Army of the Mississippi Raid!

[Target1221]

CRASH! The back door of the Old Abe Tavern was suddenly broken down as a group of Rebel officers came rushing in!

"Colonel, grab that Yank!" their leader hollered. A nearby Confederate colonel used his rifle butt to knock one of the befuddled guards to the floor before taking his pistol.

"Who the hell do you think you are, sir!?" One of the Yankee generals demanded of the Rebel leader.

"I, sir, am Brig. Gen. Blake Strickler of the Army of the Mississippi, by God!" General Strickler then picked up a bottle of some cheap alcohol from the table. After sniffing it, and nearly gagging from its pungent aroma, he threw it through the nearest window as his men let out a roar of laughter.

"We hear you Yanks are aspiring to have backbones!" One of Strickler's Lieutenants added. "We came to put you back in your places." The officer then picked up a pool cue and broke it over his knee with a smile.

"You will all pay for this!" A Yankee officer protested. He quickly reached for his sidearm only to feel the cold steel of a pistol against the back of his neck. Another group of Rebels had come in through the front door in all the excitement. The Yankee wisely removed his hand from the revolver as the Rebel officer cocked the hammer of his piece to emphasize the hopelessness of the Yankee situation.

"Now, now, gentlemen, let's not rough up the Yankees too much," Strickler scolded his men, "they look scared enough as it is." He walked across the tavern to the bar and reached into his pocket for some Yankee greenbacks. "Barkeep, I’m buying a round for everyone here."

At that moment a sudden gunshot from the balcony of the tavern caused everyone to duck for cover!

"Who fired that shot?!" Strickler yelled.

"I did you Rebel scum!" A Yankee shouted as he and a half-dozen men suddenly appeared on the balcony above leveling shotguns on the Rebels. When the smoke cleared it proved to be General Meyer, wearing his trademark impeccably laundered and cleaned uniform (undoubtedly from never having been anywhere near the front lines), who was leading the band of Yanks. He then recognized the face of General Strickler as one of the Rebs and nodded to his nemesis and honored opponent.

"Ah, Joe, I figured you'd be around here somewhere. Come join us for a drink, sir." Strickler then grabbed a bottle from the barkeep and poured two drinks. General Meyer descended the stairs with his men as the two sides kept a close watch on one another over the barrels of their weapons.

"Well, Blake, didn’t think you Rebs would attack us behind our lines and within our own locked tavern doors. But then you always did have more guts than brains.” Meyer stood up next to Strickler at the bar and tried to stare down the upstart Rebel General.

“Some of us are born brave, Joe, while others languish behind the lines and overly enjoy having their tailors measure their inseams for new suits every week.” Strickler stared back at Meyer.

“Funny…” Joe mocked.

“Yes, I thought so.” Strickler responded with a smile.

“Well, it seems our men are about even, General Strickler." Meyer placed his pistol on the bar and eyed the drink Strickler had poured.

"So it does, Joe." Strickler handed one of the shot glasses to the general and the two men toasted the picture of George Washington above the bar. With a quick motion they gulped the whiskey down and slammed the empty glasses back on to the bar.

"Put those guns away," Joe told his men. Strickler followed suit and ordered his own men to lower their weapons.

"Washington! A fine man!" General Meyer abruptly announced as he poured another drink for himself and General Strickler.

"Indeed, sir, a fine man! Wish he was with us now!" Strickler then lifted his glass to the picture of Washington only to have Meyer push his arm before he could drink - causing the contents of Strickler's drink to go flying to the floor.

"Like hell, Blake, he would never join you damned Rebels! He'd be with us!" Meyer then lifted his own glass to the picture of Washington. Strickler responded by knocking Meyer's drink from his hand causing the glass to shatter on the floor.

"Marquess of Queensberry rules!" Strickler shouted to everyone in the room.

"Works for us!" Meyer shouted back!

With a sudden explosion the room erupted in a hail of flying fists, teeth, blood, and bottles!

"NOW THIS IS A RAID!" Strickler shouted to his men!

[Nathan1961]

HEHEHEHE, you say it Blake ! Let us drink some beers here for free. They don´t dare to give us a bill.

Tavern Keeper, bring us drinks. HURRY UP!

[GCDavey]

I'll join you General in a drink on the Aot

wright kindly of em I reckon

[mdavis]

Howdy do boys!
Lt. Davey! Go ahead on and drop them two Yanks you're holding, I believe they've had all the Marquess of Queensbury rules they can handle. Shoot, their lights are turned plum off.
General Strickler sir, we best be checking on your horse tied up out front. There is a passle of Yanks out there gawking at him like they ain't never seen a real horse.
Hey! You boys! Get on away from that horse! Huh? His ears? How come they're so short? No, he doesn't say Hee Haw like your ride does.
It's a horse you dumb Yank! That's what we ride down south. Get me another drink of that hooch ya'll are providing for us men today, and we may let you pet him. Any of you Yanks that ain't got no broke bones, start cleaning this place up.
The AotM is here today.

[nealjhebert]

Gentlemen, Gator Alley has arrived. I hope you don't mind that Nicodemus has accompanied me, although there was a small problem in the stables. He was a bit hungry and helped himself to an unguarded Yankee mount, so one of you Yanks is missing a horse.

General Strickler, is there any tolerable alcohol in the tavern? Have any of the Yanks come out of hiding since the door was kicked in?

BG Neal Hebert
2nd Division, I Corps, AotM
"Gator Alley"

[Target1221]

Drinkable alcohol in a Yankee Tavern?! Not hardly. All I can find is non-alcoholic root beer and shirley temples.

[nealjhebert]

General Strickler <salute>

Sir, root beer and Shirley Temples? Have the invaders sunk so low that they're drafting school boys to meet us on the field of battle? General McOmish must be beside himself looking for a snort in this hole.

BG Neal Hebert
2nd Division, I Corps, AotM
"Gator Alley"

[Nick DeStefano]

Gents,
Don't you worry none! The "cavalry" has arrived!

While my boys are still getting used to the fact that all of our fine mounts have been sent over to Hooper's Troopers and Drott's Trotters, we do enjoy our newly improved ability to bring our stills, kegs, and bottles with us on campaign. We never had the room to spare for all them heavy items when we rode into battle, but now, we've brought up the real "siege train"! If the Yankee's are all tee-total, then that's just fine with me, as there will be more to go around for all us thirsty rebs!!

Hurrah for Jeff Davis! Hurrah for the Southern Confederacy! Hurrah for the Army of the Mississippi!

<salute>

[cameronm]

Although I am on vacation I do keep an eye on all raiding activities - looks like this one is going well.

Lt Gen Cam McOmish
1/1/1
AoA
CSA

CSA Tavern Raiding Quality Assurance Division

[rehartwig]

The rebs are all in the Tavern! Oh my, what should we do? Screw it, leave, bolt the doors and burn it. We can drink to their honor afterwards. We would never get the smell out anyway.