“Okay, you, Hugh, Big Mike, and the rest of the men scout on north through the trees and see what they are up to. Get a better count of how many there are. As soon as you know something, I want Hugh to ride back to General Washington’s headquarters with the information. I am going to ride back now and tell the general that we are being flanked from the north. If Major Ruskin comes out ahead of the British, I want you to kill him if you get the chance,” said Robert.
“Weel now, we’d be happy to do that,” said Hugh with a wolfish grin.
Robert nodded and leapt into his saddle, spurring his horse south at full speed along the road towards Chadds Ford and General Washington’s headquarters.
* * * *
Captain Ferguson
“Let’s work our way down closer to the river to see if we can find a position to get a better shot at them,” said Captain Ferguson as he deployed the vanguard of his men and his best marksmen to snipe the rebels across the Brandywine River at Chadds Ford.
The captain’s marksmen had located some high ground close to the ford. They were setting up their positions to fire on the rebels, who were a little over one hundred yards away across the river.
“Try to sight in on the rebel officers. Don’t waste shots at common soldiers if you have an officer in range,” commanded Captain Ferguson as he took up a firing position in the middle of the bluff where his best men were deployed.
Captain Ferguson selected a firing position that was well-suited both to observing the rebels and to commanding his troops. It wasn’t long before a high-ranking officer rode up and dismounted to inspect the fortifications at the ford on the river bank. Captain Ferguson passed the word to his men that he would take the shot at this officer. As the captain aimed his rifle and sighted in on the rebel officer, another rebel soldier clad in buckskins rode up to speak with the officer. They walked a short distance away from the river bank and then turned their backs to him giving him, two broad backs as targets. But rather than shoot at the officer’s back, which was indeed a large target, the captain selected the officer’s head as his target. He was supremely confident in his marksmanship skill at just over one hundred yards and wanted a clean kill from a head shot, rather than risk merely wounding with a body shot.
* * * *
Alex
“There’s no way to cross the Brandywine below Pyle’s Ford. It’s too swift and too deep,” said Alex to the Longhunter, gazing at the river.
“That’s true lad. We are already at least five miles downriver, and it’s just getting wider and deeper,” replied the Longhunter.
“I am going to ride back and tell General Washington. You and the men keep going for a couple more miles just to make sure,” said Alex.
“Aye, lad, we’ll keep going for a ways,” said the Longhunter.
Alex reined his horse and turned back toward Chadds Ford at a gallop. When he arrived at General Washington’s headquarters, he dismounted, handed his reins to one of the troops and ran into the headquarters tent. But General Washington was not inside. One of the general’s lieutenants, who was sitting at Major Ruskin’s desk, told Alex that the general had just left. He could be found down the hill, closer to Chadds Ford, inspecting the troop dispositions and fortifications down at the ford. Alex walked out of the tent and mounted up to follow General Washington to Chadds Ford. He finally located the general on the river bank overlooking the Brandywine. The buckskin-clad Alex dismounted with his rifle cradled in his arm and walked up to the general, who turned around to walk a short distance away from the river and face Alex. Alex turned around to face the same direction as General Washington, away from the river, to speak to him. Both men had their backs toward the river and had no idea that they were being targeted by enemy snipers.
“Sir, we searched five miles south of Pyle’s Ford, and there was no sign of the British. The Brandywine is too wide, too deep, and too swift for any large body of men to cross anywhere down there. I’ve sent my men on further south just make sure that we didn’t overlook any possibilities,” reported Alex.
“Thank you, Lieutenant Mackenzie, for giving me that report. It is as I suspected. Have you heard anything from your brothers who went north?” asked General Washington.
“No, sir, not yet,” replied Alex.
The words had barely come out of Alex’s mouth when he and General Washington spied a rider on horseback, bent over his horse’s neck, riding hard toward them. It looked like Robert riding toward them, hell bent for leather. As Robert approached them, he didn’t slow his horse but ran it near them and leaped from the saddle as the horse passed them, tackling both Alex and General Washington with his body, taking them to the ground with him.
