The Dixie Widow by Gilbert Morris Read Free Book Online

she whispered, scurrying off to greet the secretary of war, as Robert followed dutifully.
    “Edwin! I’m so glad you could come!” she exclaimed.
    Stanton was short of stature with a bristling beard and a pugnacious look in his eyes. His temper was mercurial, the dread of the rest of the Cabinet—and everyone else. However, tonight he was in a cheerful mood, and gave Jewel a peck on the cheek. “Jewel, you look downright beautiful!”
    Salmon Chase, secretary of the treasury, came forward and greeted Jewel with a simple “Good evening,” then was shouldered aside by William Seward, secretary of state. Robert Winslow’s eyes gleamed at the obvious thrust, for he recalled a comment the President had made once about the two men. Each was convinced he was better qualified to be President than Abe Lincoln. Winslow’s mind flashed back to the early,dark days of the war. He had been in Lincoln’s office, and had complained to the President that Chase and Seward showed no respect for the Chief of State. Lincoln leaned back in his chair, and with a light of humor in his deep-set eyes said, “Winslow, when I was a boy, I used to carry pumpkins to town in a sack. I figured out that if I had just one pumpkin in a sack, it was hard to carry, but once you could get two pumpkins in, one at each end of a sack, it balanced things up. Seward and Chase’ll do for my pair of pumpkins.”
    Now they all moved toward the heavy-laden tables and sat down. Jewel had made sure she was seated in the midst of the important guests so as not to miss a word that was said about the war. Chase began by needling Stanton about the tragic losses at Fredericksburg.
    “Well, Mr. Stanton, I suppose you will be ready to go back to General McClellan—now that your last selection proved so inept.”
    “I think you can trust me with the selection of our military leaders, Mr. Chase!” he shot back angrily, his face flushed. It was a sensitive subject, for General Burnside, who was practically forced to take command of the army after Lincoln had relieved McClellan from his post, had led the army into a tragic blunder at Marye’s Heights outside the small town of Fredericksburg. Burnside had allowed Lee to get his army on a hill across the Rappahannock, where he commanded a charge against the impregnable lines of Confederates. Wave after wave of Union troops had rushed forward, jumping over the bodies of their dead comrades—straight into a murderous fire, six charges in all. The dead had been piled up three deep in that violent and useless attack. Over 12,000 Union soldiers were killed or wounded for no gain.
    Chase lit his cigar and countered daringly, “But, Mr. Stanton, how is it that the Army of the Potomac, the nation’s best trained fighting force, can be routed by an army of poorly armed barefoot beggars?”
    Stanton almost rose out of his seat, and his voice carriedover the ballroom, causing every head to turn. “I’ll hear no such talk, especially from a member of the Cabinet, Mr. Chase!” He railed on, blaming McClellan and the other members of the Cabinet.
    Jewel shot an agonizing glance at Robert, whispering, “Robert! Say something!”
    Robert waited until Stanton paused in his diatribe, then stood to his feet and called, “I propose a toast—to the gallant men who wear the uniform of the United States. They may lose a battle, but they will emerge victorious over the foe!”
    Everyone rose, and Stanton was forced to join in the toast. When they were seated again, Jewel steered the conversation around to less explosive issues. She was congratulating herself on handling the volatile situation so well when Colonel Henry Wilder, Stanton’s military advisor sitting to her left, asked suddenly, “By Jove—who is that? ”
    Jewel looked up to see Davis enter the double doors, pushing Captain Winslow in his wheelchair—but it was Belle Wick-ham, Jewel noted with displeasure, who had seized Colonel Wilder’s attention, along with that of