The Fort: A Novel of the Revolutionary War - xaviantvision
The Fort: A Novel of the Revolutionary War - xaviantvision
The Fort: A Novel of the Revolutionary War - xaviantvision
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inflate a company into a battalion and a battalion into an army. Never<strong>the</strong>less he had taken <strong>the</strong> information seriously enough to send <strong>the</strong> schooner backsouthwards with a despatch to Sir Henry Clinton in New York. <strong>The</strong> despatch merely said that McLean expected to be attacked soon and could not hold outwithout reinforcements. Why, he wondered, had he been given so few men and ships? If <strong>the</strong> crown wanted this piece <strong>of</strong> country, <strong>the</strong>n why not send anadequate force? "Thirty-eight!" <strong>the</strong> sergeant shouted. <strong>The</strong>re was blood on Macintosh's back now, blood diluted by rain, but still enough blood to trickledown and darken <strong>the</strong> waistband <strong>of</strong> his kilt. "Thirty-nine," <strong>the</strong> sergeant bellowed, "and lay it on hard!"McLean resented <strong>the</strong> time this punishment parade stole from his preparations. He knew time was short and <strong>the</strong> fort was nowhere near completed. <strong>The</strong>trench about <strong>the</strong> four walls was scarcely two feet deep, <strong>the</strong> ramparts <strong>the</strong>mselves not much higher. It was an excuse for a fort, a pa<strong>the</strong>tic little earthwork,and he needed both men and time. He had <strong>of</strong>fered wages to any civilian who was willing to work and, when insufficient men came forward, he sent patrolsto impress labor."Sixty-one!" <strong>the</strong> sergeant shouted. Macintosh was whimpering now, <strong>the</strong> sound stifled by <strong>the</strong> lea<strong>the</strong>r gag. He shifted his weight and blood squelched inone shoe, <strong>the</strong>n spilled over <strong>the</strong> shoe's edge."He'll not take much more," Calef growled. Calef was replacing <strong>the</strong> battalion surgeon who was sick with a fever."Keep going!" McLean said."You want to kill him?""I want <strong>the</strong> battalion," McLean said, "to be more frightened <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lash than <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> enemy.""Sixty-two!" <strong>the</strong> sergeant shouted."Tell me," McLean suddenly turned on <strong>the</strong> doctor, "why is <strong>the</strong> rumor being spread that I plan to hang any civilian who supports <strong>the</strong> rebellion?"Calef looked uncomfortable. He flinched as <strong>the</strong> whipped man whimpered again, <strong>the</strong>n looked defiantly at <strong>the</strong> general. "To persuade such disaffectedpeople to leave <strong>the</strong> region, <strong>of</strong> course. You don't want rebels lurking in <strong>the</strong> woods hereabouts.""Nor do I want a reputation as a hangman! We did not come here to persecute folk, but to persuade <strong>the</strong>m to return to <strong>the</strong>ir proper allegiance. I would begrateful, Doctor, if a counterrumor was propagated. That I have no intentions <strong>of</strong> hanging any man, rebel or not.""God's blood, man, I can see bone!" <strong>the</strong> doctor protested, ignoring McLean's strictures. <strong>The</strong> whimpers had become moans. McLean saw that <strong>the</strong>drummer boys were using less strength now, not because <strong>the</strong>ir arms were weakening, but out <strong>of</strong> pity, and nei<strong>the</strong>r he nor <strong>the</strong> sergeant corrected <strong>the</strong>m.McLean stopped <strong>the</strong> punishment at a hundred lashes. "Cut him down, Sergeant," he ordered, "and carry him to <strong>the</strong> doctor's house." He turned awayfrom <strong>the</strong> bloody mess on <strong>the</strong> cross. "Any <strong>of</strong> you who follow Macintosh's example will follow him here! Now dismiss <strong>the</strong> men to <strong>the</strong>ir duties."