Authors: Shannon Farrington
"Will you please get Miss Stanton a glass of lemonade?" her husband asked. "Certainly."
Emily was at the top of the staircase. Having heard the conversation between Julia and her father, she quickly raced down. "Oh, Julia, I am so sorry! This is simply unbelievable!"
Mr. Davis turned to Julia. "Give me just a few minutes to gather my things. I will drive you home. Then I will go to Fort McHenry."
Relief flooded her veins. "Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you."
"
Lewis brought the mare to an abrupt halt at the fort's outer gate. A sentry stepped out of his post.
"State the purpose of your visit," he said matter-of-factly.
Sam leaned forward so the guard could see him better. Lewis held the mare's reins. "I am here on behalf of a prisoner. A man arrested just this evening."
"No visitors," the guard said.
Sam pressed on. "I have evidence to prove this man's innocence. Please, if I may just speak with your commanding officer."
The guard studied him for a few seconds. "One moment," he said and he stepped back into his enclosure.
Lewis leaned in Sam's direction. "What evidence?" he whispered. "We don't even know what he has been charged with."
"You heard them say something about the bridges."
"Yes."
"That's all we have to go on at this point."
The guard stepped back out. Another came with him. He held a piece of paper and a pen.
"What is the prisoner's name?" the first guard asked.
Sam spoke clearly. "Dr. Thomas Stanton."
"Residence?"
"Mount Vernon."
The guard's comrade scribbled then he walked through the gate, presumably headed for the main section of the fort.
"Wait here," the remaining guard told them.
Sam nodded his thanks. Lewis continued to hold the mare. The guard stood in place, his eyes on them.
No one said a word.
"
Mr. Davis took Julia home then left immediately for the fort. After he had gone, Julia asked her mother if Lewis had returned.
"No," Esther said. "While you were gone I thought that perhaps he went to find Samuel."
"Oh, Mother," Julia cried. "That is all we need. If he is involved, they will end up arresting each of us."
"Hush, girl." Esther then sighed. "I imagine, though, if Lewis told him then he would have come here first. I suppose the boy just got scared and ran off."
"I suppose," Julia said.
Unless he did find Samuel and they went to the fort.
The spark of hope the thought generated was quickly doused with the cold water of reality.
But there is nothing he can do. His presence will only make things worse! The Federal Army has taken my father prisoner for assisting runaway slaves!
She fought back tears.
Lord help us, please.
"
The guard told Lewis to wait at the front gate. Another escorted Sam to the main fort. Uneasiness settled over him as he followed the man in blue. Darkness now shrouded the garrison. Lamplights flickered about windows. A campfire blazed in the center grounds. Around it, a few soldiers had clustered.
High above flew the American flag. Noticing it, he couldn't help but think of Francis Scott Key's words, the joy he felt to see the Star Spangled Banner still waving over Fort McHenry. Sam had to admit that tonight, for him, the flag invoked more apprehension than joy. The stars and stripes were symbols of power. Whether benevolent or despotic, he wasn't yet sure.
The guard led him to an area on the ground floor of the garrison. A long table furnished one end of the dimly lit room. At it, several Federal officers were seated. Dr. Stanton was standing before them.
He and the men turned in Sam's direction the moment he entered. Dr. Stanton looked glad to see him.
"Sam! What are you doing here?"
A man at the center of the table, a lieutenant colonel, beat a gavel. "The prisoner will direct all utterances to this board of inquiry."
Dr. Stanton turned back toward the men. Their eyes were now focused on Sam. Their faces were shrewd and cold. He stepped even with Julia's father. The guard that had escorted him into the room took up post at the door.
Sam noticed another was standing on the wall opposite Dr. Stanton.
For a night in June, the atmosphere was chilly. The musty smell of history past lingered in the air.
The lieutenant colonel spoke to Sam. "You are the person claiming evidence on this man's behalf?"
"Yes, sir. My name is Samuel Ward. I am a friend of Dr. Stanton."
