Chapter 11: Part 1
Ext. Swamp Road - Morning
Mottled sunlight peaked down through the tress canopy. A British supply ‘train’ of several wagons, a herd of horses, and accompanying redcoats on foot made their way down a road surrounded by a swamp left and right. Unknown to the redcoats, shadowed figures tracked them from behind trees, hidden by the gloom, mud, and foliage. Bugs were buzzing along with the croaking of the frogs until all became silent and still except for the moving redcoats...
Above a bird screeched just as both sides of the swamp erupted in sound and smoke. Precise accuracy was employed as a captain falls followed a lieutenant, two sergeants and when the officers were gone...The Corporals began to fall before the privates are added to the ruthless slaughter.
Redcoats scramble to assemble themselves only to fall one...by one...by one... A few return fire only to be targeted and shot down for their bravery. It was a battle against ‘ghosts’. The redcoats had no chance. No chance at all.
The few dozen left fled only to be blocked. Benjamin Martin with his tomahawk raised charged at them followed immediately by Major Villenvue, John Billings, Rollins, Skunk, Brother Randolph and others. Many redcoats died at point blank range.
“We surrender!” One redcoat shouts only to be hacked down by a wild Benjamin.
“No! God, STOP!” Gabriel shouted, making his way to his father and his ruffians. Reverend Oliver and the Pembroke men followed, horrified at the scene.
“For the love of God, we...” The redcoat died on his knees by a pistol to the chest by John Billings.
“These men were about to surrender.” Gabriel said angrily, gazing in horror at newly killed redcoat.
Benjamin paused with tomahawk raised to look at son.
“Perhaps. We will never know.” Villenvue said flippantly with an European shrug.
“This is murder!” Rev. Oliver reprimanded.
“Hell, Reverend, they’re redcoats. They’ve earned it.” Billings said disgustedly before walking past the Rev. and others. Benjamin lowered his arm with sniff as he panted for breath, watching his son, who was looking back, disappointment clear on his face.
“We are better men than that.” He implored to his father.
“What do you know of war?” Brother Randolph sneered.
“ I know the difference between fighting for a cause and..”
“Go back to church.” Randolph shouted at Gabriel. Men began to shout at each other, tempers began to fray.
“Quiet. QUIET!” Ben shouted, causing all of the men to fall silent. “He’s right.”
Villenvue stared at Ben in disbelief as Ben continued to speak.
“In the future, full quarter will be given to British wounded and to any who surrender.” Ben ordered.
“The British gave no such quarter when they fired on a ship carrying my wife and daughteres...” Villenvue started angrily, watching Ben as looking at ground, “...I watched from two hundred yards off as they burned
alive.”
“You have all my sympathy, but my order stands.” Ben stated firmly as he swallowed.
“Piss on your sympathy!” Villenvue spat as he approached Ben, “Who are you to give such orders? I know what you did to my countrymen at Fort Wilderness.”
Gabriel and Rev. Oliver listened to them, puzzled and curious.
“We’re militia. This is not Regular army. Every man here is free to come and go as he pleases, but while you’re here, you will obey my command or I will have you shot!”
Ben walked away leaving Villienvue to stare after him in anger and admiration. As Ben neared the wagons, barks could be heard. Curiosity spiked, Ben picked up his pace.
Roof! (SNAP) Roof! (SNAP)
“Damn dogs!” Rollins spat, jerking his hand back from two sets of sharp canine teeth.
“Shoot the damn things.” Billings ordered, eying the dogs warily. Rollins pulled out his pistol and cocked it only to have it grabbed by Ben.
“Stay that pistol.” He ordered.
“They won’t let anyone near the wagon.” Billings explained, gesturing with his chicken leg.
Ben approached the vicious dogs, hand held out only to jerk it back as the dogs snapped at it. Ben turned to Billings and grabbed his chicken leg to toss it far down the road. The dogs immediately followed the food. Dan Scott, a Pembroke man, climbed into the wagon and opened one of the chests.
“Rum! Madeira!” Dan shouted, handing down two bottles to Billings.
“No wonder they were guarding it.” Ben said, chuckling.
“Officer uniforms.” Dan listed next. Ben looked up and studied one the jacket Dan held up. ‘They could come in handy along with the uniforms on the dead soldiers,’ He mused, eyes vaguely focused on Billings and Rev. Oliver.
“What do you think all this is worth?” Billings asked the reverend as he tossed out papers and books from the chest he was searching to the holy man.
