With Honor, part 5

With Honor

by Leigh Townsend

Part 5

Matthew and his fellow sergeants sat nervously in their shared tent.  Once they had gotten a clear idea of the terrain, Captain Harlan had decided it would be better to send Lieutenant Ward’s troop instead of Lieutenant Fisher’s.  All three of the sergeants under Fisher knew it was the best decision; Ward’s troop was entirely comprised of foot soldiers.  They had been trained not only in close combat but also in scouting, and the mountainous terrain made traveling easier without a horse.  No matter how much sense it made, it didn’t relieve the anxiety of the officers who remained behind.

Sergeant Lewis sat quietly on his bunk, channeling his nervous energy into cleaning his tack.  He had already rubbed oil into his saddle and bridle, and he was now focused on shining the brass that decorated both.  A glance across the tent showed Graham and Young to be engaged in similar activities, one oiling his bow and the other mending a pack.  The three sat in silence, concentrating on their chores, until a commotion outside drew their attention.  They all dropped what they were doing, instinctively grabbed their swords, and headed out of the tent.

The noise came from soldiers returning, chaotic and scattered.  The captain and his two remaining lieutenants rushed to meet the first of the scouts as they walked quickly across camp.  One of Ward’s sergeants approached, saluted, and began reporting.

“We found the bandit’s location.  It’s in a fairly secure spot, but we did discover at least one, possibly two weaknesses we can exploit,” he said to Captain Harlan.  The captain nodded and motioned for him to continue. 

“Unfortunately, on our return, we happened on a group of the bandits returning to their base,” he said.  Matthew glanced away from the man as he continued talking.  The soldiers who were returning now escorted wounded compatriots.  “No one was lost, but we do have several fighters with injuries,” he heard the sergeant continue.  The next words made him look back at his captain.

“Lieutenant Ward was injured.”

*** 

The thirteen officers of the company nearly filled the captain’s tent.  Lieutenant Ward was propped up on Captain Harlan’s cot, his presence necessary for their meeting.  Matthew listened closely as the injured man spoke.

“My soldiers made a mistake.  One unit was responsible for establishing a perimeter around the others, to prevent any kind of accidental or intentional ambush.  Once the scouts had found the potential weaknesses, the entire troop was reunited for the return trip.  Those fighters who were responsible for the perimeter somehow failed to maintain it as we left the bandit camp.

“The group of brigands we met on the trail were surprised but not unprepared, much like us.  We fought well; the outlaws are clearly unused to fighting in the open rather than ambush and surprise attacks.  I was grateful no one was killed, and all of the injuries seemed minor in the field.”

At that he looked up at the captain, who nodded.  “You and one other man were hurt badly enough that I am sending you back to the capital to recuperate.  Other than that, the injuries are small and everyone should recover in a short time.”

Lieutenant Ward nodded, his face pale.  His lack of argument for being sent back showed how much pain he was suffering; most soldiers would argue against being pulled out of a fight.  Matthew felt for him, but knew that any officer worthy of his post would rather be injured himself than lose one of his fighters.

Putting his hand on the lieutenant’s shoulder, Captain Harlan leaned close to the man and said something none of the others could hear.  Ward nodded and leaned back, eyes closed.  The captain turned to face the rest of his officers.

“With Lieutenant Ward’s injury, I will need to make some adjustments to our leadership before we begin planning our attack on the Wolves’ den.  Lieutenant Carter, I’m going to assign you to Lieutenant Ward’s troop of foot as you have the most experience working with the scouts.  Fisher, you are better suited to a mixed troop, so I’m shifting you to take the team Carter is currently leading.  At the recommendation from all three of my lieutenants, I’m promoting Sergeant Lewis to head up our skirmishers.”

Matthew was so shocked at the captain’s announcement that he almost missed the final words.  “Fisher, Carter, and Lewis, I want you to decide who to promote to sergeant from within our current ranks.  Everyone dismissed.”

The rest of the sergeants standing next to Matthew turned to congratulate him.  Still unsure of the reality of the situation, he thanked them and headed for Lieutenant Fisher.    He needed to find out more about the promotion, and what his new responsibilities entailed, and he knew that Lieutenant Fisher was the man to ask.

Want to read the rest of With Honor?  It will be posting serial-style on Sundays on Butterflies and Dragons, Leigh Townsend’s blog.

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