Jonas nodded his agreement, and they all mounted their horses to restart their journey. The Longhunter did not seek to replace Clem or partner with Jonas, but he did want to provide what comfort that he could to the grieving Jonas.
* * * *
Big Mike
“Mike, I would like for you to take charge of our cannon crews during the upcoming battle. We just lost our last cannon commander when his enlistment ended,” said Captain Ellison McCoy.
“Yes, sir, but I’m not very well trained on aiming and firing yet,” replied Big Mike.
“I understand that, but you’ll pick it up quickly, and after the first few volleys, it won’t matter much anyway. I need someone I can trust and someone who won’t run at the first sign of trouble,” said Ellison.
Big Mike had found a home in the Continental Army and in the artillery in particular. After he returned from his mission in Philadelphia, he had thought about traveling south to follow Alex, Robert, and Hugh. But in the end, he decided to stay with General Washington and the northern Continental Army.
He began learning to swab, load, and fire cannons, but now he had just been promoted to be in charge of all the cannons. He was well-liked by everyone, and he had proven to be a good leader. He and Molly had become very close after rescuing her sister Maggie in Philadelphia. They planned on getting married after the war was over and settling down in Pennsylvania. The sisters had remained inseparable since the rescue and were rarely out of each other’s sight.
The Continental Army was now on the march, having left Valley Forge as soon as they heard about the British move. They were now following closely behind the British Army as it made its way from Philadelphia to New York. The Continental Army’s battle plan was to attack the British at their rear as they passed through Monmouth, New Jersey, hopefully catching them unawares.
The weather was extremely hot for June 1778 in New Jersey. It was one hundred degrees Fahrenheit by noon, and the men and horses were sweating and drinking gallons of water. At almost every stream they crossed, they had to pause and replenish their water supply.
The Continental Army finally engaged the British rear echelons near Monmouth Courthouse and the British Army wheeled around to counterattack. The fighting became hot and heavy during the heat of the day as the two armies squared off against each other.
“Mike, I want you to set up the six-pound cannons on top of Combs Hill. Provide enfilading fire as the British attack. They may turn and try to attack your position and if they do, load with grapeshot and rake them royally,” instructed Ellison.
Big Mike followed orders and led the horses pulling the caissons and cannons to a good firing position on top of the hill. When the British appeared, he assisted his gun crews with swabbing and loading the six-pound cannons as they opened fire on the British Army. It was hot work and the heat of the day combined with the heat of the cannons caused the men to tire rapidly. Molly and Maggie had followed Big Mike all the way to Combs Hill, where they were waiting near the rear, just down the hill with the horses and supplies. Mike walked part of the way down the hill and spied Molly and Maggie sitting under a tree in the shade.
“Molly, bring me a pitcher of water!” yelled Big Mike.
Molly stood up and waved her hand over her head indicating that she understood the request. She and Maggie searched for water and soon found a spring located near the bottom of the hill. Molly pulled a water pitcher from the supplies and baggage, filled it at the spring and then trotted up the hill to give Big Mike a drink.
The other men saw that Big Mike was getting a drink of water and they decided that they were thirsty too.
“Molly, can you bring me a pitcher of water, too?” yelled one of the men.
“I want one too,” yelled another man.
“Molly, another pitcher please!” shouted another man.
Molly nodded and ran down the hill to enlist Maggie in the effort of carrying water to the thirsty men. Maggie also found a pitcher, and both young women started making trips up and down the hill between the spring and the thirsty men, carrying pitchers of water. Molly and Maggie were dressed alike that day, so it looked to some of them men as if Molly was doing all the work. It seemed like Molly was everywhere and inexhaustible. But it was really the two women who were working together.
“Molly. Pitcher!” shouted the exhausted Big Mike who was too tired to form a complete sentence.
Molly nodded, refilled the water pitcher and brought it to him once again. No sooner had she finished than there was another shout from one of the other cannon crews.
“Molly. Pitcher!” yelled the cannoneer.