Rev. Oliver sorted through them and reading a few that made his eyes widened.
“It’s the personal correspondence of Lord General Cornwallis.” Rev. Oliver exclaimed, glancing up at approaching Ben, who knelt down and picked up a few papers to read.
Rev. Oliver held out a book. “This is his journal.”
Ben took it with gruff thank you and began flipping through it, skim reading.
“I say we drink the wine, eat the dogs, and use the paper for musket wadding.” Billings suggested, face serious.
“E...Eat the dogs?” Rev. Oliver stuttered, glancing between Bilings and Ben. Billings began to grin as the reverend focused his attention on Ben, who smothered his own grin. He turned a solemn face to the reverend.
“Aye, dog is a fine meal.”
Rev. Oliver looked ill. “Good Heavens!”
Billings laughed his high pitched laugh as Ben smiled indulgently as he continued to skim the journal.
Ext. Fort Carolina Garden - Afternoon
Cornwallis was in the garden conversing with two other officers while two woman (in dresses) walked down the paths in the distance behind him. A messenger tapped Cornwallis’s shoulder and handed him a folded piece of parchment. Cornwallis dismissed took it and dismissed the servant as he opened it. Anger instantly hardened Cornwallis’s face as his hand crushed the parchment in his hand.
“Excuse me, gentlemen." Cornwallis said tightly before striding away towards the mansion. Inside he barked to one ofthe servants to bring Tavington to him. The servant scurried away, knowing not to linger and gain Cornwallis's ire. Cornwallis slammed into his study while the doormen exchanged knowing glances behind his back.
Soon Colonel Tavington arrived, face blank and hard, obviously ready for a reprimand. He knew why Cornwallis was angry and yet again the blame was placed at Tavington’s feet.
“You summoned me, my lord.”
“Yes, I did. My wagons full of my clothes, memoirs, and dogs are missing! Find them, Colonel! NOW!” Cornwallis shouted, face as red his jacket. A barely restrained Tavington turned and left. Outside Tavington meet Bordon, who had been waiting also aware of why Cornwallis sent for his commander. As they walked to the stables, Tavington gave him orders.
“Ready fifty men. We are to find His Lordship’s wagons. Also send for our nurse. I have a ghost of a feeling that she will be needed.” Tavington growled, brilliant blue eyes flashing with rage.
- - - - -
Cat was in a excellent mood. She hummed as she went about helping her patients while joking around with them. Keeping their spirits light and high. Unfortunately, her mood wasn’t to last. She looked up from a patient to see Wilkins standing tall near the tent entrance. He looked sad and apologetic. Cat’s smile wilted. Another raid or another missing convey?
She switched places with another nurse and left with silent Wilkins.
“Supply wagons?” Cat asked as they walked briskly to the fort.
“No. Cornwallis’s personal wagons are missing. They were on their way to Middleton place for the ball.” Wilkins answered as they entered the fort. Ahead about fifty men, not including Tavington and Bordon were mounted and ready to leave. Cat began to jog with Wilkins behind her trying to keep up with a sword thunking against his thigh.
They already had Lucifer saddled and waiting beside Bordon. Both Cat and Wilkins mounted and fell into ‘step’ behind Tavington and Bordon. Then they were galloping away from the fort towards the road assigned to the convey to travel. Soon Tavington slowed as they reached the road and came to a complete halt as another grim sight greeted them. Cat dismounted and ran to the scattered bodies, checking for any sign of life. The others followed suit and began to help. The results were shattering. Not one soldier lived and to make the situation worse, the wagons were completely gone with not a dog in sight.
Cat helped bury the bodies, along with Tavington, Bordon, and Wilkins. Nothing was said except for a quick prayer from Tavington for the souls of the dead men. They remounted and went home, sad and weary. Tavington, Cat, and Bordon more so for they had to report to His Lordship and each knew it wouldn’t be a pretty meeting.
They arrived and the three immediately went to give their report. Tavington knocked on the study door and opened it after a shouted ‘enter’. Cat and Bordon followed the colonel inside.
“Well?” Cornwallis was terse and ill tempered as he glowered at them from under bushy eyebrows.
“All the men are dead and the wagons are missing along with your dogs, my lord.” Tavington reported stiffly. Cornwallis’s face was reddening.
“You, Colonel Tavington, are incompetent! You can’t even keep a bunch of farmers subdued. You can’t protect our supply line! You, sir, are bloody useless!”
