JDwoody
11-27-2018, 06:55 PM
Hello all,
Woody here. I've begun writing my War of Rights novel / fan-fiction. It is a story where you all (the community) are the stars of the story, and it shows your experiences in the Union / Confederate armies during the Civil War. I plan on releasing each chapter I write, and will post it on this thread in the forum. My first chapter, titled "A Minor Skirmish" is finished. Each chapter will be like a short story focusing on certain characters from the community. This first chapter is based on the Battle of Fairfax Court House, a small skirmish fought as the opening engagement of the Manassas Campaign on June 1, 1861. To fit with the actual battle, I've adjusted the units / companies to the actual historical regiments that participated in the battle. This chapter stars Captain Silver Staples and First Lieutenant Joshua Crum of the 1st Maine Cavalry (they are in the 2nd U.S. Cavalry in this chapter):
Chapter 1
A MINOR SKIRMISH
9908
June 1, 1861
Fairfax Court House, Virginia
Captain Silver Staples had a look of determination on his face. He was going to capture Fairfax Court House from the enemy. The sun was beginning to crest the horizon, and he needed to act before the enemy realized they were there. Staples was in command of Company A, 2nd U.S. Cavalry Regiment, and had been on recon duty with his men in the area around Fairfax Court House. A horse galloped up to him in the morning darkness. As the figure drew near, Captain Staples could make out the details of First Lieutenant Joshua Crum, one of his forward scouts.
“Lieutenant, what did you find?” Captain Staples asked his scout. “It’s lightly defended, just like we thought, Sir. I’d say maybe a company of local militia.” Captain Staples rubbed his chin in contemplation, then said, “Alright, let’s make our move.” Staples turned his horse to face the dozen mounted soldiers behind him. “We make this a quick and clean assault, troopers” he stated as he readied his Colt revolver. “Advance down the Falls Church Road, move into town, and capture the enemy garrison. With luck, they’ll believe we’re a larger force than we are.”
Staples looked over at Lieutenant Crum and said, “Lieutenant, let’s get this done.” Crum nodded, and Staples spurred his horse forward in the morning darkness. The roaring thunder of several dozen horses galloping down the Falls Church Road alerted the men of the Warrenton Rifles, a local Virginia militia company in Fairfax Court House. They had been put on alert due to sightings of Union pickets near the town, and the half-tired militiamen awaited for signs of Union forces. “What is that?” asked Private George Rolfe, a member of the company, asked.
Captain John Quincy Marr was standing in front of his men, his revolver at the ready. “Move into that cloverfield to our right” he ordered the militiamen. The riflemen picked up their weapons and began moving through the pitch black darkness towards a patch of clovers. First Lieutenant John Dunn nervously gripped his Model 1842 smoothbore musket. Was a large enemy force really moving to take this relatively small town? Beads of sweat were dripping from his hair due to his nerves. Finally, the sounds of the galloping horses stopped. Captain Marr stood up from the clovers and shouted, “Halt! What cavalry is that?”
His question would prove to be fatal, as a bright flash of light accompanied by the cracking of a gunshot burst from a Colt revolver opposite the militiamen. Captain Marr fell dead, but his men couldn’t see his body in the darkness. “What’s going on?” Private Preston Boysen asked as the Union cavalry began charging their lines. “Who cares! They’re Yankees! Shoot ‘em!” yelled Sergeant Anthony Foster. The air filled with the crackling of gunshots and the smell of gunpowder as bright flashes of light spewed out of rifles and muskets.
Captain Staples, riding atop his horse, shouted commands to his men to fan out. “Fan out, troopers! Let’s show these militiamen what the cavalry’s made of!” Staples galloped down the streets of Fairfax Court House firing off bullets from his Colt revolver. He saw a militia soldier running down the road, and quickly shot him in the back. Several troopers galloped past him, their Sharps rifle repeaters blasting away in the morning darkness. While the chaotic scene unfolded, First Lieutenant Arthur Stewart of the Warrenton Rifles emerged from his home with a shotgun in hand.
“Reform lines! Reform lines!” he barked at the Warrenton Rifles militiamen. Despite the frenzied shooting erupting around him, the Lieutenant gathered his troops and formed a line of battle. “Take aim!” he shouted. “Fire!” The pitter-patter of several dozen rifles going off at once echoed through the town as the Warrenton Rifles blasted away with a volley of musketry. “Get them damn Yankees!” he bellowed. The men reloaded their rifles while the men of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry regrouped for another rush through the town.
