The room was tense. The air smelled of cigar smoke and sweat. Generals McClellan, Burnside, Hooker, and several other high-ranking officers sat around a table, their faces serious. Ethan stood at the head of the table, a map in his hand. Callie stood beside him, her eyes scanning the room.
"We need to find the leak," Ethan said. His voice was steady, but there was a hint of anger in it. "Lee knows our plan. He's changing his route. He's going to Lancaster. We need to find out who told him."
McClellan nodded. "I've questioned my officers. None of them admit to leaking the plan."
Burnside nodded. "Same here. My officers are loyal. They wouldn't betray us."
Hooker nodded. "I've questioned my officers too. They're all denying it."
Ethan looked at each of the generals. He studied their faces. He tried to read their expressions.
"Someone is lying," he said. "Someone here knows who leaked the plan. And I'm going to find out who."
He turned to Callie. "Callie, do you have any information?"
Callie nodded. "I've been monitoring the telegraph lines. I've noticed that there's a lot of unusual traffic. Someone has been sending messages to Confederate territory."
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Who?"
"I don't know yet. But I'm working on it. I'm trying to trace the messages."
Ethan nodded. "Good. Keep working. We need to find out who's sending the messages."
He turned back to the generals. "I'm going to question each of you individually. I want to know everything you know. I want to know who knew our plan."
The generals nodded. They knew that Ethan was serious. They knew that he wasn't going to let this go.
Ethan started with General McClellan. He led him to a small room adjacent to the headquarters.
"General McClellan," Ethan said. "Who knew our plan?"
McClellan sighed. "Only a few people. You, me, Burnside, Hooker, and a few of our top officers."
Ethan nodded. "Did any of your officers have contact with Confederate sympathizers?"
McClellan thought for a moment. "Yes. One of my officers, Colonel Charles Marshall, has a sister who lives in Virginia. She's married to a Confederate officer."
Ethan's eyes lit up. "Where is Colonel Marshall now?"
"He's with his regiment, preparing to move to Harrisburg."
Ethan nodded. "We need to bring him here. We need to question him."
McClellan nodded. "I'll send for him."
Ethan left the room. He called for a soldier. "Find Colonel Charles Marshall. Bring him to headquarters immediately."
The soldier saluted. "Yes, sir."
Ethan returned to the main room. He sat down at the table. He waited for Colonel Marshall.
The minutes ticked by. The room was quiet. The generals sat around the table, their faces serious.
Finally, the door opened. Colonel Marshall entered the room. He was a tall man, with a handsome face and a military bearing. He wore a blue uniform, with gold epaulets.
"Colonel Marshall," Ethan said. "Please sit down."
Colonel Marshall sat down at the table. He looked at Ethan. He looked at the other generals.
"What's this about, Mr. Voss?" he asked.
"We have a leak," Ethan said. "Lee knows our plan. He's going to Lancaster. We think that someone in our ranks told him."
Colonel Marshall's face paled. "I didn't tell anyone. I'm loyal to the Union."
Ethan nodded. "I believe you. But we need to find out who did. Did you have any contact with Confederate sympathizers recently?"
Colonel Marshall thought for a moment. "Yes. I received a letter from my sister. She lives in Virginia. She's married to a Confederate officer."
Ethan nodded. "What did the letter say?"
"She told me that her husband is with Lee's army. She told me that Lee is planning to attack Pennsylvania. She asked me to be careful."
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Did you tell anyone else about the letter?"
Colonel Marshall shook his head. "No. I didn't want to worry anyone."
Ethan thought for a moment. He didn't think that Colonel Marshall was lying. But he needed to be sure.
"Callie," Ethan said. "Did you trace any messages to Virginia?"
Callie nodded. "Yes. I traced a message to a town in Virginia. The message was sent from our telegraph room. It contained details of our plan."
Ethan's eyes lit up. "Who sent the message?"
"I don't know yet. But I'm working on it. I'm trying to find out who was using the telegraph at the time."
Ethan nodded. "Good. Keep working."
He turned back to Colonel Marshall. "Thank you, Colonel. You can go back to your regiment."
Colonel Marshall nodded. He stood up. He walked out of the room.
Ethan turned to the generals. "I don't think that Colonel Marshall is the leak. But we need to keep investigating."
The generals nodded.
Ethan continued to question the other generals. He asked them about their officers. He asked them about their contacts with Confederate sympathizers.
But no one had any information. No one knew who the leak was.
Ethan was getting frustrated. He knew that time was running out. He knew that Lee was getting closer.
But then, Callie walked into the room. Her face was pale.
"I found it," she said. "I found out who sent the message."
Ethan's eyes lit up. "Who?"
"Major John Smith," she said. "He's an officer in General Hooker's regiment. He was using the telegraph at the time the message was sent. And he has a brother who's a Confederate spy."
Ethan's face turned red with anger. "Where is Major Smith now?"