Molly and Maggie were both working as hard as they could, bringing the soldiers water, but Molly seemed to be getting all the credit since the men were calling Maggie, Molly also.
The cannon firing went on and on until late afternoon. Big Mike worked the gun so fast and hard that finally he was exhausted and could do no more. He was forced to lie down on the grass and rest. Molly saw him collapse on the grass. She ran up the hill with a pitcher of water for him and took his place swabbing and loading the cannon. Maggie also joined another cannon crew swabbing and loading for a man who had been killed by enemy fire.
Just as Molly was loading a round in the cannon, a return volley of cannon fire from the British cannons struck her dress. As the cannon ball passed between her knees, it tore the bottom half of her skirt, leaving ragged strips of it hanging down to the ground. She was unhurt by the volley, so she reached down and tore the bottom half of her dress off so that the ragged pieces would not get tangled around her legs and ankles as she worked the gun.
“Molly, are you injured?” asked Big Mike.
“I’m fine,” answered Molly. “It could have been worse.”
The firing continued throughout the afternoon. At one point in the battle, General Washington rode up Combs Hill on his white charger, along with Captain Ellison McCoy, to issue some new orders for Big Mike to direct the cannon fire at new targets. He observed Molly and Maggie swabbing and loading the cannons.
“I want these women issued warrants as noncommissioned officers in the Continental Army,” said General Washington to Captain McCoy.
“It will be done. I’ll take care of it myself,” replied Captain McCoy.
Finally, late in the afternoon, the order was passed to cease fire. The exhausted men and women laid down on the grass to rest and recuperate. Big Mike had finally rested enough to catch his breath, so he got up and walked down the hill. He grabbed a pitcher, filled it at the spring, and walked back up the hill to offer it to Molly.
“I think you deserve this,” said Big Mike.
“Thanks, Mike, I appreciate it. I only hope that the men don’t start calling me Molly Pitcher,” said Molly with a smile. “I’ve heard that enough today.”
* * * *
Alex
After the attack on their campsite, the journey to Shelby’s Fort, to Fort Patrick Henry and then on to Fort Watauga took Alex and his party only seven more days in the saddle. Alex and everyone in his party were extremely trail weary when they finally pulled up their horses inside Fort Watauga and tied them up to a rail in front of the largest building inside the fort. Fort Watauga was located beside the Watauga River at a place called Sycamore Shoals, where the river could be crossed by wading across the shallow rocky bottom. Although the Cherokees now claimed the territory as a hunting ground, the settlement of the area around Fort Watauga actually predated the claim by the Cherokees. It was originally called the Watauga Old Fields because it was a flat, clear area where ancient Native American tribes gathered in council. It was discovered in 1759 by James Robertson and Daniel Boone, who were exploring the area at the time. Robertson stayed at the Watauga Old Fields and planted a corn crop, while Daniel Boone continued on to Kentucky. Daniel Boone later returned and moved his family to Fort Watauga for a while. But he soon left again and founded Boonesborough, Kentucky, to open up that territory to settlers.
The ea
rly residents who settled in and around Fort Watauga had formed the Watauga Association, which was in effect an independent regional government. The land around Fort Watauga itself was a part of the state of North Carolina, whose western border extended all the way to the Mississippi River. The Watauga settlers did not get along with the North Carolina tidewater gentry-led government of the east, so they mostly ignored them. The leaders of the governmental Watauga Association were James Robertson, who pioneered it, John Sevier, and John Carter. The military, or militia, was under the nominal command of Colonel John Sevier and Colonel Jonathan Tipton.
Colonel John Sevier was at the Nolichucky settlement overseeing the construction of Fort Lee when Alex arrived at Fort Watauga. So, while the others explored the fort, Alex reported to Colonel Jonathan Tipton, who was the only officer present at the fort.
“Captain Alex Mackenzie reporting as ordered,” said Alex, standing in front of Colonel Tipton and handing him the sealed orders from General Washington.
Colonel Tipton opened the orders and read them through twice before he looked up at Alex again.
