Now while that might have subdued some of the triangle tales the storm put a pretty good scare into the inhabitants of Bermuda. And even as she passed nearly two hundred miles east of Bermuda wind gusts and high waves generated by the storm caused some beach erosion as well as wind damage to the eastern side of the island. At the present time Bertha is traveling over cooler waters of the North Atlantic and the winds have dropped down to 65 mph.

In the meantime four tropical waves have been reported off the coast of West Africa in the same general area Bertha was spawned. And while none of them present a threat at the present time just by the numbers they will hold the attention of the Miami Hurricane Center forecasters.

Meanwhile, back in 1945 the crews of Squadron 114 were doing routine surveillance of the Caribbean, a poker game continued at the back of the barracks and our Mississippi jester was holding court dispatching his wit and humor.

July 12, 1861 Manassas, Virginia

Here's a thumbnail sketch of The Civil War's first major battle between Union and Confederate forces taken from the pages of my novel The Goring Collection.

"Sam Brannan drove south from Hoboken in the direction of Philadelphia and just before reaching the outskirts; he moved onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and headed west, with the men in the gray Ford following along at a safe distance. Sam had decided that in order to implement Jacob's plan he would lead his pursuers over roads he was familiar with and at the end of the day wind up at Manassas, Virginia.

Sam knew the gray Ford was still following as he …drove directly to the entrance of Manassas Battlefield Park. The gray Ford, emulating his every move, stopped and parked about a hundred yards back of the Lexus. Sam got out of the car, walked over to the gate, and even though there was only dull starlight he could make out the contours and slopes of the monument-covered battlefield. He sucked in the cold night air, and shoved his hands deep into his trench coat pockets as he ambled along the path and took in his surroundings.

As Sam (the consummate history buff) walked among the monuments he thought about that warm July morning back in 1861. Union and Confederate Armies had been moving into the area for days and when word reached the Capital that the first major battle of the war was imminent, the Washington gentry packed their picnic baskets, hitched their teams, and drove to a hill overlooking Bull Run. Then after finding a spot, well out of harms way, they spread their lunches and settled in to watch the Union and Confederate Armies begin the fight that could resolve the, long festering, differences between the North and South.

Sam was familiar with the top generals involved, their battle strategies, and how it played out. He visualized the early probing attacks by the Union Divisions of Heintzelman, Porter, Burnside and Sherman as they moved their blue forces into position to confront Confederates Bartow, Bee and Evans. The dawn brought on an eerie silence while the two armies trooped to colors and companies moved into battle formation. But at a precipitous moment an eight-pound Parrot shot ripped across the Stone Bridge shattering the morning silence. The pageantry was startling as the men slowly moved up to point blank range and orders are given to fire at will. The scathing rattle of muskets begins and soldiers aim, fire and reload in a desperate effort to – kill or be killed. But as the battle wore on skirmish lines began to move with the ebb and flow of a restless wind while bodies piled up like cordwood and the pungent odor of gunpowder hung just above the fray.

Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson shades his eyes from the blinding sun, and observes the gray lines outnumbered two to one begin to waver. The general thrust his arm into the air and points as he urged Little Sorrel forward, leading his brigade out of the tall pines, and down Henry Hill. When Jackson and his men arrive the Confederate lines stiffen, and halt the Union avalanche. Then with bayonet and bravado the gray men turn the tide and chase the Union forces from the field. And by the time picnickers packed their baskets and returned to Washington, the Confederates had won the battle. Stonewall Jackson was proclaimed the hero of Manassas and a legend was born.

Sam Brannan stood silently beside fallen General Bee's Memorial and after a long moment of reflection removed Jacob's twig from his pocket, eased around the Monument and wedged the microfilm into a crevice. Then as he turned away, and strolled up the path he mused over the cat and mouse game he was playing with his shadows. Sam chuckled when he recalled a spy operation dubbed “The Pumpkin Papers.” It became a defining moment in the Whitaker Chambers and Alger Hiss spy scandal, a subject that still gets a rise out of the lefties when it comes up at Washington cocktail parties.

Sam continued up the path, casually walked out of the park, got into the Lexus, and drove back to Washington."

Writers Corner:

Picture the scene as you write and write what you see. (Subconscious) But when you need to be a bit more demonstrative, you might try Barbara Dawson Smith's method. "Help readers visualize each scene by using specific details of action, the five senses and dialogue. Rather than tell readers 'she was angry.' Show the characters emotion by having her throw a plate at the wall or by arguing with someone."

Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter. Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.

www.tombarnes39.com
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