“Redcoats,” panted Robert as he rolled off of Alex and the general and pointed to the ridge across the Brandywine River.
Alex reacted immediately, rolling over while still on the ground and bringing up his rifle, priming the pan while sighting it toward the British riflemen across the river. Alex fired a wild shot at a patch of a red that he had picked out on the far ridge. Then he, General Washington and Robert jumped up and ran back away from the bank to find some cover from the British snipers hidden just across the river.
* * * *
Captain Ferguson
“Damn, just missed my chance at him,” said Captain Ferguson as he watched the rebel rider dive off his running horse and tackle the two men who had been perfect targets with their backs to him across the river.
He had just spoken the last word when a musket ball fired from across the river by the buckskin-clad man struck him in the right elbow. The impact of the musket ball caused him to drop his rifle and roll over onto his back in pain, grasping his bleeding and splintered elbow with his left hand.
“Get me out of here,” commanded Captain Ferguson as his nearby men helped him up and carried him back to his horse. They helped him mount his horse and rode back with him to Kennett Square to find a doctor.
Captain Ferguson had no idea that the shot he did not fire might have killed General George Washington. All he knew was that he was aiming at a Continental Army officer with his back turned to him. If he had killed General Washington, it could have changed the course of the Revolutionary War. But instead, his shattered elbow would take him out of the war for an extended period, maybe for good.
When Captain Ferguson reached Kennett Square, a British surgeon examined the wound. The doctor determined that he could only put a field dressing on it and put his arm into a sling. Further evaluation and possible surgery would have to wait until the arm could be examined more closely in Philadelphia.
* * * *
Samuel
“General Howe, I am the Prophet. I know that we have never met in person. I made all the arrangements with General Gage initially, before he returned to England, and have been working on your behalf ever since,” said Samuel.
“Ah, it is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I am happy that you were able to meet with me,” said General Howe.
“Washington has no idea that you are flanking him. Even if he did, it is too late for him to react,” said Samuel.
“Excellent news, I want to thank you for the service that you have rendered to the crown. As soon as my men rest for an hour, we will march down to Chadds Ford and take care of the rebels. Is there any way that you can continue to serve the British cause for the time being?”
“I don’t see why not. No one knows where I am right now. If I leave immediately and return to my duties, no one will be the wiser.”
“Good, you will continue to coordinate your activities directly with Captain Ferguson of my command, through your intermediaries. He will use his intermediaries, such as the Eagle Spy to contact you.”
“That is agreeable. I had best get on my way in order not to be missed and create suspicion.”
“It was a pleasure to finally meet you and be able to wish you good luck in person. I have big plans for you after this war is over, which should be very soon, maybe eve
n today,” said General Howe.
“The pleasure was all mine. Good luck to you, General. I eagerly await your orders at any time,” said Samuel as he shook hands with General Howe.
Samuel mounted up very quickly and spurred his horse south toward Chadds Ford, along the same River Road he had ridden north on earlier.
He had ridden about five miles from the location where the British Army under General Howe rested when a group of Continental Army cavalry soldiers rode out of the trees to intercept him. The leader of the band was a giant of a man that looked familiar to Samuel. The giant rode right up to him and grabbed the reins of his horse.
“Hello, Ruskin,” said Hugh with a grin.
“It’s Major Ruskin and let go of my horse or I’ll have you in front of a court martial, you big oaf,” replied Samuel Ruskin.
“Ye are not having anyone before a court martial. As a matter of fact, I’m going to kill ye and then bury ye in a shallow grave in yon trees over my shoulder.”
“I am a major in the Continental Army, and I intend to see that you pay for that,” said Samuel.
“Weel, as I see it, ye are no longer a major in any army. Ye are a spy and a traitor, and ye have to pay for yer crimes.”
“I demand to see General Washington,” said Samuel, eyeing all the men behind Hugh.
“Ye don’t remember me do ye?”
“I have never laid eyes on you in my life,” replied Samuel with an uneasy feeling that he had encountered Hugh before but couldn’t remember the exact circumstances.