The man nodded. "Lieutenant Colonel William Morris." The man looked to be about sixty or so, stern faced.
Sam nodded respectfully in return. "Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel Morris for the opportunity to speak with you."
"Quite to the surprise of some, we are not without due process here."
"Yes, sir."
He glanced at Dr. Stanton. The look on his face warned him to proceed with caution. Sam whispered a quick prayer.
Lord, give me wisdom.
Then he turned back to the lieutenant colonel.
"It is my understanding, sir, that Dr. Stanton has been apprehended in connection with the bridge burnings on the evening of April nineteenth."
"That is our concern," Morris conceded.
Sam noted he used the word concern, not charge. Before he could ask what the formal charges were, the lieutenant colonel continued.
"I am certain you are aware, young man, that this city has fallen on perilous times. Certain individuals wish to disrupt law and order. Some actively seek disunion."
"I am aware of such, sir."
"And you wish to offer evidence that the man beside you is not a person of such malevolent convictions?"
Sam chose his words carefully. "He had nothing to do with the bridge burnings, sir."
Morris looked doubtful. So did the others. He lifted up a sheet of paper for him to see, then he read its contents. "Dr. Thomas J. Stanton. Residence, Mount Vernon District. Treated wounded citizens following the Pratt Street riot. Son, Edward R. Stanton is a Maryland Guard member, enlisted with the Confederate Army."
Morris stared at Samuel, waiting for a reply.
He had hoped they would not know of Edward's enlistment. He looked at Dr. Stanton.
"That is all true, sir," Julia's father told the men. "I treated anyone in need on the day of the riot. I would have given aid to the soldiers, as well, had I come across any."
"And how did you know that the riot had taken place? How did you know where to go?"
Sam realized what Morris was getting at. Was the Pratt Street riot planned? Did Dr. Stanton have anything to do with it?
"My son and my daughter were at the train station that morning," Dr. Stanton said. "Mr. Ward was arriving from Philadelphia. They were caught up in the riot."
The lieutenant colonel looked at Sam. "Is that so?"
"Yes, sir."
"What business had you in Philadelphia?"
"I was attending a teacher's college. My graduation exercises were over and I was returning home." Sam answered the questions openly. He had nothing to hide, at least as far as the riot or bridge burnings were concerned.
The lieutenant colonel scribbled a few notes on his sheet. "And what did you do when the rioting began?"
"My foremost concern was for the safety of Dr. Stanton's daughter. We'"
"We?"
Sam clarified. "Her brother Edward and I, sir."
Morris waved his hand. "Continue."
"As I was saying, we struggled our way through the crowd until we reached safety."
"Did you alert anyone to the disorder?"
"We passed a squad of police officers. It was obvious that they were headed for the riot so we did not detain them or explain what had happened."
Morris turned his questioning back to Dr. Stanton. "And where do you come into this?"
"My children told me what happened. I retrieved my medical bag and went to help the wounded."
"And then you returned home?"
"Yes, sir."
The man looked at Sam. "And you were with him?"
"Yes, sir. I had dinner that night with his family."
"And you remained at the Stanton home for the rest of the evening?"
"Not the entire evening, sir."
Morris crossed his arms over his chest. "Then how can you be certain that Dr. Stanton did not leave his home that evening? What is to say that he did not meet at the Carroll Hall Armory and then participate in the bridge burnings?"
"Because, sir, he stayed home."
"Am I to take your word? You may be a gentleman, sir, but many a gentleman in this city would make war on the Federal Army. We already know his son is guilty of sedition. How do we know Dr. Stanton is not, as well?"
Sam swallowed hard. He knew this question would
come. He also knew what it might cost him to answer it truthfully. "Dr. Stanton was not at the armory, sir."
"Really?"
"I know this because I was at the armory."
Eyes widened. The officers all leaned forward.
Dr. Stanton tried to shush him. "Don't, son. Don't."
"You were at the armory?" Morris asked, looking quite intrigued.