“Hold it!" Cat shouted back, her face red in anger. Her eyes were blazing at Cornwallis, who glaredback fiercely.
“The colonel isn’t perfect. He isn’t invincible and you are sure as hell aren’t either, buddy! So before you degrade one of your best soldiers, let me tell you something. You have been an ass to Tavington, who has brought you success and victory. He admires you and you’re abusing that. You’re too led by O’Hara, who kisses your ass twenty four hours a day, seven days a week and apparently you like it because you’ve only listen to him as he degrades and smears Tavington’s reputation as an officer and soldier in the mud.” She glared at him silent as he opened his mouth, “ No, I’m not finished. I know he’s an butthead (Tavington glares at her) and goes beyond your orders, but hell, if he didn’t, do you think you would have as many victories than you have. You would still have a bunch of spies if he hadn’t weeded them out for you. You might a general and a lord, but just you remember that it’s the officers and soldiers who do you fighting and die while you sit all safe on your horse congratulating yourself on another victory that you didn’t fight (1).”
Cat was panting as the three men stared down at her. Cornwallis was shocked and angry while Bordon looked amused and worried. Tavington was unreadable.
“You aren’t God and Tavington isn’t either, thank goodness. He can’t babysit every convey and he can’t be everywhere or know everything. No one knows everything. No one is perfect, least of all you, Tavington, me or any other human being on this earth!” Cat finished.
“You’re impertinent, Miss. Johanson. I believe you have forgotten that I have your fate in my hands.” Cornwallis growled, faded blue eyes focused sharply on her.
“The hell you do. I repeat you’re NOT God!” Cat shouted angrily, furious at the man’s arrogant attitude and uncaring if the whole fort heard her.
“ENOUGH!” Cornwallis roared. “One more word and I’ll have you flogged, young lady!”
Cat backed down, dropping her eyes to the floor with hands clenched in fists. In unison, Tavington and Bordon moved in forward and in front of her. Cornwallis eyed them warily as Cat lifted her gaze to Tavington’s back where one hand was clenched . She lifted a hand to touch his clenched one which opened and grasped hers gently. He squeezed lightly and Cat smiled slightly as she squeezed back.
“Send ten men out to look around.” was all Cornwallis ordered before waving them off. Cat released Tavington’s hand and practically flew out of the study. Outside, Tavington called her name. She stopped and turned to wait for him to reach her.
“Thank you.” He said quietly to her bowed head. Cat shuffled her feet, suddenly embarrassed.
“No problem.” Cat said before turning to leave. She was halfway across the yard when her name was called again. Cat froze, eyes closed tightly. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with him.
“Miss. Johanson, you have your second fitting today.” O’Hara told her as he approached. Cat turned slowly and glared at his smiling face. Something inside her snapped. He never saw it coming either. Cat hauled back a fist and planted it against his chin, toppling him over onto his ass.
“Bastard. butthead. Piece of...” Cat let out a string of curses as lunged for him...only to be caught and held down against a body. Cat twisted and kicked, but she couldn’t break free. O”Hara stood, rubbing his jaw as he glared at her.
“You little..” He trailed off as he caught sight of Tavington and Bordon standing nearby. O’Hara’s cheeks flamed at being bested by a female in front of his nemesis, “..thing.” He choked out angrily. He drew himself up and looked down his pitiable nose at Cat, sneering and wincing.
“I had hoped you would have been more...willing this time. A pity.” He shifted his eyes to her captor. “Sergeant Stone.”
Cat kicked out and barely clipped O’Hara who had jumped away from her flying foot. As Stone carried her towards the mansion, she kicked and twisted, angry and quite truthfully...ready to cry.
Inside the parlor, Stone let her go and moved from her hitting range before leaving the room to stand guard outsidethe door.
“What has gotten you so...flustered?” Annabelle Lewis asked with a disdainful sniff at Cat’s ruffled appearance. Cat just growled, throwing a warning glare at the five approaching girls.
“I’ll undress myself.” Cat snarled. Annabelle nodded and waved off her assistants. She knew not to argue. Cat striped quickly with a fixed scowl on her face.
“You still aren’t wearing a corset.” Annabelle scolded as she motioned for a blonde girl to tie Cat into the said death contraption.
“If you wore it all the time, it would help your posture.” Annabelle lectured causing Cat to straighten her shoulders even though the corset had already straightened them.
“It would also work with your...man’s shirt. The corset displays your bosom..,” Cat rolled her eyes at the ‘delicate’ word, “...wonderfully. With the first two buttons undone, you’d get lovely attention.”
