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"What if I told you that the rumors were leaked deliberately and an entirely
different plan was being drawn up?"
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"If what you say is true, why then it has been a masterful bit of
misdirection on the army's part. I would never have expected so much guile in
the high command. If notMexico why where else can we attack them? Sail up the
Thames and drop a few shells onBuckinghamPalace ?" He smiled at the thought
andSherman smiled back.
"Not quite. But we are going to attackIreland and throw the British out."
His chair fell over with a clatter as Reynolds jumped to his feet, mouth
agape, eyes staring.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Tell me it's not a joke!"
"I am dead serious. Now you know why we enlisted your aid."
The surgeon's fingers, so firm on the scalpel and always under control, were
shaking uncontrollably now as he picked up and righted the fallen chair, sat
down on it heavily. His voice was so hushed when he spoke that he could barely
be heard.
"The dream of every Irishman, passed down through the ages, to come true in
my lifetime... My heart is beating as though it will burst in my chest."
" 'Tistrue, Francis," Meagher assured him. "We shall march onIreland and set
her free."
"Ask what you will of me. Anything." Spoken with such conviction and
assurance that none dared doubt him.
"We want you to tell us aboutUlster and thenorthern provinces ," Lee said.
"Of course. Now I see why I was brought here. First a grave warning." He
looked directly at General Meagher. "Take your brave lads of the Irish Brigade
and march onIreland and set her free. But don't let any Catholic Irish soldier
set one foot in theprovinceofUlster or there will be rivers of blood in the
streets." He turned toSherman , his face most grave. "There are two tribal
peoples up there, living locked tight to each other in the streets and
villages of the province. Set them at each other's throats and only the most
wicked and deadly battle and slaughter will follow."
"We have already decided that," Lee said calmly. "I shall command in the
attack in the north and my Southern troops will lead in the field. All of them
Protestants."
"A wise and wonderful decision. It will then be American troops against
British troops. A war between soldiers and I doubt that the Orangemen will
takes sides. At least not at first. At heart they are a moral people, steeped
in Presbyterianism. The plantations in the north ofIreland began in 1605 when
Sir ArthurChichester proposed the settlement of English and Scots to
strengthen royal control of the province. The native Irish Catholics were
pushed out of the cities and towns and made to live outside the gates. This
pattern has not changed since the seventeenth century. Every man inUlster
knows to an inch what is the property of his side. A siege mentality has
prevailed there for all these centuries. Myths not history rule. What both
sides believe about their past has been altered to suit their respective
needs."
"So what do I do about it?" Lee asked. "What happens when my troops
enterBelfast and subdue the enemy?"
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"That is a very good question," Reynolds said, pulling at his jaw, deep in
thought. "You must not discriminate, that is the first rule. Protestant and
Catholic must be treated equally. Declare martial law and a curfew and see
that it is obeyed. You must treat everyone with an even hand." He rubbed his
forehead, thinking hard. "Tell me," he said. "Are there not some Southern
regiments fromLouisiana , fromNew Orleans ?"
"There are indeed," Lee said.
"French regiments? Catholics?"
"Yes."
"You must attach at least one of these regiments to your invasion force. You
must show that you are above religious differences. This is most important
when you meet with the civic leaders separately of course. Most of them would
refuse to be in the same room together."
Lee threw his hands up in exasperation. "I think I know what you are saying,
though I don't really understand it. I shall need advice, leadership in all
this. Firstly, we need to find the right spot to invade. In the south, where
there are roads and train lines from Galway to Dublin, that seems to be the
obvious route as does Limerick to Cork. But what about the north? Do you think
that we should invade throughLondonderry ?"
Lee strode across the room to unlock the map cabinet, then swung the door
open.
"Ill advised," the surgeon said, standing and walking over to look at the
map. "If you go that way your ships will have to pass up the length
ofLoughFoyle and into the mouth of the RiverFoyle . And only then will you be
able to face forts and guns. It could be a hard-fought battle if the alarm is
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