The Times That Try Men's Souls: Volume 2
Book Series: Prelude to Glory
Author: Ron Carter
Publisher: Bookcraft
Publishing date: 1999
Pages: 553
Number of Chapters: 25
Volume 2 spans just six months: June-December, 1776.
Chapter 1
London, September, 1775. His majesty King George III is MAD! Really pissed off. Thirty-seven years old, spoiled, entitled, he blows wind (mostly for the reader's benefit) spending several pages recounting the entire history of the American colonies and their relationship with the mother country to his cabinet. Fed, nurtured, economically supported; his favorite subjects and look how they've repaid them! (but, "You'll be back! Da da da dat da!")
Of course you know, this means war.
Chapter 2
June 1776
Billy Weems has nightmares about Concord, being physically assaulted all over again by those three British soldiers who shot and bayoneted him. His homely, widowed mother, Dorothy, and younger sister comfort him. They attend church where Reverend Silas Olmsted allows a man to read an announcement asking all able men to enlist in Washington's army in New York City where they are literally surrounded by British troops enjoying great local support and reception. Washington needs help.
Billy feels he should go but is troubled about killing men. He knows the commandments of God. He talks to everyone: his mom, Margaret Dunson and finally Reverend Olmsted who astonishes Billy telling him he shot and killed men at Bunker Hill ("Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes.") while Billy was recovering from his wounds with Matthew refusing to leave his side for days, praying over his best friend. The Reverend shares a passage from the Bible-God approves war when it's for a greater good. Both feel a strong spirit manifesting importance of freedom.
Back home, Dorothy shares the latest, bestselling pamphlet, circulating among the people, "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine. This decides Billy. He will take a leave of absence from his accounting job and go and join the fight. (He is not throwing away his shot!)
Billy says goodbye to everyone, including the Dunson family and especially Brigitte who has always been like another sister to him. He knows she is still crushing on her British captain. Brigitte hugs Billy and cries,then laughs and makes him promise to be careful. Billy's heart skips a beat as he realizes he never noticed Brigitte Dunson before, you know, as a woman. He is attracted to Brigitte!
Chapter 3
A blast rocks the camp of the Boston Ninth Company regiment as they sleep, en route to New York. What happened? Billy runs to help the injured men, one is trapped under a fallen cannon. The colonel begins investigation and learns gunpowder was planted in the ground under the cannons and set off by traitors in camp intent on stopping their journey.
Billy observes a tall man, white but dressed like an Indian, with long brown hair tied back with a leather thong. He is Eli Stroud, escorted into camp by armed men. No, he's not a traitor or spy, he's here to join the fight against the British. To prove he's on their side, he solves the mystery of who ignited the blast under the cannon. It was two men. One is dead. The other is the man Billy rescued. The man confesses and Eli promises to get a message to his mother of how sorry he is. The camp assembles to witness his execution.
Later, Billy is writing his mother in Boston when Eli ambles over and introduces himself. He's been assigned to Boston regiment, the same company as Billy and if he's sending a letter home, would he mind including a message to the traitor's mom, who also lives in the Boston area, about her son's death and remorse before she learns the ugly truth from someone else? Billy is happy to include the note and knows his mother will be happy to see it gets to the woman.
Chapter 4
June 1776
Dorothy Weems does indeed get Billy's letter with a separate enclosed message to Beatrice McMurdy, who lives across the Charles River. Dorothy shares all this with the Dunson family. Brigitte offers to go with her.
They find the poor widow, deliver the sad news and help comfort her. Beatrice thanks them. They leave and that evening the poor woman has visitors, two men demanding papers her son had before he left. She denies any knowledge of them. They ransack the small shack and leave. Beatrice gets the papers from a hiding place and leaves. In the distance, her small house is on fire, the men returned but Beatrice is on her way to Boston to find Dorothy Weems and Brigitte through Reverend Olmsted who fetches Dorothy to the church where Beatrice leaves the papers with her and plans to flee the area. She has money and will travel north to family who will take her in. Dorothy and Silas take the papers and fetch Brigitte, who is just getting off at the bakery where she works. The women and Silas take the papers to the militia office where copies are made. Nobody understands the coded messages, the map and other drawings. Brigitte sends copies to Billy.