“Welcome to Fort Watauga, Captain Mackenzie. You may not be familiar with the military out here on the frontier, but things are a little less formal and a little less organized than they are back east and in General Washington’s branch of the army. We spend most of our time out here trying to keep our families fed and fighting the Cherokees, who are aligned with the British. But we might be fighting the Cherokees anyway, even if they weren’t aligned with the British, since they believe we are living on their land and hunting on their grounds. What are your plans, Captain Mackenzie?” asked Colonel Tipton.
“Well, to be honest, I haven’t thought too much past getting here as General Washington ordered,” replied Alex.
“If you plan on putting down roots here and being a part of the military as well as the community, allow me to suggest that you start by applying for a fifty acre homestead and building a cabin on it. The other thing to remember is that if you hear shots fired, run as quick as you can to get yourself and anyone else with you inside the fort,” said Colonel Tipton.
“Good advice; I will do that,” said Alex as he stood up to shake hands with the colonel.
Straightaway, Alex applied for and was granted fifty acres of land along Gap Creek, just south of Fort Watauga. He and the group he traveled with decided to camp on Alex’s homestead until they could build a cabin and explore the land. They were all gathered in a camp on Alex’s land the next morning.
“We’ll help ye build a cabin in that clearing by the creek,” said Hugh.
“You and everyone are welcome to stay with us; there’d be plenty of room,” said Alex holding his arms out wide.
“Nae lad, Robber and I plan on applying for a job at a gunpowder mill located over on the Powder Branch since we are both experienced gunpowder mill workers. The mill is owned by couple named John and Mary Patton and word has it that they’re looking for bright, young, strong lads to work in the mill. We’ll be bunking over at the mill if things work out like we think they will. We also applied for and received fifty acres of land each. Our land is located near the powder mill on the Powder Branch. As soon as we can, we’ll put up a cabin on our land, and ye can help us build it,” replied Hugh as Robert nodded his assent.
“Jonas and I also applied for and got fifty acres of land each. Our land is further south and east along the Watauga River, and we plan on hunting and trapping for a living on our own place. So, as soon as we get your cabin built, we plan on moving on down the river a ways to our place,” said the smiling Longhunter.
The men knew that Alex and Martha wanted some time alone. They knew that the young couple wanted to get to know each other better, spend some time together without the intrusions of having other people around, and perhaps start a family.
* * * *
Captain Ferguson
“Captain Ferguson, our position has become very precarious against the Continental Army here at Monmouth. I want you to take your light cavalry unit and attack the forward elements of the rebels. Force them back to the main Continental Army lines near Monmouth Courthouse,” commanded General Clinton.
“It would be my pleasure, sir,” replied the cocky Captain Ferguson, who bowed to General Clinton and then mounted up to rejoin his troops.
The rebels were positioned behind a long hedge and well dug in. Captain Ferguson’s unit attacked the front lines of the Continental Army three times and was driven back by grapeshot and gunshot each time. On his fourth attack, he successfully drove the rebels back to their main lines. Several of his men were killed or wounded during the attacks, but he accomplished his assigned mission without hesitation.
General Clinton was very grateful to Captain Ferguson for giving him the respite he needed. As soon as the sun went down, the two armies regrouped to decide their next moves. General Clinton called his officers together and asked for recommendations on how to proceed against the rebels.
“General, I suggest that we rest the men for an hour and then resume our march to New York during the night,” said Captain Ferguson. “This should put some distance between our troops and the rebels. We should be able to reach the safety of New York well ahead of them.”
“An excellent idea, Captain Ferguson; let’s get that plan working,” replied the general and immediately dismissed the staff meeting. He then put Captain Ferguson’s plan into action by issuing the appropriate orders.
The British Army did in fact escape the Continental Army, arriving two days later at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, where they were met by British Navy boats and transported across the harbor to New York.
* * * *
Alex
“Alex, lad, what’re ye up to?” asked Hugh sitting on horseback and looking down at Alex.
