Journal of a 3rd NC Cavalryman

July 13, 2027

Found out there's another border war on. We're up against the Tennessee Expeditionary Forces again. I swear, them boys never do learn. They fucked up this time though, this time they picked a fight with Georgia too, not just North Carolina like they normally do. Just like last time, the 3rd NC Cavalry Regiment will be leading they charge and my unit will be one of the first units to see action. Fallout was right all along, war never changes.

Usually, these border wars are over in a couple of weeks, but with them starting shit with both Georgia and North Carolina instead of just one of us, we ought to be done fighting in a few days. Hell, I remember in the last border war I was in, I didn't even unholster my Hi-Power.

At the moment, we're heading for Cherokee to receive more detailed orders. I'm just worried that our border troops will scare the Tennessee boys off before we get there. Sure would hate to travel all the way to the border for nothing.

July 16, 2027

Arrived at Cherokee this afternoon. So far, the plan is for half of the 3rd NC Cav to head down Route 74, the other half staying home to carry out our usual patrols, and link up with the 1st Georgia Cav near some little Tennessee town called Ducktown. From there, we'll ride together along Route 74 until we hit I-75, which we'll take into Chattanooga. Some of the 1st and 2nd Georgia Infantry is heading up along the Georgia section of I-75 and they'll meet us near Chattanooga before we both attack it.

Something strange is going on here. I've never heard of any of our border wars leading us this far into enemy territory, and I've never heard of one involving quite this many men. In the ones I fought in, we just shot at each other from across our state lines until one side turned tail and ran. I should have realized something was up when I heard they were trying to fight us and the Georgians at the same time.

Least there was some sort of a silver lining; we only ran into a two ash beasts on the way to Cherokee and neither one attacked. They haven't been quite as aggressive this year, probably because we've started decorating our horses and uniforms with their hides. I keep my pair of Ruger Vaqueros in ash beast hide pommel holsters, and many of my men have ash beast belts and bridles. Hell, I once saw some mountain man who had a fringe jacket like Buffalo Bill wore, made entirely out of ash beast skin. Said each piece of fringe was from a different beast. If that was true, he had to have a few hundred kills with just the jacket. Those mountain men are usually full of shit though, so who the hell knows.

Anyways, I suppose this will be it for the day. Gotta be rested up for the ride across the border.

July 19, 2027

Made it to Ducktown today. It was empty, just as we figured it would be, so we set to work making camp. Sent some of the men out to bag us some food, and a some of them came back with deer. We ate well today, and it was nice to have a real cook making our food instead of relying on ourselves. I tell you, some of my boys would burn water if it was possible. After dinner, we had enough men who brought instruments to form a little band, and we all listened to them until about midnight. I don't remember who it was, but the man who played the Cavalier's Waltz on his fiddle is having his talents wasted in the cavalry. Only thing missing was a few loose women and some good moonshine. Well, that and the Georgia boys.

During the music, I asked my company's captain about where the Georgians had got to, but he was pretty evasive with my questions. It wasn't like him to act that way, but I didn't press the matter further. I noticed that Lieutenant Adams talked to him after I did, so I asked her if she was able to get anything out of the captain either. Evidently, she got the same treatment I did. We both agreed to keep each other informed if we heard anything.

She's always been trustworthy, and she's a hell of a soldier too. We served together in the 2nd Confederate Cavalry when the Confederacy was clearing out raiders, and she earned multiple medals during the fighting. She was one of the first women to join the Confederate military, back when the Confederacy was trying to bolster its ranks any way it could, and women like her are the main reason why women are still allowed to serve in the Confederate military, though most of them still stick with the cavalry if they decide to join the army. Horse girls, you know?

Anyways, we've since headed off to sleep. Even though there are guards out, I told my men to sleep in their gear in case we come under attack. I'm not entirely sure that we haven't just walked into a trap, and if we have, my boys are gonna give them TEF boys a hell of a fight.