Again Thomas Stanton motioned for him to keep quiet. Sam looked back at the lieutenant colonel. He would clear Julia's father's name even if it meant sullying his own.
"Yes, sir," Sam said boldly. "The city was near panic that night and when word reached me that more troops were en route, I went to the armory as a volunteer. At that moment, burning the bridges seemed the prudent thing to do to avoid further bloodshed."
"And so you participated."
"No, sir. I did not."
"No?"
Sam explained. "During the discussion, as plans were laid out, I thought better of the idea. It occurred to me that the act of protecting the city could be seen from the Federal Government's perspective as an act of sedition."
"So what did you do then?"
"I tried to convince those in my company that they should not proceed. That they should let the soldiers pass through to Washington."
"Obviously they did not heed your instructions," Morris said. "What happened next?"
"I was thrown out of the building." The officers stared at him in silence. Sam continued. "When I returned to the Stanton home, Dr. Stanton was waiting. He, too, agreed that burning the bridges was a bad idea."
Morris then asked, "And what of his son's enlistment in the Confederate Army?"
The scene of Julia standing in the foyer holding out her engagement ring flashed through his mind. He forced it aside. "Dr. Stanton tried to convince Edward not to go."
The table broke into whispers as the Fort's commander conferred with his men.
Sam and Dr. Stanton stood silently before them, waiting. They looked at one another, uncertainty on both of their faces.
The discussion quieted. Finally, Morris turned. "Dr. Thomas Stanton, step forward."
Julia's father did as he was told.
"You will hereby be set free provided that you agree to swear an oath of allegiance to the United States Government. Will you so swear?"
Relief must have flooded Dr. Stanton's veins for Sam certainly felt it.
"I will, sir," said Dr. Stanton.
Morris seemed satisfied. "Very well. Raise your right hand."
"I, Thomas Stanton, do solemnly swear that I will bear true allegiance to the United States and support and sustain the constitution'¦"
Listening, Sam breathed a sigh of relief and thanked God for such an outcome. Thomas would walk out a free man. He knew Julia was home praying. He imagined the look of joy on her face when her father returned.
""¦So help me God."
The lieutenant colonel had Julia's father sign a written copy of the oath. "You are free to go," Morris said. He motioned to one of the guards. "Escort Dr. Stanton to the main gate."
The guard snapped to a salute then turned on his heel. Dr. Stanton did the same. He was smiling in gratitude as he stepped toward Sam.
"I can't thank you enough, son. You took an awful risk but I am grateful."
"You would have done the same for me." Sam turned to match the doctor's stride.
"Mr. Ward!" Morris called. "You are not dismissed!"
Color drained from their faces. Both men turned back to the table. Morris motioned to the guard at the back of the room. He stepped forward.
A sickening feeling swept over Sam. All of Julia's expressed fears about the Federal occupation ricocheted through his mind. He knew what was about to happen.
Dr. Stanton did, as well, and he did not hesitate to intervene. "No! You can't! He told you himself that he didn't have anything to do with the bridge burnings!"
The first guard took hold of his arm. Dr. Stanton resisted. The lieutenant colonel stood to his feet.
"May I remind you sir, that you swore an oath of allegiance. Go home. This matter does not concern you."
Dr. Stanton's eyes widened. He planted his feet. A flash of Edward and Julia's fire surfaced. "This does concern me!"
Now it was Sam who tried to shush his would-be father-in-law. "Don't do this," he said. "Just go. Things will work out."
He looked at Sam. "No. I won't leave'"
The guard tightened his grip on his arm. The second showed his musket.
"Sir, I advise you to leave peacefully," Morris said.
"Go," Sam urged once more. "Go home to Julia, to Esther."
The look on the doctor's face softened to one of pity.
Sam knew he had no choice but to obey the soldiers. The guard pulled Thomas Stanton to the exit. The other stood with his musket on Sam.
"I will get a lawyer," Dr. Stanton promised. "We will straighten this out!"
Sam nodded but legal proceedings were the farthest thing from his mind. "Tell Julia that I love her."