Conroy sent a code to the other SEALs, “Hometown,” indicating that they were to go to their rendezvous spot where the horses were tied up.
“We didn’t find Bradley,” said Conroy, “but we’ve gathered excellent intelligence. We didn’t accomplish everything, but this mission is a success. Okay, move out.”
They passed Lee’s Army as they trudged through the woods. Conroy ordered them to stop while he double checked his map so he could pass the information on for drone surveillance. Earlier he had placed a laser tracker at the edge of the encampment.
The SEALs made it back to the location of their hidden Zodiac without incident. They gave the horses water and set them off on the road, where they would soon be found. They pumped air into the Zodiac with an inflation canister and climbed aboard.
SEAL Squad Bravo arrived back at the California at 1700 hours on July 14. Conroy reported to the Captain’s office immediately.
Conroy told Captain Patterson how they lost the signal beacon from Bradley’s radio, and were therefore unable to find their number one target.
“But I consider the mission a success, Captain. We found Robert E. Lee’s Army.”
Chapter 76
Ashley radioed Navy Secretary Wells to tell him about the SEAL’s mission, being cautions not to mention specifics because Bradley still had a radio. Bull Run was six days away, and Ashley recommended a meeting at the Navy Department.
“We will meet on the California, Captain,” said Wells. “I will be with President Lincoln. He wants to see the Gray Ship with his own eyes.” Ashley felt dizzy and sat down. She had hosted many a distinguished visitor aboard the California, but this was beyond anything she had imagined.
As President Lincoln stepped from the motor launch onto the ladder’s base, the boatswain’s pipe sounded throughout all compartments, “United States of America, arriving.”
Ashley greeted Lincoln and Wells on the quarterdeck. She, along with all department heads, wore dress whites, uniforms they hadn’t worn in a long time. They all saluted while a recording of “Hail to the Chief” played throughout the ship. Lincoln felt overwhelmed by this respectful ceremony by the people from another century. He pondered that a woman like Ashley Patterson would be lucky to find a job as a maid in his day.
He walked up to Ashley, who extended her hand. Lincoln cupped it in both of his, looked her in the eyes and said, “So good to see you again, Madam Captain.”
They were escorted to Ashley’s office, preceded by a tour of the ship. Lincoln shook the hand of every sailor he encountered. Cell phone photographs would provide the crew with memories they would never forget. Along the way Wells pointed out to Lincoln a few of the things he remembered from his tour. Lincoln was especially impressed with the Combat Information Center.
They arrived in Ashley’s office where coffee, tea, and snacks were waiting. Besides Campbell and Conroy, Ashley invited Father Rick and Lt. Jack, for no other reason that she wanted to share the moment with them.
Lt. Conroy gave a summary of the SEAL mission from Manassas to Richmond. The highlight of his talk was the discovery of Lee’s Army near Richmond. He handed Lincoln and Wells two copies of photographs of Lee that Conroy had taken. Neither Lincoln nor Wells had ever met Robert E. Lee, but he was immediately recognizable from the numerous photos of him taken with mid-nineteenth-century cameras. He also showed them photos of the artillery park and the weapons depot.
“Do we know he’s still there?” asked Lincoln.
Ashley was waiting for this moment. She asked them to look at the wide screen monitor on the wall of her office. Her computer was networked with the drone images in CIC. Lt. Bob Nathan, one of the drone pilots, had been alerted to the timing of this meeting, and he had launched a drone earlier. It circled above Lee’s Army.
“Gentlemen,” said Ashley, “the Army of Northern Virginia, as we see it this very moment.”
Both Lincoln and Wells asked how long a drone can patrol overhead. Ashley explained that they can fly overhead for over 30 hours. One would return to the ship, and the other could be overhead in a short while.
“So,” said Ashley, “if Lee moves his Army we will know when, and we can see where it’s going.”
Ashley then asked Conroy and Carrubba to review their discussions with Union General McDowell, who would command the lead Army in the Battle of Bull Run.
Everyone in the room was impressed by how much Lincoln and Wells had studied the California’s armaments. All one needed to do was point to a spot on the map and say “Tomahawk,” and both of these nineteenth-century warriors knew its significance.
As the meeting drew to a close, everyone left the room except for Ashley, Lincoln, Wells, and Campbell.
“Do you have any other specific thoughts for us Madam Captain?” asked Lincoln.
“Yes Sir, I do.” said Ashley. “You may be ahead of me on this, and I know I’m speaking way over my pay grade, but here’s what we should do immediately after Bull Run. And I mean immediately. We should attack the artillery park, the ammunition depot and the headquarters at Lee’s Army encampment. We should then attack the Armory in Richmond.”
Lincoln smiled and nodded his head, as if he just heard a witness give him an answer he wanted.
“But why the immediacy?” asked Wells. “Won’t the drones give us ample opportunity to gather forces and attack Lee?”
“Where I come from, Mr. Secretary,” said Ashley, “a successful military operation depends on winning the hearts and minds of the enemy, as well as the hearts and minds of the people who support the enemy. Simply stated, within two, maybe three days, I think we will sap the Confederacy’s will to fight. A clear victory at Bull Run, followed immediately by the destruction of Lee’s Army and a missile attack on Richmond, and we should see a peace delegation riding into town.”
“My friend,” Lincoln said as he looked at Wells, “Captain Patterson, as usual, has shown us her wisdom.”
How will I do without this woman? Lincoln thought.
Chapter 77
“Lieutenant, would you please come up to my office,” said Ashley to Jack Thurber. She referred to him as lieutenant when she called him, and switched to Jack in her office.
“Jack, I’m nervous, and I admit it. We have so much riding on Bull Run, not only the Union but the crew of this ship. Put your investigator hat on. Have we missed anything with the Bradley conspiracy?”
“I’ve been thinking about little else, Captain. We know that his major accomplice on the ship was Chief Ray. We also know that Ray’s job was to disarm the major weapons systems. He was caught with a circuit board in his hand. We also know that Bradley’s unaware that Ray has been killed. Bradley is looking forward to Bull Run, so he can prove to the Confederacy that he disabled one of the great Gray Ships. It will win him admiral’s bars.
Ashley asked Jack to come over to the conference table. It was covered with sheets of notes she had taken from her prior talks with Jack.
“Is there anything we haven’t thought of?”
“Let’s connect the dots.” Jack said. “Suppose, just suppose, that Bradley gets cold feet and yells to the rebels to call off Bull Run because he can’t guarantee the California is harmless. We know where the rebel forces are. The Union Generals can force a battle, whether it’s called Bull Run or not, just using our drones and heavy weapons. And, we know where Lee’s Army is. This war will be over soon.”