~ Tomorrow Came Early ~

by

Diana Lee Johnson

Richmond, Virginia

March, 1865

On March twenty-third, Andrew returned to the Saunders’ home, extremely weary from the long day. People were leaving Richmond in droves, and horses, mules, carriages and carts were scarce. He had hidden his own horse in the small servants quarters at the rear of the house. The stable was the first place anyone would look for him.

The brougham was still left, and seemed relatively safe for now. It didn’t provide as much protection from weather or storage space as the carriage, which disappeared mysteriously, but it was lighter, and would be easier for one horse to pull with four people.

"Andy, Pa seems much better today." Tracy greeted him hopefully at the front door.

"I’m glad." Andrew replied half-heartedly as he sighed.

"But, Andy, don’t you see? We can go home soon!"

"Tracy, soon may not be good enough. Our army can’t hold Richmond much longer."

"But, Andrew--"

"Tracy, please, I’m tired. Just let me rest here a few minutes." He headed toward the sofa.

"But, Andy, Pa’s been waitin’ all day for you to bring him the latest news. Won’t you go up for a moment first? I’ll fix you somethin’ t’ eat."

"Oh, Tracy…all right. You’d be totally exasperatin’ if I didn’t love you so much." He laid his palm against her cheek and forced a smile. He could hardly put one foot in front of the other as he climbed the stairs.

"Andrew, my dear boy. What is the latest news?" Saunders asked chipperly.

"It isn’t good, sir. We only have, well, probably a few days left before the Union Army takes Richmond.

Saunders’ already pale face took on an ashen hue. "Then you must take Tracy and go."

"Sir, you know she won’t go without you, and I won’t leave without her. I love her, sir. When this is all over, I plan on asking her to marry me."

"And you will have my blessin’s, son."

"Do you think you can travel now, sir?"

"I think I’d best be findin’ out, my boy." Saunders tried to get out of bed, but he was still too weak, even with Andrew’s assistance.

Andrew helped him settle back into the big canopy bed.

"Just take it easy, Mr. Saunders. Maybe if Adam and I carry you to the brougham and we move slowly…"

"The Yankees aren’t gonna move slowly. I’m afraid it’s no good, son. I think my time on this earth is just about up. I’ll just have to convince Tracy to go on ahead with you. The Yankees won’t do anything to an old man like me."

"I hope you have more luck with her than I do. She’s a stubborn woman."

"I know," he laughed, "just like her Ma. Sick the whole time she was carryin’ that child, her Ma just wasn’t gonna give up ‘til she brought her into this world. Died that same night, she did, but not without holdin’ her baby and givin’ her a name, Tracy, that was her family name, and Louise for my grandmother," his face saddened for a moment, then he snapped back. "Yup, stubborn clean through, them Tracys."

Andrew smiled at the old man.

"Now, you go on and rest, son. I’ll be just fine. And you send Tracy up to me for a talk later on. I’ll convince her to go."

Andrew shook his head in disbelief as he left the room.

Seconds after he sank into the sofa, he was fast asleep. Tracy covered him gently and returned to her father’s bedside.

"Pa, you shouldn’t be sittin’ up. Doctor says you gotta rest, so’s we can go home."

"Tracy, dear, I won’t be goin’ home. I just don’t have the strength, but you and Andrew need to leave Richmond now." His voice was tremulous as he insisted.

"Now, Pa," Tracy cajoled, "we been all through that before. I’m not goin’ home or anywhere else without you. Think I’d leave you to those nasty Yankees?" She tucked him back into bed. "You rest. I’ll be back with your supper, soon as I feed Andy."

"Tracy-Lou, I’m tellin’ you I expect you to go with young Hamilton. Marry him, too, soon as you get home, if not sooner."

Tracy didn’t reply. She turned and gave him a winsome smile. As she closed the door behind herself, she could hear her father grumbling and rattling through the drawer of the table at his bedside. Probably can’t find some worthless official document.

There wasn’t much to be had in the kitchen, even here in the home of a congressman. But, what there was, she joyfully prepared for the two men she loved.

Tracy was just about to set a tray on the table in front of the sofa and wake Andrew when a shot rang out from the upstairs. She dropped the tray haphazardly on the table and darted for the stairway.

Andrew awakened abruptly, thinking perhaps a sniper was near the house. Shaking the sleep from his head, he caught a glimpse of Tracy running for the stairs and pursued her. He overtook her near the top.

They entered the bedroom together finding Saunders in bed, pistol in hand, a bullet hole in his temple.

"Paaaaaa!" Tracy screamed as she struggled to free herself from Andrew’s strong hold. "Let me go! Oh, Pa," she sobbed.

Andrew held her close. "He did it to save you, my darling--to make you leave the city before it’s too late. And now you must do as your father wished." He buried his face in her hair, planting a kiss on the top of her head as he closed his eyes to the bloody sight.

"I won’t, I won’t leave him!" she lashed out at Andrew, but he held her fast.

Though only nineteen, Andrew Hamilton had seen enough of this war to cease finding anything glorious about it, making him as worldly wise as a man of thirty. He was not shocked by the bloody sight before him.