First Lieutenant Crum galloped through the streets of Fairfax Court House with his Sharps repeater at the ready. “Come on! Come on!” he spurred his horse to move faster. Private Roisin McLaughlin galloped alongside him, shooting off bullets from his Sharps rifle. “Take aim!” Lieutenant Stewart shouted at his troops as they finished reloading once more. “Fire!” Another volley of musketry crackled through the air, and McLaughlin felt a bullet pierce through his chest. The Private fell from his horse and crawled on the ground.
“Help! Help!” he pleaded in the chaos of the shooting. Private Ryan Horniblow rushed to his aid atop his horse. “Can you walk?” he asked him. “N-no.” Horniblow mounted McLaughlin on his saddle and rode him back towards the Union lines. “Captain Staples, these militiamen are starting to put up a fight!” exclaimed First Sergeant Krieger as he rode up to the Captain. “Tell the men to make one last pass through the town, then regroup and withdraw to our camp.” “Yes, Sir!” Upon hearing word of the order, Lieutenant Crum galloped through the streets again near the court house. Aiming his repeater, he fired away at a cluster of retreating riflemen.
Lieutenant Stewart managed to aim his shotgun at Crum, and blasted away. The bullet ran through his horse, which collapsed on the road. “Argh!” Crum grunted as he fell down. He grabbed his carbine and continued shooting through the dark streets, attempting to drive away anyone courageous enough to shoot back. Reloading the Sharps rifle, Crum began to fall back towards his men. “Sir! Hop on!” one of the cavalrymen yelled at him. Crum leaped onto his horse and rode with him back towards the 2nd Cavalry’s lines.
As the smoke cleared in the town of Fairfax Court House, Lieutenant Stewart gathered his militiamen. “Did we win?” asked a young private. “I don’t think anyone won” he responded as he looked over the dead body of Captain Marr. The Battle of Fairfax Court House was over, as was the first skirmish of the Manassas Campaign.
Woody here. I've begun writing my War of Rights novel / fan-fiction. It is a story where you all (the community) are the stars of the story, and it shows your experiences in the Union / Confederate armies during the Civil War. I plan on releasing each chapter I write, and will post it on this thread in the forum. My first chapter, titled "A Minor Skirmish" is finished. Each chapter will be like a short story focusing on certain characters from the community. This first chapter is based on the Battle of Fairfax Court House, a small skirmish fought as the opening engagement of the Manassas Campaign on June 1, 1861. To fit with the actual battle, I've adjusted the units / companies to the actual historical regiments that participated in the battle. This chapter stars Captain Silver Staples and First Lieutenant Joshua Crum of the 1st Maine Cavalry (they are in the 2nd U.S. Cavalry in this chapter):
Chapter 1
A MINOR SKIRMISH
9908
June 1, 1861
Fairfax Court House, Virginia
Captain Silver Staples had a look of determination on his face. He was going to capture Fairfax Court House from the enemy. The sun was beginning to crest the horizon, and he needed to act before the enemy realized they were there. Staples was in command of Company A, 2nd U.S. Cavalry Regiment, and had been on recon duty with his men in the area around Fairfax Court House. A horse galloped up to him in the morning darkness. As the figure drew near, Captain Staples could make out the details of First Lieutenant Joshua Crum, one of his forward scouts.
“Lieutenant, what did you find?” Captain Staples asked his scout. “It’s lightly defended, just like we thought, Sir. I’d say maybe a company of local militia.” Captain Staples rubbed his chin in contemplation, then said, “Alright, let’s make our move.” Staples turned his horse to face the dozen mounted soldiers behind him. “We make this a quick and clean assault, troopers” he stated as he readied his Colt revolver. “Advance down the Falls Church Road, move into town, and capture the enemy garrison. With luck, they’ll believe we’re a larger force than we are.”
