The Fort: A Novel of the Revolutionary War - xaviantvision

crowds, the thanks of the General Court, and a parade like the triumphs of Ancient Rome where the captured enemy was marched through jeeringcrowds. "I do believe," the brigadier went on, leaning closer to Wadsworth, "that McLean has brought most of Halifax's garrison to Majabigwaduce!""I'm certain Halifax is not abandoned, sir," Wadsworth said."But underdefended!" Lovell said warmly. "My word, Wadsworth, maybe we should contemplate a raid!""I suspect General Ward and the General Court might want to discuss the matter first, sir," Wadsworth said drily."Artemas is a good, brave man, but we must look ahead, Wadsworth. Once we've defeated McLean what's to stop us attacking the British elsewhere?""The Royal Navy, sir?" Wadsworth suggested with a wry smile."Oh, we'll build more ships! More ships!" Lovell was unstoppable now, imagining his victory at Majabigwaduce expanding into the capture of NovaScotia and, who knew, maybe all Canada? "Doesn't the Warren look fine?" he exclaimed. "Just look at her! Can there be a finer vessel afloat?"At twilight the fleet turned into the vast mouth of the Penobscot River where it anchored off the Fox Islands, all except the Hazard and Tyrannicide, whichwere ordered to make a reconnaissance upriver. The two small brigs, both from the Massachusetts navy, sailed slowly northwards, using the longevening's gentle light to probe closer to Majabigwaduce, which lay a full twenty-six nautical miles from the open sea.Commodore Saltonstall watched the two brigs until the gathering darkness hid their sails, then he took his supper on the quarterdeck beneath a skybright with stars. His crew left him alone until one tall figure crossed to the commodore. "A pot of wine, sir?""Captain Welch," Saltonstall greeted the tall marine, "I'm obliged to you."The two officers stood side-by-side at the Warren's taffrail. A violin sounded from the foredeck of the brig Pallas, which was anchored closest to thefrigate. For a time neither the commodore nor the marine said anything, but simply listened to the music and to the gentle sound of waves slappingagainst the hull. "So," Saltonstall broke their companionable silence, "what do you think?""The same as you I reckon, sir," Welch said in his deep voice.The commodore snorted. "Boston should have demanded a Continental regiment.""That they should, sir.""But they want all the credit to go to Massachusetts! That's their idea, Welch. You mark what I say. There won't be many thanks offered to us.""But we'll do the work, sir.""Oh, we'll have to!" Saltonstall said. Already, in his brief tenure of command, the commodore had earned a reputation as a difficult and daunting figure,but he had struck up a friendship with the marine. Saltonstall recognized a fellow soul, a man who strove to make his men the best they could be. "We'llhave to do their work," Saltonstall went on, "if it can be done at all." He paused, offering Welch a chance to comment, but the marine said nothing. "Can itbe done?" Saltonstall prompted him.Welch stayed silent for a while, then nodded. "We have the marines, sir, and I dare say every marine is worth two of the enemy. We might find fivehundred militiamen who can fight. That should suffice, sir, if you can take care of their ships.""Three sloops of war," Saltonstall said in a tone that suggested neither confidence nor pessimism about the prospects of destroying the Royal Navysquadron."My men will fight," Welch said, "and by Christ they'll fight like fiends. They're good men, sir, well-trained.""That I know," Saltonstall said, "but by God I won't let Lovell throw them away. You only fight ashore with my permission.""Of course, sir.""And if you get orders that make no sense, you refer them to me, you understand?""Perfectly, sir.""He's a farmer," Saltonstall said scornfully, "not a soldier, but a goddamned farmer."On board the Sally, in the captain's cramped cabin, the farmer was cradling a mug of tea laced with rum. Lovell shared the table with his secretary, JohnMarston, and with Wadsworth and the Reverend Murray, who appeared to have been promoted to senior aide. "We should reach Majabigwaducetomorrow," Lovell said, looking from face to face in the feeble light of the lantern that hung from a beam, "and I assume the commodore will prevent theenemy ships from leaving the harbor and so obstructing us, in which case we should land immediately, don't you think?""If it's possible," Wadsworth said