Chapter 5
Billy is now friends with Eli, thanks to an episode in camp when bullies tried to get the best of them and they had each other's backs. Realizing they make a good tag team when it comes to a fight, they share a campfire that night and talk. Eli reveals, though he was raised Iroquois after the Indians attacked his family cabin when he was a very small child and took him captive, he was taught Christianity by Jesuits and he believes.
Next day the company marches into New York City (such as is was in colonial times!). They make camp in what is today City Hall Park in downtown Manhattan, then known as the New York Common. Their superior is a bit put out no one is here to greet the fresh troops from Boston so he took liberties-secured food, including plum pudding from the commissary, and ordered his men to make camp right here in this triangle of open space bordered by Chambers St. and Broadway.
At their campfire that night, Billy and Eli discuss more Bible trivia when Eli realizes that's no owl hooting out there, someone is sending messages to the enemy. He takes off into the night to investigate.
Chapter 6
Next morning, mail call and Billy has a letter from Brigitte; enclosed are the copies. Billy shares them with Eli. That night they talk more about religion and Eli tells Billy the real reason he joined the army. He's looking for the only surviving member of his family, an older sister who might have survived the raid and separation. He was too young to remember her name except he called her "Iddy." He's hoping someone from Vermont or New Hampshire might have known the Stroud family and their terrible misfortune. Eli also wants to meet the man Indian legend says cannot be killed so he can rise up to be the father of a great nation: General George Washington.
More fake owl calls are sounding tonight and we go with Eli this time as he follows an Indian to discover men outside a nice house, a mansion in the city. They exchange something Eli can't see before they depart. He returns to tell Billy he fears Joseph Brant, a Mohawk turned Christian, is using his powerful influence with his Indian brothers to side with the British campaign in hopes of reclaiming their native land. At 4am, Eli returns to the mansion and learns it's George Washington's headquarters and those papers Billy just got might have something to do with an evil plot to assassinate the General. They go to their leader and give him the papers.
Chapter 7
Next morning, both men are summoned, only to have the papers returned because it's old news, someone in Boston already forwarded copies of these same papers. No one can make any sense of them.
Back at the their campfire that evening, Eli is looking at the mysterious map when Billy notices something new-when you hold the paper to the light a stray ink dot reveals the mansion house Eli has been watching. It's a map of the house! Those meaningless fish orders on the other paper are not cod but represent gunpowder! Eli returns to the house to personally investigate and finds men delivering two barrels to the cellar door in the middle of the night with a storm brewing. He returns and tells Billy. Both are willing to bet those barrels don't contain any kind of fish.
Since an Indian attacked Eli on his trip back, they find the regimental doctor. Eli took care of the Indian but his arm got slashed in the process. The wound isn't serious but involving the doctor means explaining why Eli left camp without permission. Something suspicious is going on over at the General's headquarters. The camp leaders believe their story and everyone heads to the mansion where Eli gets to play Sherlock Holmes again. With his Indian tracking skills,he identifies the spy by his footprints in the dirt floor of the cellar, reveals the entire plot, and leads them to the dead Indian in the woods. (This is all based on a true story.) The truth is out and the guilty men confess. Their leader will face a court martial tomorrow. Eli most likely just saved the General's life tonight.
Chapter 8
June 1776
The man Eli revealed as a spy is hung is the public square. Tension between Tories and Patriots is high. Billy and Eli are finishing their midday meal, discussing God's hand in the fight for freedom and the legend of George Washington not being taken before his time when a huge, expensive Conestoga wagon drawn by two expensive and perfectly matched Percheron draft horses rumbles by. The driver is a woman with dark hair and eyes, wearing heavy, expensive, calico clothing and a wide brimmed hat. She has nice facial features and she's obviously a good driver. Billy and Eli learn she is Mary Flint, a rich widow, who lost her husband to the Patriot cause three days before her baby was born stillborn. To ease her grief, she has devoted her life and family wealth to aiding the fight against England.
Due to their help in uncovering the gunpowder plot against the General, Billy is promoted to corporal and Eli is made a scout. Billy writes home. Eli supplements their bad tasting evening mess with fresh clams any native born Indian would know to dig for in the nearby river.
Chapter 9
We are now taken to General William Howe of the British and his view of this impending war. Washington's ragtag army doesn't pose much of a threat. As long as England doesn't fire the first shot, they'll continue to bide their time.
