walked beside Wadsworth, his musket held in clenched hands. "<strong>The</strong>y're sleeping, sir," Fletcher said in a tight voice."I hope so," Wadsworth said.<strong>The</strong>n <strong>the</strong> night exploded.<strong>The</strong> first gun was fired from <strong>the</strong> fort. <strong>The</strong> flame leaped and curled into <strong>the</strong> night sky, <strong>the</strong> lurid flash lighting even <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn shore <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> harbor before<strong>the</strong> powder smoke obscured <strong>the</strong> fort's silhouette. <strong>The</strong> cannon-ball landed somewhere to Wadsworth's right, bounced and crashed into <strong>the</strong> meadowsbehind and <strong>the</strong>n two more guns split <strong>the</strong> night, and Wadsworth heard himself shouting. "Charge! Charge!"Ahead <strong>of</strong> him a flame showed, <strong>the</strong>n he was dazzled as he heard <strong>the</strong> sound <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> gun and <strong>the</strong> whistle <strong>of</strong> grape shot. A man screamed. O<strong>the</strong>r men werecheering and running. Wadsworth stumbled over <strong>the</strong> rough ground. Marines were dark shapes to his left. Ano<strong>the</strong>r round shot slammed into <strong>the</strong> turf,bounced, and flew on. A splinter <strong>of</strong> light came from an enemy musket in <strong>the</strong> gun emplacement, <strong>the</strong>n ano<strong>the</strong>r cannon sounded and grape shot see<strong>the</strong>daround Wadsworth. James Fletcher was with him, but when Wadsworth glanced left and right he saw very few militiamen. Where were <strong>the</strong>y? Moremuskets shot flame, smoke, and metal from <strong>the</strong> battery. <strong>The</strong>re were men standing on <strong>the</strong> rampart, men who vanished behind a rill <strong>of</strong> smoke as still moremuskets punched <strong>the</strong> night. <strong>The</strong> marines were ahead <strong>of</strong> Wadsworth now, running and shouting, and <strong>the</strong> sailors were coming from <strong>the</strong> beach and <strong>the</strong>battery was close now, so close. Wadsworth had no breath to shout, but his attackers needed no orders. <strong>The</strong> Indians overtook him and a cannon firedfrom <strong>the</strong> emplacement and <strong>the</strong> sound deafened Wadsworth, it punched <strong>the</strong> air about him, it dizzied him, it wrea<strong>the</strong>d him in <strong>the</strong> foul egg stench <strong>of</strong> powdersmoke that was thick as fog and he heard <strong>the</strong> screaming just ahead and <strong>the</strong> clash <strong>of</strong> blades, and a shouted order that was abruptly cut <strong>of</strong>f, and <strong>the</strong>n hewas at <strong>the</strong> earthwork and he saw a smoking cannon muzzle just to his right as Fletcher pushed him upwards.<strong>The</strong> devil's work was being done inside <strong>the</strong> emplacement where marines, Indians, and sailors were slaughtering redcoats. A gun fired from <strong>the</strong> fort, but<strong>the</strong> ball went high to splash harmlessly into <strong>the</strong> harbor. Lieutenant Dennis had stabbed a sword into a British sergeant who was bent over, trapping <strong>the</strong>steel in his flesh. A marine clubbed <strong>the</strong> man on <strong>the</strong> head with a musket butt. <strong>The</strong> Indians were making a high-pitched shrieking sound as <strong>the</strong>y killed.Wadsworth saw blood bright as a gun-flame spurt from a skull split by a tomahawk. He turned towards a British <strong>of</strong>ficer in a red coat whose face was amask <strong>of</strong> terror and Wadsworth slashed his sword at <strong>the</strong> redcoat, <strong>the</strong> blade hissing in empty air as a marine drove a bayonet deep into <strong>the</strong> man's lowerbelly and ripped <strong>the</strong> blade upwards, lifting <strong>the</strong> redcoat <strong>of</strong>f his feet as an Indian chopped a hatchet into <strong>the</strong> man's spine. Ano<strong>the</strong>r redcoat was backingtowards <strong>the</strong> fires, his hands raised, but a marine shot him anyway, <strong>the</strong>n smashed <strong>the</strong> stock <strong>of</strong> his musket across <strong>the</strong> man's face. <strong>The</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Britishwere running. <strong>The</strong>y were running! <strong>The</strong>y were vanishing into Jacob Dyce's cornfield, fleeing uphill towards <strong>the</strong> fort."Take