Samuel knew that the circumstances must not have been good since he had blotted it out of his mind. He also knew that he was in trouble. He was thinking hard, trying to find a way out, but nothing was coming to him.
“’Twas me what cold cocked ye in that tavern in Larne, a few years back,” said Hugh as he saw the recognition dawn in Samuel’s eyes.
“Why do you call me a spy and a traitor?”
“We followed the girl, who ye sent to Captain Ferguson, and then we saw ye come and go from her tent. It was Jonas here who first laid eyes on ye,” said Hugh, motioning toward Jonas with his open hand, and Jonas nodded in agreement.
“But that’s enough talk. Do ye prefer a blindfold or not?”
Samuel jerked hard on the reins of his horse and pulled them out of Hugh’s grasp. He spurred his mount into a dead run back north on the road with Hugh and his men close on his heels. If he could make it to the British Army and General Howe, he would be safe, even though his career as a spy was over. Hugh had anticipated the move and had Big Mike and two men stationed about a quarter mile to the north, where the trail narrowed by a heavy stand of trees on both sides of the trail. When Big Mike saw Major Ruskin riding at a gallop north on the road, he and his two companions rode out of the trees and blocked the trail. Major Ruskin reined his horse and slowed to avoid a collision with Big Mike and his men, since he could not pass them on either side.
Hugh caught up quickly, dismounted, and walked up to Samuel Ruskin, who was still sitting on his horse. Hugh grabbed Samuel around the waist, pulled him off his horse and threw him on the ground. Samuel rolled to his feet with a wild-eyed look. He knew that he was in mortal danger and his entire demeanor changed. He turned to face Hugh with a scowl.
“You hit me when I wasn’t looking back in Larne. Are you man enough to try me again?” asked Samuel as he pulled his knife from his belt sheath and squared off with Hugh, intending to fight him.
Hugh laughed at him and then turned around and walked back to where Jonas and Big Mike were standing, after having dismounted. As Hugh was getting ready to speak to Jonas and Big Mike, Clem Jackson rode up and dismounted.
“What did you see, Clem?” asked Hugh.
“Major Ruskin was escorted into the British Army camp, where he must have had a short conversation with someone because he didn’t stay long. When he was finished, he rode out and I followed him down here where you all must have caught him,” said Clem.
“Clem, I want you to take the men and ride south. I don’t want them to get caught by the British if this lasts longer than I think it will. I don’t want them to witness what is going to happen to this wee rat,” said Hugh, motioning over his shoulder at Samuel Ruskin.
After Clem left with the men, Hugh turned to Big Mike and Jonas.
“If Ruskin kills me in this fight, I want ye two to kill him,” Hugh said to Jonas and Big Mike in a whisper so that Samuel Ruskin couldn’t hear him.
“It’d be my pleasure,” replied Big Mike softly as he cocked the flintlock of the pistol in his belt.
Big Mike and Jonas nodded at Hugh and then stepped back to give Hugh some room. Jonas pulled out his rifle from its sheath, primed the pan and cocked his flintlock. Hugh turned back and walked over to where Samuel Ruskin was waiting.
“Jonas and Big Mike, stay out of this. This is between Ruskin and me,” said Hugh, loud enough for the two men to hear him. Hugh never took his eyes off Samuel Ruskin while he was speaking. Then he reached down and pulled a knife from his boot sheath that was made by his father, John Mackenzie.
The only four men left standing in the trail were Samuel, Hugh, Big Mike and Jonas.
* * * *
Alex
“Robert, you’re a madman. Are you alright?” asked Alex.
“Alex, I’m fine. I was looking for you and General Washington at the headquarters, but they told me you were down here. As I was riding down here, I spied some redcoat snipers aiming at you and the general from across the river. I thought if I yelled, you would pause and look up, and that would alert the British snipers, so I rode as fast as I could to get you two on the ground. I didn’t hear a shot from the other side, so I guess I was in time. Besides, I remember that you used the same maneuver to take down a number of Hessians at the Battle of Trenton last year to save Hugh and me,” panted the out-of-breath Robert as he turned to speak to General Washington.