"He's with his regiment, preparing to move to Harrisburg."
Ethan nodded. "We need to bring him here. We need to confront him."
He called for a soldier. "Find Major John Smith. Bring him to headquarters immediately."
The soldier saluted. "Yes, sir."
Ethan turned to the generals. "We found the leak. It's Major John Smith."
The generals' faces paled. They couldn't believe it.
"He's a traitor," Hooker said. His voice was filled with anger. "I'll have him court-martialed."
Ethan nodded. "He'll be court-martialed. But first, we need to find out what he told Lee. We need to find out if there's any other information heThe room was tense. The air smelled of cigar smoke and sweat. Generals McClellan, Burnside, Hooker, and several other high-ranking officers sat around a table, their faces serious. Ethan stood at the head of the table, a map in his hand. Callie stood beside him, her eyes scanning the room.
"We need to find the leak," Ethan said. His voice was steady, but there was a hint of anger in it. "Lee knows our plan. He's changing his route. He's going to Lancaster. We need to find out who told him."
McClellan nodded. "I've questioned my officers. None of them admit to leaking the plan."
Burnside nodded. "Same here. My officers are loyal. They wouldn't betray us."
Hooker nodded. "I've questioned my officers too. They're all denying it."
Ethan looked at each of the generals. He studied their faces. He tried to read their expressions.
"Someone is lying," he said. "Someone here knows who leaked the plan. And I'm going to find out who."
He turned to Callie. "Callie, do you have any information?"
Callie nodded. "I've been monitoring the telegraph lines. I've noticed that there's a lot of unusual traffic. Someone has been sending messages to Confederate territory."
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Who?"
"I don't know yet. But I'm working on it. I'm trying to trace the messages."
Ethan nodded. "Good. Keep working. We need to find out who's sending the messages."
He turned back to the generals. "I'm going to question each of you individually. I want to know everything you know. I want to know who knew our plan."
The generals nodded. They knew that Ethan was serious. They knew that he wasn't going to let this go.
Ethan started with General McClellan. He led him to a small room adjacent to the headquarters.
"General McClellan," Ethan said. "Who knew our plan?"
McClellan sighed. "Only a few people. You, me, Burnside, Hooker, and a few of our top officers."
Ethan nodded. "Did any of your officers have contact with Confederate sympathizers?"
McClellan thought for a moment. "Yes. One of my officers, Colonel Charles Marshall, has a sister who lives in Virginia. She's married to a Confederate officer."
Ethan's eyes lit up. "Where is Colonel Marshall now?"
"He's with his regiment, preparing to move to Harrisburg."
Ethan nodded. "We need to bring him here. We need to question him."
McClellan nodded. "I'll send for him."
Ethan left the room. He called for a soldier. "Find Colonel Charles Marshall. Bring him to headquarters immediately."
The soldier saluted. "Yes, sir."
Ethan returned to the main room. He sat down at the table. He waited for Colonel Marshall.
The minutes ticked by. The room was quiet. The generals sat around the table, their faces serious.
Finally, the door opened. Colonel Marshall entered the room. He was a tall man, with a handsome face and a military bearing. He wore a blue uniform, with gold epaulets.
"Colonel Marshall," Ethan said. "Please sit down."
Colonel Marshall sat down at the table. He looked at Ethan. He looked at the other generals.
"What's this about, Mr. Voss?" he asked.
"We have a leak," Ethan said. "Lee knows our plan. He's going to Lancaster. We think that someone in our ranks told him."
Colonel Marshall's face paled. "I didn't tell anyone. I'm loyal to the Union."
Ethan nodded. "I believe you. But we need to find out who did. Did you have any contact with Confederate sympathizers recently?"
Colonel Marshall thought for a moment. "Yes. I received a letter from my sister. She lives in Virginia. She's married to a Confederate officer."
Ethan nodded. "What did the letter say?"
"She told me that her husband is with Lee's army. She told me that Lee is planning to attack Pennsylvania. She asked me to be careful."
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Did you tell anyone else about the letter?"
Colonel Marshall shook his head. "No. I didn't want to worry anyone."
Ethan thought for a moment. He didn't think that Colonel Marshall was lying. But he needed to be sure.
"Callie," Ethan said. "Did you trace any messages to Virginia?"
Callie nodded. "Yes. I traced a message to a town in Virginia. The message was sent from our telegraph room. It contained details of our plan."
Ethan's eyes lit up. "Who sent the message?"
"I don't know yet. But I'm working on it. I'm trying to find out who was using the telegraph at the time."
Ethan nodded. "Good. Keep working."
He turned back to Colonel Marshall. "Thank you, Colonel. You can go back to your regiment."
Colonel Marshall nodded. He stood up. He walked out of the room.
Ethan turned to the generals. "I don't think that Colonel Marshall is the leak. But we need to keep investigating."
The generals nodded.