<strong>The</strong> civilians who had volunteered or been conscripted for labor trudged up <strong>the</strong> hill. One man, tall and gaunt, with wild dark hair and angry eyes pushedhis way past McLean's aides to confront <strong>the</strong> general. "You will be punished for this!" <strong>the</strong> man snarled."For what?" McLean inquired."For working on <strong>the</strong> Sabbath!" <strong>the</strong> man said. He towered over McLean. "In all my days I have never worked on <strong>the</strong> Sabbath, never! You make me asinner!"McLean held his temper. A dozen or so o<strong>the</strong>r men had paused and were watching <strong>the</strong> gaunt man, and McLean suspected <strong>the</strong>y would join <strong>the</strong> protestand refuse to desecrate a Sunday by working if he yielded. "So why will you not work on a Sunday, sir?" McLean asked."It is <strong>the</strong> Lord's day, and we are commanded to keep it holy." <strong>The</strong> man jabbed a finger at <strong>the</strong> brigadier, stopping just short <strong>of</strong> striking McLean's chest. "Itis God's commandment!""And Christ commanded that you render unto Caesar <strong>the</strong> things that are Caesar's," McLean retorted, "and today Caesar demands you make arampart. But I will accommodate you, sir, I will accommodate you by not paying you. Work is paid labor, but today you will freely <strong>of</strong>fer me your assistancewhich, sir, is a Christian act.""I will not'" <strong>the</strong> man began."Lieutenant Moore!" McLean raised his blackthorn stick to summon <strong>the</strong> lieutenant, though <strong>the</strong> gesture looked threatening and <strong>the</strong> gaunt man took abackwards step. "Call back <strong>the</strong> drummer boys!" McLean called, "I need ano<strong>the</strong>r man whipped!" He turned his gaze back to <strong>the</strong> man. "You ei<strong>the</strong>r assistme, sir," he said quietly, "or I shall scourge you."<strong>The</strong> tall man glanced at <strong>the</strong> empty Saint Andrew's cross. "I shall pray for your destruction," he promised, but <strong>the</strong> fire had gone from his voice. He gaveMcLean a last defiant look, <strong>the</strong>n turned away.<strong>The</strong> civilians worked. <strong>The</strong>y raised <strong>the</strong> wall <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fort ano<strong>the</strong>r foot by laying logs along <strong>the</strong> low ear<strong>the</strong>n berm. Some men cut down more trees, openingfields <strong>of</strong> fire for <strong>the</strong> fort, while o<strong>the</strong>rs used picks and shovels to sink a well in <strong>the</strong> fort's nor<strong>the</strong>astern bastion. McLean ordered one long spruce trunk to betrimmed and stripped <strong>of</strong> its bark, <strong>the</strong>n a sailor from <strong>the</strong> Albany attached a small pulley to <strong>the</strong> narrow end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> trunk and a long line was rove through <strong>the</strong>pulley's block. A deep hole was hacked in <strong>the</strong> southwestern bastion and <strong>the</strong> spruce trunk was raised as a flagpole. Soldiers packed <strong>the</strong> hole with stonesand, when <strong>the</strong> pole was reckoned to be stable, McLean ordered <strong>the</strong> union flag to be hauled into <strong>the</strong> damp sky. "We shall call this place . . ." he paused as<strong>the</strong> wind caught <strong>the</strong> flag and stretched it into <strong>the</strong> cloud-shrouded daylight. "<strong>Fort</strong> George," McLean said tentatively, as if testing <strong>the</strong> name. He liked it. "<strong>Fort</strong>George," he announced firmly and took <strong>of</strong>f his hat. "God save <strong>the</strong> King!"Highlanders <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 74th started on a smaller earthwork, a gun emplacement, which <strong>the</strong>y made close to <strong>the</strong> shore and facing <strong>the</strong> harbor mouth. <strong>The</strong> soilwas easier near <strong>the</strong> beach and <strong>the</strong>y swiftly threw up a crescent <strong>of</strong> earth that <strong>the</strong>y reinforced with stones and logs. O<strong>the</strong>r logs were split to make platformsfor <strong>the</strong> cannon that would face <strong>the</strong> harbor mouth. A similar battery was being constructed on Cross Island so that an enemy ship, daring <strong>the</strong> harbor mouth,would face Captain Mowat's three broadsides and artillery fire from <strong>the</strong> bastions on ei<strong>the</strong>r side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> entrance.