cautiously."Let us be hopeful!" Lovell said. He dreamed of the victory parade in Boston and the vote of thanks from the legislature, but small doubts were creepinginto his mind as he gazed at the crude map of Majabigwaduce's peninsula that was spread on the table where the remains of supper still lay. The Sally'scook had produced a fine fish stew served with newly baked bread. "We shall need to anchor off the land and launch the lighters," Lovell said distractedly,then used a crust of cornbread to tap the bluff at the western end of the peninsula. "Can McLean really have left this height undefended?""Unfortified, certainly, if the reports are true," Wadsworth said."Then we should accept his invitation, don't you think?"Wadsworth nodded cautiously. "We'll know more tomorrow, sir," he said."I want to be ready," Lovell said. He tapped the map again. "We can't let our fellows sit idle while the commodore destroys the enemy shipping. Wemust put the men ashore fast." Lovell gazed at the map as though it might provide some solution to the morrow's problems. Why had McLean not placedhis fort on the high bluff? Was there a trap? If Lovell had been given the task of defending the peninsula he was sure he would have made a stronghold atthe harbor's entrance, high on the point of land that dominated both the wide bay and the harbor, so why had McLean not done that? And McLean, Lovellreminded himself, was a professional soldier, so what did McLean know that Lovell did not? He felt a shiver of nervousness in his soul, then took comfortthat he was not alone in his responsibility. Commodore Saltonstall was the naval commander, and Saltonstall's ships so outnumbered the enemy thatsurely no amount of professionalism could redress that imbalance. "We must believe," Lovell said, "that our enemies are afflicted by overconfidence.""They are British," the Reverend Murray said in agreement, "and 'pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.' Proverbs eighteen,"he added helpfully, "verse sixteen.""Words of wisdom," Lovell said, "and indeed they do underestimate us!" The general was staring at the map and searching for the optimism that hadlightened his morning."They shall suffer for their arrogance," Murray said, and raised a reverent hand, "'what is this thing that ye do? Will ye rebel against the king? Thenanswered I them, and said unto them, the God of Heaven, he will prosper us.'" He smiled benignly. "The words of the prophet Nehemiah, General.""He will indeed prosper us," Lovell echoed, "and perhaps you would lead us in prayer, Reverend?""Gladly." The men bowed their heads as the Reverend Murray prayed that God would send a swift victory. "May the forces of righteousness glorify Thyname, O Lord," the Reverend Murray beseeched, "and may we show magnanimity in the triumph that Thy words have promised us. We ask all this in Thyholy name. Amen.""Amen," Lovell said fervently, his eyes tight shut, "and amen."* * *"Amen," Brigadier McLean muttered in response to the grace before supper. He had been invited to Doctor Calef's house, which lay two hundred yardseast of Fort George. That name, he thought ruefully, was a grand name for a fort that was scarcely defensible. Captain Mowat had sent one hundred andeighty burly seamen to help the work, yet still the walls were only waist high and a mere two cannons had been emplaced in the corner bastions."So the wretches are here?" Calef inquired."So we hear, Doctor, so we hear," McLean responded. News of the enemy fleet's arrival had come from the river's mouth, brought by a fisherman whohad fled the rebels so quickly that he had been unable to count the ships and could only say that there was a terrible lot of them. "It seems they've sent aconsiderable fleet," McLean commented, then thanked the doctor's wife, who had passed him a dish of beans. Three candles lit the table, a finelypolished oval of gleaming walnut. Most of the doctor's furniture had come from his Boston home and it looked strange here, much as if the contents of afine Edinburgh mansion were to be moved to a Hebridean croft."Will they come tonight?" Mrs. Calef inquired nervously."I'm assured no one can navigate the river in the dark," McLean said, "so no, ma'am, not this night.""They'll be here tomorrow," Calef averred."So I expect.""In some force?" Calef asked."So the report said, Doctor, though I am denied any specific detail." McLean flinched as he bit onto a grindstone chip trapped in the cornbread. "Veryfine bread, ma'am," he said.