Ethan continued to question the other generals. He asked them about their officers. He asked them about their contacts with Confederate sympathizers.
But no one had any information. No one knew who the leak was.
Ethan was getting frustrated. He knew that time was running out. He knew that Lee was getting closer.
But then, Callie walked into the room. Her face was pale.
"I found it," she said. "I found out who sent the message."
Ethan's eyes lit up. "Who?"
"Major John Smith," she said. "He's an officer in General Hooker's regiment. He was using the telegraph at the time the message was sent. And he has a brother who's a Confederate spy."
Ethan's face turned red with anger. "Where is Major Smith now?"
"He's with his regiment, preparing to move to Harrisburg."
Ethan nodded. "We need to bring him here. We need to confront him."
He called for a soldier. "Find Major John Smith. Bring him to headquarters immediately."
The soldier saluted. "Yes, sir."
Ethan turned to the generals. "We found the leak. It's Major John Smith."
The generals' faces paled. They couldn't believe it.
"He's a traitor," Hooker said. His voice was filled with anger. "I'll have him court-martialed."
Ethan nodded. "He'll be court-martialed. But first, we need to find out what he told Lee. We need to find out if there's any other information he"
The minutes ticked by. Finally, the door opened. Major Smith entered the room. He was a short man, with a round face and a nervous look. He wore a blue uniform, with silver epaulets.
"Major Smith," Ethan said. "Please sit down."
Major Smith sat down at the table. He looked at Ethan. He looked at the other generals. He looked at Callie.
"What's this about, Mr. Voss?" he asked. His voice was trembling.
"We know what you did," Ethan said. His voice was cold. "You sent a message to Confederate territory. You told Lee our plan. You're a traitor."
Major Smith's face paled. He shook his head. "No. I didn't do it. I'm loyal to the Union."
Ethan nodded. "Callie, show him the evidence."
Callie stepped forward. She held up a piece of paper. "This is a copy of the message you sent. It contains details of our plan. And we traced it back to your telegraph key."
Major Smith's face turned white. He knew that he was caught.
"I'm sorry," he said. His voice was filled with tears. "I didn't mean to. My brother is a Confederate spy. He threatened to kill my family if I didn't help him."
Ethan's anger faded. He felt a sense of sadness. He knew that Major Smith was a victim. But he also knew that he had committed a crime.
"You'll be court-martialed," Ethan said. "But I'll speak on your behalf. I'll tell them about your brother's threats."
Major Smith nodded. He stood up. He was escorted out of the room by two soldiers.
Ethan turned to the generals. "We found the leak. We stopped him. Now, we need to focus on Lee. We need to be ready for him."
The generals nodded. They knew that Ethan was right.
Ethan turned to Callie. "Callie, send a message to all commanders. Tell them that the leak has been found. Tell them to continue with the plan. Tell them to be ready for Lee."
Callie sent the message. The room filled with the sound of clicks.
Ethan stood up. He looked at the map. He looked at the generals. He looked at Callie.
He knew that the worst was over. He knew that they were back on track.
He knew that they were going to win.
The minutes ticked by. Finally, the door opened. Major Smith entered the room. He was a short man, with a round face and a nervous look. He wore a blue uniform, with silver epaulets.
"Major Smith," Ethan said. "Please sit down."
Major Smith sat down at the table. He looked at Ethan. He looked at the other generals. He looked at Callie.
"What's this about, Mr. Voss?" he asked. His voice was trembling.
"We know what you did," Ethan said. His voice was cold. "You sent a message to Confederate territory. You told Lee our plan. You're a traitor."
Major Smith's face paled. He shook his head. "No. I didn't do it. I'm loyal to the Union."
Ethan nodded. "Callie, show him the evidence."
Callie stepped forward. She held up a piece of paper. "This is a copy of the message you sent. It contains details of our plan. And we traced it back to your telegraph key."
Major Smith's face turned white. He knew that he was caught.
"I'm sorry," he said. His voice was filled with tears. "I didn't mean to. My brother is a Confederate spy. He threatened to kill my family if I didn't help him."
Ethan's anger faded. He felt a sense of sadness. He knew that Major Smith was a victim. But he also knew that he had committed a crime.
"You'll be court-martialed," Ethan said. "But I'll speak on your behalf. I'll tell them about your brother's threats."
Major Smith nodded. He stood up. He was escorted out of the room by two soldiers.
Ethan turned to the generals. "We found the leak. We stopped him. Now, we need to focus on Lee. We need to be ready for him."
The generals nodded. They knew that Ethan was right.
Ethan turned to Callie. "Callie, send a message to all commanders. Tell them that the leak has been found. Tell them to continue with the plan. Tell them to be ready for Lee."
Callie sent the message. The room filled with the sound of clicks.
Ethan stood up. He looked at the map. He looked at the generals. He looked at Callie.
He knew that the worst was over. He knew that they were back on track.
He knew that they were going to win.