Back to Billy and Eli who stare, awe-struck as a parade of ships sail down the Hudson to the British strongholds on the south end of Manhattan island. The army needs to strike camp and move for they are seriously outnumbered but many are too sick to be moved. Mary Flint offers her wagon and horses to help transport the sick men across the East River to Long Island. With his hurt arm, Eli isn't good for much except to ride with Mary, helping to support the semi-conscious man on the driver's bench between them while she drives. Mary and Eli talk as the wagon is ferried across the water. They reach the other side to discover the man has died. Mary weeps. Eli reassures her she did all she could adding gently that he heard her tragic story and he's sorry for all her loss and pain.
It grows dark as they continue to Brooklyn. With his blue eyes and brown hair, Mary is curious why a white man would turn Indian? Eli tells her his own story of loss, his traumatic separation from his family, seeing his mother and father killed right in front of him and the older sister he hopes to find. Mary sobs for Eli; such a terrible thing to happen to a two-year-old child. Eli places a comforting hand on her shaking shoulder but before anything else can happen they've arrived at the military camp where Mary is shown to a tent with other women to spend the night.
Eli thinks on Mary that night while Billy writes to his family and thinks on Brigitte.
Chapter 10
Back in Boston, Brigitte is organizing a party to gather food, supplies, even inviting
But after Cullen leaves, he meets with the same two men who terrorized Beatrice McMurdy in Ch. 4. Uh-oh.
Chapter 11
Billy, Eli and the rest of their company are instructed in the ten steps of firing cannons. Billy and Eli successfully pass the test of doing all ten steps perfectly the first time before the other men get their turn. Suppertime and the food is pretty bad tonight, as usual, but everyone gets a fresh peach with their portion for dessert. Billy starts another letter home while Eli gets his first written orders as scout to go out and see what the British are up to.
Eli follows a small group of Indians who are on a scouting expedition of their own to discover the weakest link/road to Washington's army. Eli returns and makes his report. He also adds his own Joseph Brant suspicions which are taken into consideration.
Next day, the newly signed Declaration of Independence is read out loud and everyone weeps and is profoundly moved. Copies of the new document are also distributed. Eli and Billy discuss God's hand in all of this...again.
Chapter 12
First the first time in the series we get George Washington's point of view (We are outgunned, Outmanned, Outnumbered, Outplanned,). At six foot four inches, strongly built, thin mouth, prominent nose with piercing blue-grey eyes, he is The General. A man is here to meet with him. General Howe would accept surrender now, if citizen Washington is willing.
*Hem* General Washington will do no such thing. He has an army and he's not afraid to use it. They want to be free and independent and if it means fighting a war, they will do it. Go tell General Howe that and have a nice day.
Washington's aide is named Reed and he's brought luncheon. Washington thanks him and asks him to round up a few men for a game of cards. When he wasn't busy being so awesome, George Washington liked to play a good game of whist.
Chapter 13
August 1776
Introductions are made, for the reader's benefit, to all eight British Generals who discuss the upcoming battle. The man who met with Washington in the last chapter was General Paterson. He reports George Washington's refusal to accept their gracious pardon by the Crown to the rebellious colonies. Looks like war. Joseph Brant (Eli was right!) will lead his large party of Indian warriors while German-Hessian General Van Heister is ready to unleash the fury of his hired assassins to annihilate these peasant farmers who think themselves soldiers.
To the north, across the harbor, in a mansion in NYC, a similar scene is playing out among Washington and his six loyal Generals as they discuss their defense against the British attack they know is coming. The Americans currently hold one small area of land on Long Island which Washington is determined to keep.
Back at camp, Billy and Eli visit the sick where they discover a weak, overworked Mary Flint who collapses while insisting she continue to help to nurse all these poor, sick men. Eli catches her and carries her away from the disgusting, overcrowded infirmary tent to the command tent where he insists she get proper care. It's granted.
Meanwhile, 97 miles north, Brigitte, Caleb and their wagon train of supplies and freight are six days on the road.
Chapter 14
Eli is scouting, taking notes of the strength of the British army and their Indian allies. It doesn't look good for the Patriots. He reports and swings by another tent to smile down on a sleeping Mary Flint who is recovering and wakes up to thank him.
Back at Brigitte and Caleb's camp, Brigitte is thinking longingly of home where hot food, a bath and her own bed are waiting for her. She and Caleb say their prayers and crawl, fully clothed, into bedrolls, sleeping out in the open, only to be rudely awakened by British troops who declare the entire camp prisoners of war and seize their wagons. Cullen was the traitor who notified the British of their presence and their intent to help Washington.
