The Fort: A Novel of the Revolutionary War - xaviantvision

"And a proper Scottish one too," McLean said reprovingly."That as well, sir," Lawrence responded stoutly.The brigadier walked north along the rampart. It was a pitiable thing for a defense, no higher than a man's waist and protected by just two cannon andby a row of wooden spikes in the shallow ditch. McLean had made his dispositions, but he was too old and too experienced to deceive himself. Theenemy had come in force. They outnumbered him in ships and men. He reckoned there were only two places they might come ashore. They would eitherbatter their way into the harbor and land on the closest beach, or else put their men ashore at the neck. The companies he had sent to those places woulddoubtless give a good account of themselves, but eventually they would be forced to retreat into Fort George, and then the rebels would advance againstthe pathetic ramparts and his cannon would greet them, but what could two guns do against three thousand men or more?"God's will be done," McLean said.By nightfall, he reckoned, he would be a prisoner. If he was lucky.Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Revere sat in a corner of the Sally's overcrowded stern cabin. It was dominated by an unlit black-lead stove around which theexpedition's senior army officers were gathered. Captain Welch, whose marines would join the militia for the assault, was also present. General Lovellstood on the bricks that surrounded the stove, but the cabin beams were so low that he was forced to stoop. A freshening wind buffeted the sloop, makingher quiver and jerk on her anchor rode. "General Wadsworth has good news," Lovell opened the proceedings.Wadsworth, even taller than Lovell, did not stand, but stayed seated on a sea chest. "We've been joined by forty-one Penobscot Indians," he said. "Theenemy attempted to subvert the tribe with wampum and promises, but they are determined to fight for liberty.""Praise God," the Reverend Jonathan Murray put in."And more Indians will come, I'm sure," Wadsworth continued, "and they're stout fellows.""They're damned savages," someone muttered from the cabin's darkest corner.Wadsworth pointedly ignored the comment and instead gestured to the good-looking young man who squatted at the cabin's edge, "And MisterFletcher was in Majabigwaduce just yesterday. He tells us the fort is far from finished, and that the enemy numbers less than a thousand men.""Praise be," the Reverend said."So this afternoon," Lovell took over, "Commodore Saltonstall will attack the enemy's ships!" He did not explain that the commodore had refused to sailhis squadron into the harbor, but had rather elected to bombard the sloops with long-range gunfire. "We pray for the navy's success," Lovell continued,"but we shan't leave all the fighting to them! We're going ashore, gentlemen. We shall attack the enemy with spirit!" The fierce look that accompaniedthese words was rather undercut by the general's cramped posture. "Captain Welch will land on the right, leading his marines.""God bless them," the Reverend interjected."Colonel McCobb will detach two companies to support the marines," Lovell said, "while the rest of his splendid regiment will assault in the center."Samuel McCobb, who commanded the Lincoln County militia, nodded. He had a lean, weatherbeaten face in which his eyes were very blue andagainst which his mustache was very white. He glanced at Captain Welch and seemed to approve of what he saw."The men of Cumberland County will attack on the left," Lovell said, "under Colonel Mitchell. Colonel Davis will assign boats to each transport, isn't thatright, Colonel?""The orders are written," Colonel Davis said curtly. He was one of Lovell's aides, responsible for liaising with the civilian skippers of the transports."And what about us?" a man of about Wadsworth's age asked. He wore homespun and deerskin, and had a strong, enthusiastic face darkened by thesun. "You're not leaving the men of York County out of the game, are you, sir?""Ah, Major Littlefield," Lovell acknowledged the man."Our fellows are eager to assault, sir, and they won't be happy being left aboard the ships," Littlefield said."It's a question of boats and lighters," Lovell replied. "We don't have enough to land every man together, so the boats will return for the York Countymilitia.""So be sure to have your fellows ready," Colonel Davis said."And you make sure you leave some of the fighting for us!" Daniel Littlefield said, looking disappointed."We don't have enough landing boats?" Revere spoke for the first time. He sounded incredulous. "Not enough boats?""Nowhere near," Davis said brusquely, "so we land what men we can, then the boats return for the rest.""So what about my guns?" Revere asked."General Wadsworth will command the attack," Lovell responded, "so perhaps he can answer Colonel Revere?"Wadsworth smiled at the indignant-looking Revere. "I am hoping, Colonel, that your guns will not be needed.""Not needed! I didn't bring them all the way here just to be ballast!""If our information is right," Wadsworth said emolliently, "then I trust we shall capture the bluff, and then advance straight on the fort.""With speed," Welch insisted."Speed?" Lovell asked."The faster we go, the greater the shock," Welch said. "It's like prize-fighting," he explained. "We give the enemy a hard blow, then hit him again whilehe's dazed. Then hit him again. Keep him dazed, keep him off-balance and keep hitting.""Our hope," Wadsworth said, "is to advance with such fervor that we shall overrun the fort before the enemy gathers his wits.""Amen to that," the Reverend Murray said."But if the fort is not captured immediately," Wadsworth was talking to Revere again, "then your guns shall be fetched ashore.""And any guns we capture," Revere insisted, "belong to the State of Massachusetts. Isn't that right?"Captain Welch bridled at that, but said nothing."Of course," Lovell said. "Indeed, everything we capture shall belong to the great State of Massachusetts!" he beamed at the assembly."I believe, sir," John Marston, the general's secretary, put in quietly, "that the Council decreed that all plunder taken by privateers would be deemed astheir private property.""Of course, of course!" Lovell said, disconcerted, "but I'm sure there will be more than sufficient plunder to satisfy their investors." He turned to theReverend Murray. "Chaplain? A word of prayer before we disperse?""Before you pray," Captain Welch interrupted, "one last thing." He looked hard at the men commanding the militia. "There's going to be noise andsmoke and confusion. There will be blood and screams. There will be chaos and uncertainty. So have your men fix bayonets. You're not going to beatthese bastards volley to volley, but sharp steel will scare the shit out of them. Fix bayonets and charge straight at the enemy. Shout as you charge and,believe me, they'll run." He paused, his hard eyes looking at each of the militia commanders in turn who, all except for Major Daniel Littlefield who hadnodded enthusiastic agreement, appeared somewhat daunted by the marine's grim words. "Use sharp steel and blunt courage," Welch growled, "and wewill win." He said the last four words slowly, distinctly and with a grim emphasis.The cabin stayed silent as the men contemplated the marine's words, then the Reverend Murray cleared his throat. "Gentlemen," he said, "let us bowour heads." He paused. "O Lord," he continued, "Thou hast promised to cover us with Thy strong wings, so protect us now as we go'" He was interruptedby the sound of a cannon firing. The noise was sudden and shockingly loud. The echo of the gun rebounded back from the bluff, then the afternoon wasriven by gunfire, by cannon after cannon and by echo after echo, and the rest of the prayer went unspoken as men hurried on deck to watch CommodoreSaltonstall's warships make their first attack.