The Fort: A Novel of the Revolutionary War - xaviantvision

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Excerpts from General Solomon Lovell's Proclamation to his troops, August 12th, 1779:We have now a Portion of our Enterprise to compleat, in which if we are successful, and I am confident we must be, being in superior numbers andhaving that Liberal Characteristic "Sons of Liberty and Virtue" I again repeat, we must ride triumphant over the rough diabolical Torrent of Slavery,and the Monsters sent to rivet its Chains. . . . Is there a man able to bear Arms in this camp? that would hide his Face in the day of Battle; is therean American of this Character? is there a man so destitute of Honor? . . . Let each man stand by his Officer, and each Officer animated, pressforward to the Object in view, then shall we daunt the vaunting Enemy, who wishes to intimidate us by a little Parade, then shall we strike Terror tothe Pride of Britain.From a Despatch to Commodore Saltonstall from the Continental Navy Department, August 12th, 1779:Our Apprehensions of your danger have ever been from a Reinforcement to the Enemy. You can't expect to remain much longer without one. . . . Itis therefore our orders that as soon as you receive this you take the Most Effectual Measures for the Capture or Destruction of the Enemies Shipsand with the greatest dispatch the nature and Situation of things will Admit of.From an Order In Council, Boston, August 8th, 1779:Ordered that Thomas Cushing and Samuel Adams Esqrs be a Committee to wait upon the Capt of the French Frigate to know of him whether heshould be willing to proceed to Penobscot with his Ship for the purpose of reinforcing the American fleet - who reported that they had waited uponhis Excellency the Chevalier De la Luzerne who informed them that he would speak with the Capt of said Frigate and if possible influence hisproceeding to Penobscot.From a report received in Boston, August 9th, 1779:Gilbert Richmond first Mate, of the Argo - declares that on the 6th Instant, off Marthas Vineyard - he fell in with eight sail of Vessels - supposed tobe of force - steering So Et with a view of weathering the S. Shoal of Nantucket - The Commodore carried a poop light. The informant thinks - theywere about 40 Miles So of the West end of the Vineyard.
Chapter TwelveAnd, suddenly, there was hope.After the disappointment of the previous day, after the ignominious flight of the militia from an enemy force scarce a quarter its size, there was suddenlya new spirit, a second chance, an expectation of success.Hoysteed Hacker was the cause. Captain Hacker was the tall naval captain who had captured HMS Diligent, and he was rowed ashore at first light andclimbed to the clearing in the woods that served as Lovell's headquarters. "The commodore has vanished," he told Lovell who was taking breakfast at atrestle table."Vanished?" Lovell gazed up at the naval captain. "How do you mean? Vanished?""Gone," Hacker said in his expressionless, deep voice, "vanished. He was with the sailors who were attacked yesterday, and I suppose he wascaptured." Hacker paused. "Maybe killed." He shrugged as if he did not much care."Sit down, Captain. Have you eaten?""I've eaten.""Have some tea, at least. Wadsworth, did you hear this news?""I just did, sir.""Sit, do," Lovell said. "Filmer? A cup for Captain Hacker." Wadsworth and Todd were sharing the bench opposite Lovell. Hacker sat beside the generalwho gazed at the big, impassive naval officer as if he were Gabriel bringing news from heaven. Fog drifted through the high trees. "Dear me," Lovellfinally comprehended the news, "so the commodore is captured?" He did not sound in the least dismayed."Or killed," Hacker said."Does that make you the senior naval officer?" Lovell asked."It does, sir.""How did it happen?" Wadsworth asked, and listened as Hacker described the unexpected attack by the British marines who had driven the sailorssouthwards from the battery on Haney's land. The commodore had been separated from the rest who had all made it safely back to the river's bank southof Cross Island. "So no casualties?" Wadsworth asked."None, sir, except perhaps the commodore. He might have been hurt.""Or worse," Lovell said, then added hastily, "pray God it isn't so.""Pray God," Hacker said equally dutifully.Lovell flinched as he bit into some twice-baked bread. "But you," he asked, "you are now in command of the fleet?""I reckon so, sir.""You've taken command of the Warren?" Wadsworth asked."Not formally, sir, no, but I'm the senior naval officer now, so I'll move to the Warren this morning.""Well, if you commmand the fleet," Lovell said sternly, "I must make a request of you.""Sir?" Hacker asked."I must ask you, Captain, to attack the enemy shipping.""That's why I came here," Hacker said stolidly."You did?" Lovell seemed surprised."Seems to me, sir, we should attack soon. Today." Hacker pulled a ragged piece of paper from his pocket and spread it on the table. "Can I suggest amethod, sir?""Please," Lovell said.The paper was a pencil-drawn chart of the harbor which marked the enemy's four ships, though Hacker had put a cross over the hull of the SaintHelena, the transport which lay at the southern end of Mowat's line. She was only there to stop the Americans