For two days they are forced to drive the wagons to the nearest British camp unaware a Patriot army, thinking Tories are aiding the British, have been following them. They attack and fire cannon. Brigitte and Caleb are the only survivors. Not asking questions or announcing their presence, they sneak away and decide to walk home. So much for their glorious adventure.
Chapter 15
Eli is summoned to George Washington himself! Washington wants his report from scouting in the last chapter and, by the way, thanks for your role in saving my life. He asks if there's anything he can do for him. Eli asks Washington for help in locating his only relation left on earth. Learning his sad story, emotion in his eyes, Washington promises to do what he can to help reunite Eli with his sister.
Billy and other soldiers are nervous about the upcoming invasion. Can they engage the enemy and hold their position? The British are planning to sneak troops through the unguarded south pass for a surprise attack. The Brooklyn area in 1776 was mostly swampland and marsh to the northeast. Washington's army is sitting in a trap.
Chapter 16
Billy and Eli talk more of God and heaven and what happens when we die. The fighting begins but it sounds heaviest in the distance. Eli goes to check it out, though no one ordered him to. Alarmed to see TEN THOUSAND British marching up the road, Eli tells the first ranking officer he can find that they are about to become permanent residents. Eli returns to Billy, then finds another officer to spread the word but it's too late. The trap is sprung and a holocaust begins.
Washington, back at his headquarters in NYC mounts his horse and looks through his telescope. Seeing it's hopeless he tells his staff to arrange transport across the water for himself and the rest of his troops. Help is coming!
In the heart of hand to hand combat, Eli manages to find Billy, holding his own as he takes out a British officer, throws him over his shoulder and literally fights his way free through the enemy line to retreat; a small group of fellow soldiers in tow behind him. The rest are trapped with no where to run except the swamp to the east as the pass to the south is being held by Brits.
Washington arrives to witness his defeated army in full retreat, running for their lives, oblivious to his shouts to stop and take a stand for liberty and freedom!
By nightfall, camp is made in a small area of Brooklyn, backed by water from the East River on three sides, Manhattan in the distance. The British order a halt and let them be. They will wait until morning to finish their job, give Washington a chance to surrender.
But Washington will do nothing of the kind. Thanks to Billy and Eli's report that the enemy is bedding down for the night, he's already mobilizing every man and boat he can find to transport the remains of his army back to Manhattan. The Battle of Long Island is pretty much over.
Chapter 17
August 1776
It rains all day. There is little fighting. Men eat raw meat and rock-hard biscuits, including Washington who sets up a table under a makeshift cover and suffers right along with them as his Generals lead what's left of their army behind the breastwork fortifications which are all that stand between them and the enemy.
By nightfall, with rain still pouring down, Eli decides to go scout the British. He finds two Indians doing the same thing. He kills one, knocks the other unconscious and carries him back to Washington himself. Since Eli is fluent in all Indian languages and dialects, he gets the Indian to confess all the info he has which Eli translates for the General: British are planning to surround Washington by both land and water surrounding them using gunboats to attack. It's 9,000 Patriots vs. 20,000 Redcoats with their floating armada, the largest and most powerful in the world. Washington knows he's in trouble but he's got a plan.
During the next 24 hours, the hand of God is evident as Washington takes advantage of the thick fog to organize the biggest, fastest retreat in history using every available resource he has. New England fishermen come forward, born with their hands on the tiller, capable of piloting anything that will float. Can they transport nine-thousand men across the water to Manhattan in one night? They can and they do while the British suspect nothing. Washington orders men to light thousands of fake campfires to give the impression of their presence.
Dawn breaks and the British attack only to find a deserted camp just in time to see George Washington himself, the last man to leave, floating away in the mist to safety. British Generals curse and shake their fists at his retreating form.
Chapter 18
September 1776
Back in Boston, Margaret's "mother's intuition" is tingling. Brigitte and Caleb will arrive home, safe and sound, tonight. She prepares food and bath water and settles down to wait. Sure enough, at 1am, they stumble up the front path and fall into her waiting arms. They inhale the food and Margaret, at Brigitte's request, helps her wash her hair three times, she's that filthy from travel. Caleb has already bathed and Margaret is concerned by his bitter attitude over what happened to them. She tucks Caleb into bed and she and Brigitte sit up and talk while she dries her hair. Caleb has turned from God and both women are worried about the boy they may have just lost.