“That’s the last thing I want or need.” Cat snorted before grunting as the blonde girl pulled the ties tight before tying the corset up. Annabelle walked over to her with Cat’s party gown in hand.
“You wouldn’t like to attract the attention of a certain Colonel?” She asked slyly as Cat put her chemise back on over the corset.
Cat glanced at the seamstress sharply. “What do you think this...” She gestured to the gown that Annabelle was lifting to put over Cat’s head, “..is about?”
“Hmm..” Annabelle hummed as she adjusted the gown down over Cat. The blonde girl buttoned up the back while Cat looked down as she ran her hands over the gown.
“You chose wisely despite your poor taste in clothing.” Annabelle commented with the usual dig at Cat’s shirt and pants.
“Hmm... it fits nicely. I...commend you, Madame.” Cat choked out with a grimace. ‘William had better enjoy this,’ Cat thought as she eyed the smug ego inflated Annabelle.
“That wasn’t so was hard now was it?" Annabelle teased before going all brisk, “I already have two day gowns finished along with two evening gowns. We will have to plan for about five more ball gowns...”
“Five?” Cat yelped as she paled. Just how many balls were they attending? Did she have to attend all of them?
“Well, yes.” Annabelle unknowing answered her silent question. “There will be two balls in September so far and I know the Lord General Cornwallis shall throw a Christmas ball and he even might celebrate Thanksgiving for the Loyalists. Oh goodness, I forgot. In October you shall need a costume for All’s Hallows Eve.” Annabelle explained as she fluttered around Cat.
“Whoa, honey, All Hallow’s Eve, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are far off. Don’t fret about it.” Cat told her.
“But you need to get a head start on your costume before another woman snatches the idea.” Annabelle retorted as she gestured upwards with her hands.
“Fine, fine! Jeez, don’t pop your corset. I’ll think about it.” Cat said, exasperated at the woman.
“Good. Now out of your gown. You need to try the others.”
Cat just sighed. ‘You better be worth this, Colonel Tavington,’ Cat said inwardly.
Ext. Black Swamp - 6:00 pm
Men talked and laughed, drinking stolen goods. A fire was blazing warming one young man, who sat nearby sewing. One man walked past the fire to reach a table where a middle aged man sat reading.
“I have some maps for you, sir.” The standing man said, holding out some rolled up parchment as Benjamin Martin looked up, startled from his own world.
“Oh... put them down over there.” Ben pointed the left of his table. “Thank you.”
The man nodded and left after depositing the maps. Ben returned to his reading.
Over near some crates stood Jean Villenvue as he lifted a nicely conditioned musket.
“Here is a proper musket for you.” Jean smiled at Occam, a big built black man, who accepted the musket from the Frenchman.
“I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the idea of giving muskets to slaves.” Dan Scott said snidely, sneering at Occam. Gabriel, the young man by the fire, looked up sharply.
“Your sense of freedom is as pale as your skin.” Jean spat, glaring at Scott, who stood angrily and walked passed Occam, staring at him just as angrily. Occam was silent as always as he walked to fire to sit by Gabriel with his musket in hand.
“Don’t listen to them. If we win this war, a lot of things will change." Gabriel spoke up as he sewed.
Occam looked at Gabriel, half cynical. “What will change?”
“They call this the new world. It’s not. It’s the same as the old...” gabriel paused in his sewing and words to look up at Occam, “...but we’ll have a chance to build a new world,” Occam was listening, enthralled, “A world where all men are created equal under God.”
“Equal.” Occam mused, savoring the word. “Sounds good.”
At that moment, Ben approached the fire tossing a book to John Billings, who sat nearby. Billings caught it against his chest with one hand, glancing at in confusion.
“I’ve just been in the mind of a genius.” Ben told them as he took Billing’s jug of liquor. “Lord Cornwallis knows more about warfare then we could learn in a dozen lifetimes.”
He took a swig from the jug as Billings spoke.
“That’s cheerful news.” He said dryly.
“His victories at Camden and Charlestown were perfect. Prefect.” Ben went on, “ And he knows it, what’s more.”
Ben nodded to himself, thinking as Billings watched him thoughtfully.
“Perhaps that’s his weakness.” Ben mused with a little smile.
“Sir?”inquired a confused Gabriel.
Jean joined him, intrigued.
“Personally, I would prefer stupidity.” Jean said dryly.
Ben smiled at some inward thought. “Pride will do.”