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finally moving forward to greet him properly.
    “Excuse me for not introducing you to the colonel, but I quickly assessed that your mission to my encampment may be more covert than I was led to believe. After all, it’s not every secretary of state for the Union who would brave the wilds and enter the camp of his mortal enemy.”
    “Then how about accepting it at face value as one American speaking with another; that way you may be able to maneuver around it.”
    Lee smiled. It was a sad and lonely-looking effort but he finally held his right hand out. At that moment his aide returned holding a clear bottle filled with clearer liquid.
    “Colonel Freemantle didn’t look at all happy,” the major said as he removed his rain slicker and watched his commander with his very unusual guest.
    William H. Seward, the United States secretary of state, took Lee’s hand and lightly shook it.
    “Yes, Colonel Freemantle was against me taking an envoy from Mr. Lincoln into my camp. He seems overly worried about something and I suspect it has to do with the flurry of message activity between the colonel and his queen.” Lee released the hand of Seward and then gestured for his aide to assist his guest to a chair in front of the fire. “And I must admit to finally having something in common with our friend from the Empire, as I am just as curious to know why Mr. Lincoln is reaching out to me at this particular time.”
    “General, after the savagery of the past three weeks, the president believes it is time we start talking.”
    Lee sat in the old and rickety rocking chair and gestured to Taylor that he should tend to his guest’s request for a drink. As Taylor brought Seward a teacup with apologies for it not being a glass, Lee fixed the secretary of state with his intense eyes.
    “Any communication pertaining to the continuance of the war should properly be directed south toward Richmond, sir, not here. The civilian leadership has control of this insanity, not I.”
    Seward accepted the small teacup with a nod of thanks. The long gray hair of the radical Republican shook with nerves as his head bobbed to drink from the small cup. He took a sharp intake of breath before placing the cup back into the saucer as he managed to swallow the burning liquid.
    “Many apologies, sir, but since the Confederacy is being starved by your blockade our normal supply of whiskey has vanished, we are thus left with what the boys can make on the run.”
    “That is quite enough, Major Taylor. I’m sure Mr. Seward does not need to be educated on the supply and logistics problems of our new nation, especially since he probably knows our troubles even better than ourselves.”
    The major bowed and then with an apologetic nod to Seward, left the room.
    “Tempers are rather short these days and nights, Mr. Seward.”
    Secretary Seward placed the cup and saucer on the small table to his right and fixed Lee with his own look that had frightened many a senator before this insanity had begun two years before.
    “Yes, the president is also not in a jovial mood. Not only for the Union boys lost, but southern youth also. He’s sick of this war. The man has not slept a full night since Fort Sumter.”
    “As much as I would like to please Mr. Lincoln, his sleepless nights are somewhat out of my area of expertise or control, sir.”
    “General, I must say that the mission the president has seen fit to send me on goes against everything I stand for. I believe this war should be brought to its inevitable conclusion and what comes after that war should be hardship for your people to make up for the countless deaths in this war. I am not of the same mind as the president. I and many others believe the South needs to be punished.” He deflated somewhat. “But as I said, the president has chosen another path.”
    Lee stopped the slow movement of the rocker as the true feelings of the secretary of state were made crystal clear. He sat motionless waiting for the