prisoners!" Wadsworth shouted. <strong>The</strong>re was no need for more killing. <strong>The</strong> gun emplacement was taken and, with a fierce joy, Wadsworthunderstood that <strong>the</strong> battery was too low on <strong>the</strong> shore to be hit by <strong>the</strong> fort's guns. Those guns were trying, but <strong>the</strong> shots were flying just overhead to splashuselessly into <strong>the</strong> harbor. "Let's hear your drum now, John Freer!" Wadsworth shouted. "You can sound <strong>the</strong> drum as loud as you like now!"But John Freer, aged twelve, had been clubbed to death by a redcoat's brass-bound musket butt. "Oh dear God," Wadsworth said, gazing down at <strong>the</strong>small body. <strong>The</strong> bloodied skull was black in <strong>the</strong> moonlight. "I should never have let him come," he said, and felt a tear in one eye."It was that bastard," a marine said, indicating <strong>the</strong> twitching body <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> redcoat who had tried to surrender and who had been shot before having hisface beaten in by <strong>the</strong> marine. "I saw <strong>the</strong> bastard hit <strong>the</strong> lad." <strong>The</strong> marine stepped to <strong>the</strong> fallen redcoat and kicked him in <strong>the</strong> belly. "You yellow bastard."Wadsworth stooped beside Freer and put a finger on <strong>the</strong> drummer's neck, but <strong>the</strong>re was no pulse. He looked up at James Fletcher. "Run back to <strong>the</strong>heights," he said, "and tell General Lovell we're in possession <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> battery." He held out a hand to check Fletcher. Wadsworth was gazing east-wards at<strong>the</strong> British ships. <strong>The</strong> dark shapes seemed so close now. "Tell <strong>the</strong> general we need to put our own guns here," he said. Wadsworth had captured <strong>the</strong>British guns, but <strong>the</strong>y were smaller than he had expected to find. <strong>The</strong> twelve-pounder cannons must have been moved back to <strong>the</strong> fort and replaced withsix-pounders. "Tell <strong>the</strong> general we need a pair <strong>of</strong> eighteen-pounders," he said, "and tell him we need <strong>the</strong>m here by dawn.""Yes, sir," Fletcher said, and ran back towards <strong>the</strong> high ground and Wadsworth, watching him go, saw militiamen scattered on that long slope leading toDyce's Head. Too many militiamen. At least half had refused to attack, evidently terrified by <strong>the</strong> British cannon-fire. Some had kept going and now stood in<strong>the</strong> battery watching <strong>the</strong> fifteen prisoners being searched, but most had simply run away and Wadsworth shuddered with anger. <strong>The</strong> marines, Indians, andsailors had done <strong>the</strong> night's work, while most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> minutemen had hung back in fear. John Freer had been braver than all his comrades, and <strong>the</strong> boy hada crushed skull to prove it."Congratulations, sir," Lieutenant Dennis smiled at Wadsworth."You and your marines achieved this," Wadsworth said, still looking at <strong>the</strong> militia."We beat <strong>the</strong>ir marines, sir," Dennis said cheerfully. <strong>The</strong> gun emplacement had been protected by Royal Marines. Dennis sensed Wadsworth'sunhappiness and saw where <strong>the</strong> general was looking. "<strong>The</strong>y're not soldiers, sir," he said, nodding towards <strong>the</strong> militiamen who had refused to attack. Most<strong>of</strong> those laggards were now walking towards <strong>the</strong> battery, chivvied by <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>of</strong>ficers"But <strong>the</strong>y are soldiers!" Wadsworth said bitterly. "We all are!""<strong>The</strong>y want to get back to <strong>the</strong>ir farms and families," Dennis said."<strong>The</strong>n how do we take <strong>the</strong> fort?" Wadsworth asked."<strong>The</strong>y have to be inspired, sir," Dennis said."Inspired!" Wadsworth laughed, though not with any amusement."