Minor Fictional Characters in How Few Remain

This article lists the various minor fictional characters who appear in How Few Remain, the opening, stand-alone volume of the Southern Victory series. These characters are identified, but play at best a peripheral role in the series. Most were simply mentioned or had a very brief, unimportant speaking role that did not impact the plot, and never appeared again.

Gentleman Arsonist
The Gentleman Arsonist was the sardonic term Samuel Clemens used when referring to the Royal Marine who burned down his house during the Second Mexican War. During the War, the British shelled San Francisco and landed Marines to raid the US Mint. To cover their orderly retreat back to their ships, the Marines indiscriminately set fire to buildings behind them. The Gentleman Arsonist actually set fire to Clemens' neighbor's house but it spread and burnt down most of the block.

Saul Berryman
Captain Saul Berryman was the personal adjutant to US Major General William Rosecrans, stationed at the War Department in Washington DC. He was a bright young man who, although wasn't fluent in speaking German, was none the less competent enough to hold a basic conversation with the German Military Attache, Colonel Alfred von Schlieffen.

When the Second Mexican War began in 1881, Confederate colonel William Elliott demanded the surrender of the city. Captain Berryman, who represented Rosecrans was under orders to categorically reject any offers of surrender. After informing the Confederate Colonel he would have to fight for the city, he left for the train station, boarding a train with General Rosecrans, he relocated to Philadelphia.

He served Rosecrans faithfully throughout the duration of the war, but by the year's end, the harsh reality of his country's dire situation had taken their toll on him as he was no longer the bright and youthful man he'd been at the war's beginning, but none the less, kept up his polite manners to all visitors. Buckly Sargent Buckley was an artillery Sargent in charge of a Gatling gun team during the Second Mexican War. His gun was under over all command of Colonel George Custer, and he often acted as senior man of the two gun crews, as well as a liaison between them and the Colonel.

He understood the weapons he operated and could pick his ground well, which would later serve him well during a raid he made into the Indian Territory.

He continued to serve Custer faithfully for the duration of the war, following him to the Utah Territory, and later, the Montana Territory. Although fiercely loyal to Custer, the affection was not reciprocated.

Archibald Creel
Second Lieutenant Archibald Creel was a solider in the US Army when the Second Mexican War began in 1881. Attached to the Army of the Ohio, he took part in the disastrous campaign in Louisville, Kentucky, but never saw the fighting first hand for himself as he was attatched to General Willcox's Staff. When German Military Attache, Alfred von Schlieffen wished to visit the front line in the city, Willcox's adjutant, Captain Oliver Richardson was unable to escort the colonel, so he charged the Second Lieutenant with the job.

Once he reached the front line, he was horrified by the horrors of the fierce fighting in the close quarters of the city, but managed to keep his cool none the less. Seeing the stubborn and often dirty fighting defence conducted by the Confederates left him with little love for them. He was constantly worried about the German Colonel's safety, fearing his death would be put on his own head, especially when he heard about the toll CS snipers were taking on high ranking officers.

Ironically, as they left the front and arrived at the rear, the Second Lieutenant believed that they were out of danger when he became the victim of a long range sniper.

Katie Fitzgerald
Katie Fitzgerald was the widowed proprietor of a café in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was a Catholic, and thus considered a "Gentile" by the Mormons. She had a brief affair with George Custer during the 1881 Mormon uprising that arose from the Second Mexican War, but that ended when Custer's wife Libbie came to Salt Lake City.

Enrique Gutierrez
Colonel Enrique Gutierrez was the commanding officer of the Mexican garrison in Paso del Norte, Chihuahua. He met with General Stuart on June 14th, when the Trans-Mississippi crossed the Rio Grand to take possession of the two Mexican provinces.

The colonel was a lean, saturnine man who spoke good English. While he hated the sale of his homeland, he preferred the Confederate method of paying then occupying, as the US method of occupying and then paying left him with little love of Yankees. After lowering his nations flag, Colonel Guiterrez watched as the Stars and Bars was raised, bring him to tears.

Jonathan Jackson
Jonathan Jackson (1866-????) was the only son of Confederate General Thomas Jackson and his wife Mary. Jonathan was 15 years old at the time of the Second Mexican War (1881-1882), and thus too young to actually fight, a fact that vexed him. He and his elder sister, Julia, accompanied the general to the field once during the war.

Despite his youth, Jonathan was astute enough to realize that Wade Hampton III had attempted to recruit Thomas Jackson in an effort to block President James Longstreet's efforts to end slavery.

Monty Jesperson
Monty Jesperson was a reporter for the Alta Californian, a Republican newspaper in San Francisco, California. In 1881, Jesperson favorably covered a pronouncement by Mayor Adolph Sutro outlining the steps the city was taking to maintain security during the Second Mexican War. Jesperson was a friend of Samuel Clemens despite the latter's complete and utter disagreement on politics with Jesperson.

Joseph Little
Joseph Little was a captain in the US Army from Boston. During the campaign in Louisville, he commanded the six guns of Battery B of the Massachusetts Volunteers Artillery. He had a good relationship with US journalist, Frederick Douglass and treated the man with courtesy and respect. Stationed just outside the city limits of New Albany, his battery opened fired on the city in order to provide support for the troops crossing the Ohio. However, his battery also drew return fire from the Confederates, and Captain Little was killed instantly by their first barrage. Neufeld Sargent Neufeld was an artillery Sargent in charge of a Gatling gun team during the Second Mexican War. His gun was under over all command of Colonel George Custer, and although of equal rank, the commander of the other gun, Sargent Buckley organised the both of them.

He understood the weapons he operated and performed admirably during a raid he made into the Indian Territory.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">He continued to serve Custer for the duration of the war, following him to the Utah Territory, and later, the Montana Territory.

Algernon van Nuys
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Major Algernon van Nuys was the regimental commander of the Sixth New York Volunteer Infantry during the Second Mexican War. After US President Blaine rejected the first CS peace offering, US General Wilcox launched a flanking manoeuvre against the defences of Louisville.

<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Major van Nuys led the 6th New York in that attack and almost succeed in cracking the Confederate lines if not for the sudden counter-attack by Second Lt. Jeb Stuart Jr.

<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">After the attack petered out and the lines stabilised, Major van Nuys kept up a steady offensive defence, by leading his regiment on raids against Confederate trenches. Unfortunately this proved his undoing. In retaliation for these raids, the Confederates counter-raided his trench lines, and in the insuring raid, Major van Nuys was shot in the mouth, destroying his lower jaw and killing him.

<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">He also made friends with Frederick Douglass, and before his death, treated him like an old comrade.

Teddy
Teddy was a War of Secession veteran in Denver. He lost both legs above the knees and by the time of the outbreak of the Second Mexican War had become a drunkard and a beggar to deal with his loss of limb and his pain. When Abraham Lincoln gave him a quarter, Teddy threw it away, refusing charity from a man he hated so much.

Jethro Weathers
Jethro Weathers was a Confederate cavalry captain in 1881. He intercepted George Armstrong Custer's unit as they chased Satanta's band of Kiowas. Custer had been prepared to cross over into Confederate territory, but Weathers' arrival ended that plan. Weathers made it abundantly clear that he and his men would defend C.S. territory.

The two men traded insults, with Weathers expressing his disgust at the election of "Black" Republican James G. Blaine as President of the United States.