<strong>The</strong> rain lifted and fog drifted over <strong>the</strong> wide river reach. <strong>The</strong> new flag flew bright above Majabigwaduce, but for how long, McLean wondered, for howlong?Monday dawned fine in Boston. <strong>The</strong> wind came from <strong>the</strong> southwest and <strong>the</strong> sky was clear. "<strong>The</strong> glass rises," Commodore Saltonstall announced toGeneral Solomon Lovell on board <strong>the</strong> Continental frigate <strong>War</strong>ren. "We shall sail, General.""And God grant us a fair voyage and a triumphant return," Lovell answered."Amen," Saltonstall said grudgingly, <strong>the</strong>n snapped out orders that signals should be made ordering <strong>the</strong> fleet to raise anchor and follow <strong>the</strong> flagship out<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> harbor.Solomon Lovell, almost fifty years old, towered over <strong>the</strong> Commodore. Lovell was a farmer, a legislator, and a patriot, and it was reckoned inMassachusetts that Solomon Lovell had been well named, for he enjoyed a reputation as a wise, judicious, and sensible man. His neighbors in Weymouthhad elected him to <strong>the</strong> Assembly in Boston where he was well-liked because, in a fractious legislature, Lovell was a peacemaker. He possessed anunquenchable optimism that fairness and <strong>the</strong> willingness to see ano<strong>the</strong>r man's point <strong>of</strong> view would bring mutual prosperity, while his height and strongbuild, <strong>the</strong> latter earned by years <strong>of</strong> hard labor on his farm, added to <strong>the</strong> impression <strong>of</strong> utter dependability. His face was long and firm-jawed, while his eyescrinkled with easy amusement. His thick dark hair grayed at <strong>the</strong> temples, giving him a most distinguished appearance, and so it was no wonder that hisfellow lawmakers had seen fit to give Solomon Lovell high rank in <strong>the</strong> Massachusetts Militia. Lovell, <strong>the</strong>y reckoned, could be trusted. A few malcontentsgrumbled that his military experience was next to nothing, but Lovell's supporters, and <strong>the</strong>y were many, believed Solomon Lovell was just <strong>the</strong> man for <strong>the</strong>task. He got things done. And his lack <strong>of</strong> experience was <strong>of</strong>fset by his deputy, Peleg Wadsworth, who had fought under General Washington's command,and by Commodore Saltonstall, <strong>the</strong> naval commander, who was an even more experienced <strong>of</strong>ficer. Lovell would never be short <strong>of</strong> expert advice to honehis solid judgment.<strong>The</strong> great anchor cable inched on board. <strong>The</strong> sailors at <strong>the</strong> capstan were chanting as <strong>the</strong>y tramped round and round. "Here's a rope!" a bosun shouted."To hang <strong>the</strong> Pope!" <strong>the</strong> men responded."And a chunk <strong>of</strong> cheese!""To choke him!"Lovell smiled approvingly, <strong>the</strong>n strolled to <strong>the</strong> stern rail where he stared at <strong>the</strong> fleet, marveling that Massachusetts had assembled so many ships soquickly. Lying closest to <strong>the</strong> <strong>War</strong>ren was a brig, <strong>the</strong> Diligent, that had been captured from Britain's Royal Navy, and beyond her was a sloop, <strong>the</strong>Providence, which had captured her, both vessels with twelve guns and both belonging to <strong>the</strong> Continental Navy. Anchored behind <strong>the</strong>m, and flying <strong>the</strong>pine-tree flag <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Massachusetts Navy, were two brigs, <strong>the</strong> Tyrannicide and Hazard, and a brigantine, <strong>the</strong> Active. All were armed with fourteen cannonand, like <strong>the</strong> <strong>War</strong>ren, were now fully manned because <strong>the</strong> General Court and <strong>the</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> <strong>War</strong> had given permission for press-gangs to take sailors fromBoston's taverns and from merchant vessels in <strong>the</strong> harbor.<strong>The</strong> <strong>War</strong>ren, with its eighteen-pounder and twelve-pounder cannon, was <strong>the</strong> most powerful ship in <strong>the</strong> fleet, but a fur<strong>the</strong>r seven ships could all match oroutgun any one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> three British sloops that were reported to be waiting at Majabigwaduce. Those seven ships were all privateers. <strong>The</strong> Hector and <strong>the</strong>Hunter carried eighteen guns apiece, while Charming Sally, General Putnam, Black Prince, Monmouth, and Vengeance carried twenty guns each.<strong>The</strong>re were smaller privateers too, like <strong>the</strong> Sky Rocket with her sixteen guns. In all, eighteen warships would sail to Majabigwaduce and those vessels