“General Washington, there is a large British force flanking us from the north. We encountered them about a mile or so south of Sconneltown. They must have forded the Brandywine north of where we had men stationed. I suspect that we have only about an hour or so before they get here,” continued Robert.
“Thank you for that report. We had better get going to redeploy our troops to meet this new attack. Lieutenant Mackenzie, I want you to take your men and ride north as fast as you can. Delay the British advance with ambushes just like you did from Maidenhead to Trenton. Now if you two gentlemen will excuse me, I have a lot of work to do,” said General Washington.
“Yes, sir,” replied Alex and Robert in unison.
General Washington mounted his horse and took off at a gallop toward his headquarters. Alex turned to look at the smiling Robert with a questioning expression on his face.
“Do you think you hit anyone with that wild shot of yours?” asked Robert.
“I don’t know. I was aiming at a patch of red that looked like a red coat’s sleeve,” replied Alex.
“I wonder who the general was referring to when he said you two gentlemen?” asked Robert.
“Well, it obviously wasn’t you and me,” replied the smiling Alex.
“Let’s ride,” said Robert as they mounted up and turned their horses away from the river and the danger of redcoat snipers. They gathered up the Longhunter and the men that had ridden south with Alex and rode north to delay the enemy’s advance on Chadds Ford as much as they could.
* * * *
Samuel
Hugh wasn’t a skillful knife fighter like Alex or Robert, especially Robert, who was very deadly with a knife. Hugh was more of a tap room brawler who didn’t know or understand the subtleties of fighting with a knife. He tended to wade right in and mix it up without any of the preliminaries or preambles, such as circling or sizing up one’s opponent. Hugh depended mainly on his great strength rather than speed or technique. He fought like a bull rather than a fox.
“It’s time give yerself a kiss goodbye,” said Hugh as he faced S
amuel, holding his knife at the ready.
“What are the rules?” asked Samuel.
“There ain’t gang to be nae rules,” answered Hugh.
Hugh knew that Samuel Ruskin would try to buy some time with talk in hopes that General Howe or at least the leading elements of General Howe’s army would arrive at the fight and cause the patriots to flee. But Hugh wasn’t about to let that happen. He started the fight by rushing at Samuel with a full speed straight-on knife thrust, using a stabbing motion.
Samuel sidestepped Hugh’s thrust and countered with a viscous swipe with his knife across Hugh’s side and back as Hugh went by him. Hugh’s buckskin jacket, which had been hardened by sweat and rain, prevented the knife slash from breaking his skin. But the knife left a deep slice in Hugh’s jacket.
Hugh turned and faced Samuel for another charge, but Samuel was quicker and lunged at Hugh with a straight on thrust that was similar to Hugh’s opening move. Hugh blocked the thrust with his left hand and followed with a slash aimed at Samuel’s throat.
Samuel leaned back to avoid the slash at his throat and countered with another swipe at Hugh’s chest. Hugh followed with another straight on thrust at Samuel. Samuel blocked the thrust with his left hand and grabbed the wrist of Hugh’s hand that was holding his knife. Samuel then turned around and pulled Hugh’s arm over his shoulder. Samuel placed his own knife between his teeth and grasped Hugh’s arm with both hands. He then bent down, pulling Hugh’s arm and flipping Hugh over him and down on the ground on his back.
Hugh was dazed by the flip and a little stunned from the fall. The technique that Samuel had used was a classic maneuver that John Mackenzie had taught all of his sons. He had also taught them how to counter it by grasping your opponent with your free hand and taking him to the ground with you. Hugh had obviously forgotten or had never learned that lesson and was now in trouble.
Samuel reached up and grasped his knife from his teeth, dropped down to one knee and stabbed it downward toward Hugh’s throat. Hugh was barely able to pull his head to the side to avoid the strike. Samuel’s knife went right past Hugh’s throat into the ground. As the knife sliced directly into the ground, it struck a large, buried rock. The point of the knife blade struck the rock with full force, and the impact caused Samuel’s knife blade to break off at the haft, rendering it a useless weapon.