<strong>The</strong>y'll follow you, sir.""Like <strong>the</strong>y did tonight?""Next time you'll give <strong>the</strong>m a speech, sir," Dennis said, and Wadsworth felt his former pupil's gentle childing. Dennis was right, he thought. He shouldhave given <strong>the</strong>m a rousing encouragement, he should have reminded <strong>the</strong> militia why <strong>the</strong>y fought, but <strong>the</strong>n a strange ripping noise interrupted his regretsand he turned to see an Indian crouching by a corpse. <strong>The</strong> dead marine had been stripped <strong>of</strong> his red coat, now he was being scalped. <strong>The</strong> Indian had cut<strong>the</strong> skin across <strong>the</strong> crown and was tearing it loose by <strong>the</strong> hair. <strong>The</strong> man sensed Wadsworth's gaze and turned, his eyes and teeth bright in <strong>the</strong> moonlight.Four o<strong>the</strong>r corpses had already been scalped. Marines were searching among <strong>the</strong> billets, discovering tobacco and food. <strong>The</strong> militiamen just watched.Colonel McCobb was haranguing <strong>the</strong> three hundred men, telling <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong>y should have behaved better. A marine knocked <strong>the</strong> top from one <strong>of</strong> two hugehogsheads that stood at <strong>the</strong> back <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> emplacement and Wadsworth wondered what <strong>the</strong>y contained, <strong>the</strong>n was diverted by a dog barking fiercely from<strong>the</strong> battery's sou<strong>the</strong>rn edge. A sailor tried to calm <strong>the</strong> dog, but it snapped at him and a marine casually shot <strong>the</strong> animal. Ano<strong>the</strong>r marine laughed.That was <strong>the</strong> last gunfire <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> night. Mist thickened on <strong>the</strong> harbor. James Fletcher returned to <strong>the</strong> captured battery just before dawn to say that GeneralLovell wanted Wadsworth back on <strong>the</strong> heights. "Is he going to send <strong>the</strong> guns?" Wadsworth asked."I think he wants you to arrange that, sir."Meaning Lovell wanted Wadsworth to deal with Lieutenant-Colonel Revere. <strong>The</strong> sailors had already gone back to <strong>the</strong>ir ships and Captain Carnes hadbeen instructed to return with his marines as soon as possible, but Wadsworth was unhappy leaving <strong>the</strong> militia to guard <strong>the</strong> captured battery and Carnesagreed that a dozen marines should stay under Lieutenant Dennis's command. "I'll leave a good sergeant with young Dennis," Carnes said."He needs that?""We all need that, sir," Carnes said, and shouted at Sergeant Sykes to pick a dozen good men.Colonel McCobb was <strong>of</strong>ficially in charge <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> battery. "You might start by throwing up a rampart," Wadsworth suggested to him. <strong>The</strong> existingsemicircular rampart looked towards <strong>the</strong> harbor entrance and Wadsworth wanted an earthwork that faced <strong>the</strong> fort. "I'll be bringing <strong>the</strong> guns as soon as Ican," he said."I'll be waiting, sir," McCobb promised.Three hundred men now guarded <strong>the</strong> captured battery that could be used to destroy <strong>the</strong> ships. <strong>The</strong>n Lovell might attack <strong>the</strong> fort. And <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> Britishwould be gone.Brigadier McLean appeared in a nightcap. He was in uniform and had a gray greatcoat, but had been given no time to dress his hair and so wore <strong>the</strong> redcap with its long blue tassel. He stood on <strong>Fort</strong> George's southwestern bastion and stared down at <strong>the</strong> low ground where <strong>the</strong> Half Moon emplacement wasmostly hidden by <strong>the</strong> cornfield. "I think we're wasting our cannon-fire," he told Fielding, who himself had been woken by <strong>the</strong> sudden eruption <strong>of</strong> firing."Cease fire!" Fielding called.An alert gunner sergeant had seen <strong>the</strong> rebels attacking down <strong>the</strong> open slope from Dyce's Head and had opened fire. "Give <strong>the</strong> man an extra ration <strong>of</strong>rum," McLean said, "and my thanks."<strong>The</strong> gunners had done well, McLean thought, yet <strong>the</strong>ir efforts had not saved <strong>the</strong> Half Moon Battery. <strong>The</strong> Royal Marines and gunners evicted from <strong>the</strong>emplacement were straggling into <strong>the</strong> fort and telling <strong>the</strong>ir tale <strong>of</strong> rebels swarming over <strong>the</strong> ramparts. <strong>The</strong>y claimed <strong>the</strong>re had been hundreds <strong>of</strong> attackers,and <strong>the</strong> defenders had numbered just fifty. "Tea," McLean said."Tea?" Fielding asked."<strong>The</strong>y should brew some tea," McLean gestured at <strong>the</strong> defeated men.