Staples looked over at Lieutenant Crum and said, “Lieutenant, let’s get this done.” Crum nodded, and Staples spurred his horse forward in the morning darkness. The roaring thunder of several dozen horses galloping down the Falls Church Road alerted the men of the Warrenton Rifles, a local Virginia militia company in Fairfax Court House. They had been put on alert due to sightings of Union pickets near the town, and the half-tired militiamen awaited for signs of Union forces. “What is that?” asked Private George Rolfe, a member of the company, asked.
Captain John Quincy Marr was standing in front of his men, his revolver at the ready. “Move into that cloverfield to our right” he ordered the militiamen. The riflemen picked up their weapons and began moving through the pitch black darkness towards a patch of clovers. First Lieutenant John Dunn nervously gripped his Model 1842 smoothbore musket. Was a large enemy force really moving to take this relatively small town? Beads of sweat were dripping from his hair due to his nerves. Finally, the sounds of the galloping horses stopped. Captain Marr stood up from the clovers and shouted, “Halt! What cavalry is that?”
His question would prove to be fatal, as a bright flash of light accompanied by the cracking of a gunshot burst from a Colt revolver opposite the militiamen. Captain Marr fell dead, but his men couldn’t see his body in the darkness. “What’s going on?” Private Preston Boysen asked as the Union cavalry began charging their lines. “Who cares! They’re Yankees! Shoot ‘em!” yelled Sergeant Anthony Foster. The air filled with the crackling of gunshots and the smell of gunpowder as bright flashes of light spewed out of rifles and muskets.
Captain Staples, riding atop his horse, shouted commands to his men to fan out. “Fan out, troopers! Let’s show these militiamen what the cavalry’s made of!” Staples galloped down the streets of Fairfax Court House firing off bullets from his Colt revolver. He saw a militia soldier running down the road, and quickly shot him in the back. Several troopers galloped past him, their Sharps rifle repeaters blasting away in the morning darkness. While the chaotic scene unfolded, First Lieutenant Arthur Stewart of the Warrenton Rifles emerged from his home with a shotgun in hand.
“Reform lines! Reform lines!” he barked at the Warrenton Rifles militiamen. Despite the frenzied shooting erupting around him, the Lieutenant gathered his troops and formed a line of battle. “Take aim!” he shouted. “Fire!” The pitter-patter of several dozen rifles going off at once echoed through the town as the Warrenton Rifles blasted away with a volley of musketry. “Get them damn Yankees!” he bellowed. The men reloaded their rifles while the men of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry regrouped for another rush through the town.
First Lieutenant Crum galloped through the streets of Fairfax Court House with his Sharps repeater at the ready. “Come on! Come on!” he spurred his horse to move faster. Private Roisin McLaughlin galloped alongside him, shooting off bullets from his Sharps rifle. “Take aim!” Lieutenant Stewart shouted at his troops as they finished reloading once more. “Fire!” Another volley of musketry crackled through the air, and McLaughlin felt a bullet pierce through his chest. The Private fell from his horse and crawled on the ground.
“Help! Help!” he pleaded in the chaos of the shooting. Private Ryan Horniblow rushed to his aid atop his horse. “Can you walk?” he asked him. “N-no.” Horniblow mounted McLaughlin on his saddle and rode him back towards the Union lines. “Captain Staples, these militiamen are starting to put up a fight!” exclaimed First Sergeant Krieger as he rode up to the Captain. “Tell the men to make one last pass through the town, then regroup and withdraw to our camp.” “Yes, Sir!” Upon hearing word of the order, Lieutenant Crum galloped through the streets again near the court house. Aiming his repeater, he fired away at a cluster of retreating riflemen.
Lieutenant Stewart managed to aim his shotgun at Crum, and blasted away. The bullet ran through his horse, which collapsed on the road. “Argh!” Crum grunted as he fell down. He grabbed his carbine and continued shooting through the dark streets, attempting to drive away anyone courageous enough to shoot back. Reloading the Sharps rifle, Crum began to fall back towards his men. “Sir! Hop on!” one of the cavalrymen yelled at him. Crum leaped onto his horse and rode with him back towards the 2nd Cavalry’s lines.
As the smoke cleared in the town of Fairfax Court House, Lieutenant Stewart gathered his militiamen. “Did we win?” asked a young private. “I don’t think anyone won” he responded as he looked over the dead body of Captain Marr. The Battle of Fairfax Court House was over, as was the first skirmish of the Manassas Campaign.