sailing around Mowat's flank and herarmament of six small guns was too light to be a cause of concern. "We have to attack the three sloops," Hacker said, "so I propose taking the Warren into attack the Albany." He tapped the chart, indicating the central sloop of Mowat's three warships. "I'll be supported by the General Putnam and theHampden. They'll anchor abreast of the North and Nautilus, sir, and give them fire. The General Putnam and Hampden will be hit hard, sir, it'sunavoidable, but I believe the Warren will crush the Albany quickly enough and then we can use our heavy guns to force the surrender of the other twosloops." Hacker spoke in an expressionless tone which gave the impression of a slow mind, an impression that Wadsworth realized was quite false.Hacker had given the problem a great deal of impressive thought. "Now, sir," the naval captain continued, "the commodore's concern was always the fortand its guns. They can plunge shot down into our ships and for all we know they might have heated shot, sir.""Heated?" Lovell asked."Not a pleasant thought, sir," Hacker said. "If a red-hot shot lodges in a ship's timber, sir, it can start a fire. Ships and fire aren't the best of friends, so Iwant to keep the enemy's shots away from the leading ships as far as that's possible. "I'm proposing that the Sally, Vengeance, Black Prince, Hector,Monmouth, Sky Rocket, and Hunter should follow us into the harbor and make a line of battle here." He indicated a dotted line which he had drawnparallel to the harbor's northern shore. "They can shoot up at the fort, sir. They'll do little enough damage, but they should distract the enemy gunners, sir,and draw their fire away from the Warren, the General Putnam, and Hampden.""This is feasible?" Lovell asked, scarcely daring to believe what he was hearing."Tide's right this afternoon," Hacker said in a very matter-of-fact voice. "I reckon it will taken an hour and a half to get the first three ships into positionand an hour's work to destroy their sloops. But I'm worried that we'll have the best part of our fleet in the harbor, sir, and even after we've taken the enemyvessels we'll still be under the cannons in their fort.""So you want us to attack the fort?" Wadsworth guessed."I think that's advisable, sir," Hacker said respectfully, "and I plan to put one hundred marines ashore, sir, to aid your endeavor. Might I suggest theyoccupy the lower ground with some of your militia?" He put a broad, tar-stained finger on the map, indicating the land between the fort and the Britishships."Why that ground?" Lovell asked."To prevent the enemy's marines coming ashore from the defeated ships," Hacker explained, "and if our marines assault the fort from the south, sir,then the rest of your forces can attack from the west.""Yes," Peleg Wadsworth said enthusiastically, "yes!"Lovell was silent. The fog was too thick to allow any gunner to shoot accurately so the cannons of both sides were quiet. A gull called. Lovell wasremembering the shame of the previous day, the sight of McCobb's militia running away. He flinched at the memory."It will be different this time," Wadsworth said. He had been watching Lovell's face and had divined the general's thoughts."In what manner?" Lovell asked."We've never used all our men to attack the fort, sir," Wadsworth said. "We've only attacked the enemy piecemeal. This time we use all our strength!How many cannon will we take into the harbor?" This question was put to Hoysteed Hacker."Those ships," Hacker put a tar-stained finger on his chart, "will carry over two hundred cannon, sir, so say a hundred guns in broadside."
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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
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inflate a company into a battalion
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"The world would be better without
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So now one less man would sail east
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Chapter FourThe fleet sailed eastwa
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"We were maltreated in Boston," Cal
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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
Page 71 and 72: "Then they will have something to f
Page 73 and 74: They would attack the battery.In th
Page 75 and 76: Hundreds? He wondered. Maybe two hu
Page 77 and 78: Chapter TenThe sun had not risen wh
Page 79 and 80: Praise the Lord, Wadsworth thought,
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: ecome mired in pessimism and it nee
Page 93 and 94: at their sterns. Away to port was C
Page 95 and 96: need men willing to make that attac
Page 97 and 98: timber splinter to drive cloth into
Page 99 and 100: Chapter ThirteenA Royal Marine at t
Page 101 and 102: The fifty men filed through the aba
Page 103 and 104: dared to hope that the British woul
Page 105 and 106: From a letter by General Artemas Wa
Page 107 and 108: the powder charges were being carri
Page 109 and 110: fire, of the sparks flying and fall
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, "
Page 117 and 118: CopyrightT HE FORT. Copyright (c) 2
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