1901

MacArthur shrugged. “I’d be comfortable giving it to Pershing. By the way, your act of commissioning academy underclassmen makes my son an officer.”

Longstreet smiled. “Was gonna happen sooner or later. Just make sure his mama doesn’t try to come with him.” MacArthur flushed slightly. The entire army was amused at how young Douglas’s mother had moved into a hotel in West Point just to be near her son.

“General Wood, you have a big problem. Your responsibilities will include the arming and supply of the army as well as the training and staffing of the new units the president has requested. You will, in effect, be my chief of staff and be responsible for ensuring that Mac has the tools necessary to do the job.”

Wood gulped. “Yes, sir.” Longstreet smiled to himself. Wood was a capable administrator who also happened to be a close friend of the president’s. An unbeatable combination if Wood played his cards right, and Longstreet was confident he would.

Longstreet smiled benignly. “I’ve spoken with the president and Mr. Hay and we are in agreement about what the Germans are likely to do. In strictly European fashion, they’ve fought us for a particular goal. They do not want to conquer and occupy this country. They want exactly what they asked for, which is Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the rest of our possessions, as well as rights to the Isthmus of Panama and other intrusions into the New World. They’ve done this before and think this is the way to get what they want.

“Thus when they invaded New York and defeated us at Danbury, they fully expected us to cry uncle and wanted to talk about settling. Since we haven’t, we understand they are a little confused and frustrated. They know they can’t sustain their operation forever. It was not their intention to go to a full war of nations against us, and it still isn’t. They do not want an extended stay in New York.

“On the other hand,” he said with a grim smile, “we will do all in our power to make their adventure an uncomfortable and unpleasant one. Mac, I hate frontal assaults like what happened so tragically at Danbury. I have seen them fail everywhere. They cost too much in humanity and I will not have it. Some criticize me as a general who is overcautious. Well, I’ll accept that if the alternative is to be reckless.”

MacArthur nodded. “A siege then? Combined with irregular operations?”

“Exactly. And for however long it takes.”

“And what if they decide to continue toward Hartford and Boston instead of staying in their forts? At the rate they are enlarging their force and piling up supplies, they could soon be strong enough to do it.”

“If that happens,” said Longstreet, “then we will fight them in open battle and God help us. And please, General MacArthur, no frontal assaults. Let them come to us.”

The next day’s meeting had a significantly different cast and approach. Longstreet and Roosevelt were there, but Hay was not. Secretary of the Navy John Long attended, and Adm. George Dewey, the hero of Manila Bay and ranking naval officer, was the primary guest.

And “guest” was the proper term. Longstreet as a four-star general reported directly to the secretary of war; Dewey, the senior admiral, reported directly to the secretary of the navy. Thus the rivalry between the two services was legitimized and institutionalized by a table of organization that emphasized their separateness. It was somewhat affected too, by the fact that Theodore Roosevelt had served as assistant secretary of the navy and was sometimes accused of considering the fleet his personal toy.

Longstreet greeted Dewey cordially. It was the first time they’d ever met and they took stock of each other warily, like two dogs meeting on a street. Dewey was a trim and fit-looking man of average height and build but of impressive bearing and commanding presence. One could easily envision him on the bridge of the Olympia, white mustache flaring, while directing the battle and daring fate to get his white uniform dirty, much less harm him.

Dewey was sixty-four years old and smiled slightly behind his bushy mustache. “I am honored to finally meet you, General.”

“And I to meet you, sir.”

“General, if you are the slightest bit concerned that I may be difficult to work with, let me assure you of my fullest cooperation. Please recall that I serve in the same navy where Admiral Porter and General Grant worked wonders in cooperation, and I have assured both Secretary Long and the president that you will have that cooperation. Utterly and totally.”

Longstreet responded with mild sarcasm. “I seem to recall some of those wonders causing the fall of Forts Donaldson and Henry, as well as enabling the successful siege of Vicksburg. Don’t you wonder whether we’d be having this conversation if they hadn’t cooperated so fully?”

Dewey joined in the mild laughter. Good, Longstreet thought. Good. “Admiral, I know that you and Captain Mahan have been discussing possible actions. Would you be so kind as to share those thoughts with us?”