Robert and Hugh had first ridden up to Alex’s cabin. They stopped there and asked Martha where Alex could be found. She had directed them to a clearing out behind the cabin after first insisting that they get down off their horses and eat something. The men had settled into life around Fort Watauga very well. They had lived there for over six months and built good lives for themselves in that short time.
“I might ask you the same question?” replied Alex.
“Weel now, Robber and I are out on an exploration mission for John and Mary Patton, but I asked ye first,” replied Hugh with a grin.
“I have decided to become more proficient with a bow and arrow,” said Alex. He had set up some archery targets and was practicing shooting at them at distances of up to fifty yards.
Alex had made a six foot longbow out of an elm branch and had fashioned several thirty inch poplar arrows and fletched them. He had knapped some flint arrowheads and attached them to the arrow shafts with strips of gut. After fletching the arrows with some bird feathers, Alex had tested his weapon. When Alex was a lad, he heard some of the old men tell tales about their grandfathers who were Scottish or English longbow men. They had made their longbows out of yew back in Great Britain. But there were no yew trees in America, so Alex had selected elm for his bow.
An English longbow could penetrate a knight’s armor with an arrow at sixty yards, and it could kill at one hundred yards, but the days of armor and longbows in battle were long gone. By about 1600, firearms had largely displaced bows for military use, and Alex had never learned to fight with a bow and arrows. When Alex was a young lad, he and his friends made bows and arrows to use for hunting small animals back in Scotland. But he hadn’t touched a bow in many years. He had become fairly proficient with the longbow when he was younger. Now he was rapidly regaining some of that lost expertise.
“And just why are you doing that?” asked Hugh.
“Well, the Cherokees who attacked us east of Shelby’s Fort and my previous experiences with the Iroquois taught me a lesson about warfare on the frontier here in America. A bow and arrow make an excellent weapon under certain circumstances, such as if you need a weapon that is silent. Besides, the bow and arr
ow make a good backup if your musket is not loaded. They are also lightweight and easy to carry,” replied Alex.
“Ye may be on to something, lad,” said Hugh.
“What are you and Robert exploring anyway?” asked Alex.
“Weel now, Alex, since ye asked, as ye know, the Pattons own a gunpowder mill where Robber and I work. The making of gunpowder requires saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur. The saltpeter and charcoal are fairly easy to find, but sulfur is rare, and most of it is imported from Sicily. For the Pattons to get their hands on it, someone has to go back east and buy it from the French merchants on the east coast who control the sulfur trade. And then it has to be hauled all the way out here. That’s a lot of work, a lot of expenses, and takes a lot of time. The Pattons asked Robber and me to scout around the area and see if we can find some natural sulfur deposits so that they won’t have to go to so much trouble and expense to get it,” said Hugh with a smug look.
“How do you find sulfur?” asked Alex.
“Ye use yer nose to find sulfur, lad. It has a very distinctive smell. It’s called brimstone in the Bible. Ye can usually find it near a hot springs. Robber and I are riding the mountain valleys south of here to see if we can find any hot springs that smell like sulfur.”
“Your mentioning smell reminds me of something I found. Do you and Robert have time to look at something for me?” asked Alex.
“Of course, we do,” said Robert, who was instantly intrigued.
“I found a cave just over the hill that I want you to look at,” said Alex.
“Lead on, Macduff,” replied Robert, quoting Shakespeare, whom he had read extensively.
Alex mounted his horse and led Hugh and Robert to a cave that he had found on his fifty acres of land. The cave entrance wasn’t easy to discover. It was covered over almost completely with foliage. Alex had found it as he passed by at sunset one evening and saw the flight of bats streaming out to forage for the night. He led his two brothers to the cave entrance, where he had hacked some of the foliage aside. They tied up their horses’ reins to some brush nearby and hiked into the cave. Alex had previously made a torch to explore the cave and had placed it just inside the entrance. He picked it up and struck a spark to it with a flint and steel that he carried with him, causing it to blaze up.