Kill Dusty Fog Read Online Free Page A

moment later, the second ball curved into the air.
    Standing on the saluting base, General Trumpeter scowled as he watched the mass of men before him preparing to start the review. He frowned, thinking of the doubt he had seen on the faces of the senior officers under his command when he had spoken to them on the subject of his plans to defeat the Rebels. Maybe the Union Army’s superior numbers, weapons and technology was swinging the War more and more in their favour on the other battle-fronts, but that did not apply in Arkansas. There the C.S.A. held firm and showed no sign of weakening. In fact, if the South had been able to send more men and equipment to Ole Devil Hardin, Trumpeter’s colonels figured they would be hard-pressed to hold on to the land they had already taken.
    In accordance with the policy of the Union’s high command, the pick of the troops and weapons were reserved for the Eastern battle-zones. Most of the top brass favoured concentrating on striking down the heart of the Confederacy. After that had been accomplished, Texas — possibly the least affected of the Southern States by the major issues of the War — would be more ready to accept offers to surrender. So Arkansas had become garrisoned by green regiments, or those found wanting in the hard tests of combat. Poorly trained, demoralized by continual defeat, the men before Trumpeter were far from being ideal material for his dreams of conquest and fame. In fact he found himself doubting the wisdom of having so publicly stated his intentions when being assigned to take over the deceased General Buller’s command.
    Tall, slim, dark-haired, his handsome features were marred by a perpetual expression of arrogant superiority and an air of condescension. He made a fine figure in his smart blue dress uniform. Yet his military service did not extend beyond the start of the War and his background was not West Point but an Eastern civilian college. More politician than soldier, he had attained his rank with the patronage of powerful friends in the antislavery lobbies of his State’s Legislature and the Federal Congress, aided by a chronic shortage of officers in the Union Army. For many years before the War, the Southern States had supplied the majority of the U.S. Army’s officers, most of whom had returned to their homes on Secession. Few of the non-coms showed the necessary qualities to make officers, so the vacancies had been filled by men who at other times would have scorned to join the Army.
    One of that kind, Trumpeter had passed rapidly up the promotion ladder, without any great effort or risk. Aware of the possibilities offered by military acclaim when back in civilian life, Trumpeter had sought for a way by which he might reach the public’s notice. Buller’s death had offered it. There had been some reluctance among the other generals at taking over the unsuccessful Army of Arkansas. So Trumpeter’s appointment met with no objections.
    On his arrival, he had soon found that he faced a far more difficult task than he had imagined while riding a desk in far-off Washington. However, he possessed ideas that the routine-dulled brains of the career-soldiers could never have produced; two of which were already being put into effect. When they brought results, he would convince the weak-spined jellyfish before him that the Rebels across the Ouachita were no different from the other scum who formed the Confederate States. After which there would be replacements. Trumpeter meant to bring in men whose agreement with his ‘liberal’ beliefs made them worthy of carrying out his schemes of conquest.
    Trumpeter’s scowl deepened as he studied the contingent from the 6th New Jersey Dragoons. On first meeting their colonel, be had mentioned his scheme to obtain remounts of a standard equal to that of the Rebel cavalry. Colonel Verncombe had expressed doubts that they could be delivered without strong escorts and would be subject to constant harassment