The Fort: A Novel of the Revolutionary War - xaviantvision

fire, of the sparks flying and falling.All along the river the ships burned. Not one was left.Peleg Wadsworth watched in silence. The guns that should have kept the British at bay were being sunk to the river's bed and the men who should haverallied and fought were scattered and leaderless. Panic had struck before Wadsworth could inspire resistance and now the great fleet was burning andthe army was broken."What now?" James Fletcher asked. Smoke covered the sky like a pall."Do you remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?" Wadsworth asked. "From the Bible?"James had not expected that answer and was puzzled for a moment, then he nodded his head. "Mother told us that tale, sir," he said. "Weren't they themen who were thrown into the fire?""And all the king's men watched them, and saw they were not harmed by the fiery furnace," Wadsworth said, remembering the sermon he had heard inBoston's Christ Church the day before the fleet sailed. "The scripture tells us the fire had no power over those men." He paused, watching the frigate burn."No power," he said again and he thought of his dear wife and of the child waiting to be born, then smiled at James. "Now come," he said, "you and I havework to do."The remaining powder in the Warren's magazine exploded. The foremast flew upwards, spewing smoke and sparks and fire, the hull burst apart alongits flame-bright seams, the sudden light seared the shivering river red and the frigate disappeared. It was over.