Hundreds? He wondered. Maybe two hundred. <strong>The</strong> sentries on <strong>Fort</strong> George's ramparts had been given a clear view <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> attackers, and <strong>the</strong> mostreliable men reckoned <strong>the</strong>y had seen two or three hundred rebels, many <strong>of</strong> whom had not pressed home <strong>the</strong> attack. Now a growing fog was obscuring all<strong>the</strong> lower ground."You sent for me, sir?" Captain Iain Campbell, one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 74th's best <strong>of</strong>ficers, now joined <strong>the</strong> brigadier on <strong>the</strong> rampart."Good morning, Campbell.""Good morning, sir.""Only it's not a good morning," McLean said. "Our enemy has shown initiative.""I heard, sir." Iain Campbell had dressed hurriedly and one <strong>of</strong> his coat buttons was undone."Have you ever captured an enemy earthwork, Campbell?""No, sir.""Unless your men are very well-disciplined it leads to disorganization," McLean said, "which leads me to believe that our enemy are ra<strong>the</strong>rdisorganized right now.""Yes, sir," <strong>the</strong> highlander said, smiling as he understood what <strong>the</strong> brigadier insinuated."And Captain Mowat won't like it if <strong>the</strong> enemy holds <strong>the</strong> Half Moon Battery, he won't like it at all.""And we must help <strong>the</strong> Royal Navy, sir," Campbell said, still smiling."Indeed we must, it is our God-given duty. So take your good lads down <strong>the</strong>re, Captain," McLean said, "and shoo <strong>the</strong> rogues away, will you?"Fifty marines had been surprised and driven from <strong>the</strong> Half Moon Battery so McLean would send fifty Scotsmen to take it back.McLean went to have his hair dressed.
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THEFORTA Novel of the Revolutionary
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A voice in the darkness, a knock at
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A Note on Names and TermsIn 1779 th
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Chapter OneThere was not much wind
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ecome a base for Britain's Royal Na
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"I bloody hope so," Moore said with
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Chapter TwoLieutenant-Colonel Paul
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magazines that would keep the ammun
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"So you will take the oath?" McLean
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Excerpts of a letter from the Selec
- Page 25 and 26: inflate a company into a battalion
- Page 28 and 29: "The world would be better without
- Page 30 and 31: So now one less man would sail east
- Page 32 and 33: Chapter FourThe fleet sailed eastwa
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- Page 37 and 38: Tyrannicide had also confirmed that
- Page 39 and 40: From the Oath demanded by Brigadier
- Page 41 and 42: "Plug it!" Little shouted at the ma
- Page 43 and 44: "You promoted me to general yesterd
- Page 45 and 46: "Long as it takes."They had to wait
- Page 47 and 48: Chapter SixThe daylight was fading.
- Page 49 and 50: "He's a patriot!" Lovell said in a
- Page 51 and 52: "What are you doing?" Revere again
- Page 53 and 54: A rowboat banged against the Centur
- Page 55 and 56: Chapter SevenThe first shots crashe
- Page 57 and 58: sir," McClure shouted over the musk
- Page 59 and 60: Solomon Lovell's heart seemed to mi
- Page 61 and 62: From Brigadier-General Lovell's des
- Page 63 and 64: emembered the tall American in his
- Page 65 and 66: "We thought him indestructible," De
- Page 67 and 68: could conceal men from the guns of
- Page 69 and 70: Chapter Nine"Where the devil is Rev
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- Page 81 and 82: marsh. The rebels patrolled that gr
- Page 83 and 84: Letter from Brigadier-General Lovel
- Page 85 and 86: on their flank?" Easily, Wadsworth
- Page 87 and 88: Commodore Saltonstall declared he w
- Page 89 and 90: ecome mired in pessimism and it nee
- Page 91 and 92: Chapter TwelveAnd, suddenly, there
- Page 93 and 94: at their sterns. Away to port was C
- Page 95 and 96: need men willing to make that attac
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- Page 99 and 100: Chapter ThirteenA Royal Marine at t
- Page 101 and 102: The fifty men filed through the aba
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- Page 105 and 106: From a letter by General Artemas Wa
- Page 107 and 108: the powder charges were being carri
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- Page 111 and 112: Historical NoteThe Penobscot Expedi
- Page 113 and 114: on which Carnes was expertly equipp
- Page 115 and 116: About the AuthorBERNARD CORNWELL, "
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