner we can put an end to this war, the sooner we can go back to living our lives as before. General Burgoyne has done his part for now. It will not be George McClellan who drives a stake through the cause of Southern independence. Sam Grant is another matter.”
“When will you recall General Longstreet and his troops from Washington City?”
Davis looked at his wife. She has the logical mind of an engineering officer. “Pete has his orders. He’ll begin sending troops south later this week. We’ll leave Fitz Lee and his cavalry there for a time to delay McClellan’s entry into the city. What I fear most is Grant and McClellan uniting their forces and marching on Richmond.”
Davis paused and smiled. “But that’s probably what George fears the most as well.”
“My understanding is that General McClellan is commander of all Union armies, and therefore outranks General Grant.”
“As always you are well informed my dear. That is indeed the case. How that will sort itself out on the ground may be a different matter, however. I’m certain that keeps Mr. Lincoln pacing the floor of his Philadelphia hotel room, as if he needed more reasons. He will surely look for a way to promote the interests of General Grant.”
Varina laughed. “Jefferson Davis, are you taking pleasure in Mr. Lincoln’s discomfort? If not for the victory at Gettysburg that could be you, us, pacing a hotel room floor, in Nashville or Birmingham.”
“It may yet be us.”
“When might we expect General Grant to pay us a call?”
“If it were any other man, I’d say he would take his time, let the magnitude of McClellan’s humiliation sink in. Let the newspapers and the public beg for him to hasten to save the Union. Grant is different. He will come when he’s ready to fight. I should expect to hear from him in a couple of weeks. Possibly sooner.”
“And what can we expect from General Burgoyne?”
“That, my dear, is the question on my mind as well. The British interest is in a divided and weakened union, and Southern independence directly serves that interest. I expect General Burgoyne to do what’s in his power to bring a negotiated end to the war. He will press McClellan. But will he help us defend Richmond from Grant? Possibly subject his army to a prolonged siege? He will have studied his Cornwallis.”
“You believe that General McClellan will re-occupy Washington when General Longstreet abandons it. Could General Burgoyne not then retake it from McClellan?”
“Quite probably. But it may serve our interests for Burgoyne to occupy McClellan and the entire Army of the Potomac while we deal with General Grant.” Davis paused and looked at his wife. “You have an opinion so by all means let us hear it.”
“Far be it from me to opine on military strategy. But as you once said, Longstreet is the very devil when defending ground. It is only common sense to keep McClellan’s and Grant’s armies separated.”
“I shall inform Longstreet that you are in agreement. He will sleep better at night.”