"Charles L. Harness-Quarks at Appomatox" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harness Charles L)

"Herr General, I know all about that. The Army of Northern Virginia now consists of two small
infantry corps-- Gordon and Longstreet-- and a little cavalry. And you are in a tight box. On your east is
General Meade, with the Second and Sixth Corps. To the west is Custer and most of the Union cavalry.
To the south is Sheridan's cavalry. That's the bottom of the box, and that's where the Union lines are
weakest. You propose to break out through Sheridan, move rapidly south on the Lynchburg Road, join
up with General Johnson in North Carolina, and drag the war out until the North is willing to negotiate an
honorable peace. But it won't work, Herr General."
General Lee looked at the German for a long time. "Sir, you seem to know a great deal about the
tactical situation. So tell me, why can't I break out through the south?"
"Because, Herr General, history has already written the dénouement of this, your last campaign." He
did not look at Major Potter. "May we discuss this in private, Herr General?"
Lee shrugged. "Very well." He dismounted and gave the reins to his aide. "Oh, it's perfectly all right,
Potter. We'll be in the tent."
A stump of candle was already burning on the cracker box when they went inside. The Confederate
officer motioned to the camp chair, then eased himself down on the cot. "I think we can push through
Sheridan," he said.
The other nodded. "True, in the dawn fighting you will push back Sheridan's dismounted cavalry. Your
boys will cheer. But that's the end of it. General Ord's Fifth Corps arrives just in time to reinforce
Sheridan. The great game is over. You send out a rider with a white flag. At eleven tomorrow morning,
Palm Sunday, you will send General Grant notice that you would like to meet him to discuss surrender
terms. You will accept his demand for unconditional surrender. Tomorrow afternoon, except for a little
scattered action in other theatres, the war will be over."
Lee was silent.
Von Mainz shrugged. "You think I am insane? I am not insane, General Lee. I know many events that
lie in your future."
"How is this possible?"
"You think of me as a loyal subject of King William of Prussia and an officer of the Prussian army, in
this eighteen hundred five and sixty. Not exactly, General. I am not what you suppose. There are two
very basic facts that you must accept. If you can accept these two facts and all that they imply, then you
can understand everything you need to know about me. Fact number one, I am from your future. I was
born in the year two thousand and thirty. I am thirty-five years old. I left the American Sector of Berlin
this morning, April 8, in the year two thousand five and sixty, almost exactly two hundred years in your
future. I am indeed a colonel, but not in the Prussian army. I am a colonel in the Neues Schutz-Staffeln--
the 'NSS'-- an underground paramilitary organization devoted to reuniting West and East Germany." He
waited. "You don't believe me? Not just yet? No matter. I assure you, I can provide proof."
"West Germany... East Germany?" said Lee. "I don't understand."
"Never mind. It's a long story. With the general's permission, I'd like to state the second fact."
"Proceed. What is your second fact?"
"The second fact is that you can win the war. Not merely the impending battle. You can win the whole
war."
Lee looked at him sharply. "How?"
"With a new weapon."
The older man smiled faintly. "Which you brought with you, of course, from your twenty-first century?"
"Of course. And please do not smile, General. It does not become you; nor is it fitting to the
occasion."
Lee stood up. "Now, you really must excuse me, Colonel. Tomorrow will be a difficult day." He
walked to the tent door. "There's Potter over there, by the napoleon. He'll find a place for you to sleep."
Colonel von Mainz joined him at the door and peered out into the moonlight. "A napoleon. Hah! The
deadliest cannon of the war. Favored by both sides. Range, one mile. With canister at two hundred
yards, wipes out an entire platoon. Like a giant sawed-off shotgun. The difficulty is, Grant has three times