Chapter 19
At Washington's headquarters, a council is convened. No blame for the miscommunication over who was supposed to be guarding the south pass. The new plan is to evacuate the city, move north to Harlem and Fort Washington until they can cross the Hudson to New Jersey. (There's a very handy map on page 348.)
Billy and Eli are helping to break camp when Mary Flint drives up in her big wagon, fully recovered. They exchange greetings while Mary's wagon is loaded. Eli watches her until the wagon is out of sight. They bed down for the night. In the morning they head northwest to Fort Washington while two other groups stay behind to face the armada coming up the East River to fire on Washington's army.
Chapter 20
British cannon mounted on warships begin their deadly assault while Hessians attack by land. Washington rides among his terrified men, urging them to fight but they won't have it.
To the south, a man named Aaron Burr (Sir) under orders from General Putnam, rides up to inform Henry Knox he knows this area well and is ready to lead them all safely out of here and he does.
Historians still debate on the truth of this story but a Quaker woman, wealthy and married to a man named Murray, witnesses the retreat and decides to help Washington's army by inviting the British Generals into her home for food and refreshment, insisting they stay for a short recital on her harpsichord, stalling them so Americans can get away.
Billy and Eli reach Fort Washington with the rest of the decimated army. The Battle of Kip's Bay is over. British 2, Americans 0.
Chapter 21
Washington writes a report of the most recent battle, the retreat, and sends it to John Hancock and the Continental Congress because his army is in desperate need of money and supplies. He's interrupted by an incoming rider. The British are coming! Eli and Billy witness the activity around Washington's headquarters. Suddenly, a call comes for Eli. Mary Flint has news about his sister-a solid lead! No time to act on it now. Billy and Eli must joint the fight against invading British and the Hessians who retreat in the Battle of Harlem Heights. This is a great boost to morale.
Chapter 22
September 1776
A mysterious fire breaks out in NYC, burning many British stores of supplies, churches and grand homes, both Patriot and Tory. A young man named Nathan Hale is taken captive and hung by British as a patriot spy. His last immortal words-"I regret that I have but one life to give for my country."
Chapter 23
October 1776
Billy and Eli report to Washington and his Generals about their latest scouting expedition. Eli does all the talking but Billy does all the saluting. Because Eli is such a valuable asset, nobody corrects him for his breach of military etiquette.
Billy has mail waiting for him. He learns what happened to Brigitte and shares his letter with Eli. The alarm sounds again, the British, who landed many troops on New York mainland to the East are heading this way. Fresh from scouting the area, Washington calls for Billy and Eli to join Colonel Glover's men to hold them off by hiding behind walls and wheat fields to fire on the British as they pass which they successfully do and Washington is able to retreat further upstate to White Plains. Captain Alexander Hamilton, later to become aide-de-camp to Washington, commanded cannon in this battle later to be named the Battle of White Plains/Chatterton Hill as Washington took another beating and was forced to retreat south, back to Fort Washington.
Chapter 24
November 1776
At Fort Washington, British attack and take the fort. Across the Hudson, at Fort Lee, Washington observes and is discouraged. Thomas Paine rides into camp. He wants to do something to boost morale. He borrows a drum to write on and gets to work writing. Washington calls for Eli, instructing him to take a message to a man posing as a Tory spy. They MUST stop the British from taking Philadelphia where the Continental Congress currently meets. They are outnumbered, again, which means Washington will retreat and lead his army across New Jersey to Pennsylvania. They must abandon their camp, including food, equipment and supplies. No time to eat, put down that mess plate and RUN. NOW! The British are coming! Get across the Hackensack River. Flee across the state of New Jersey, get across the Delaware River as fast as you can. Those same Marblehead seamen, who played such an important role in the last emergency evacuation, rise up to the challenge ferrying every last man across the river safely.
Bringing up the rear is Captain Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox with their cannon which they turn and point at the advancing enemy, silently threatening them with harm if they come any closer bravely covering their retreating brethren. The British and Hessians laugh and shout insults at the retreating army; letting them go. British 4, Amercians 1.
Chapter 25
December 1776
Billy and Eli suffer the bitter cold and poor rations, sleeping out in the open with British camped in plain view across the Delaware River, not even bothering to attack when Nature is killing off their enemy for them. Billy writes to Brigitte, Eli asks him why Billy never mails these letters to his best friend's sister, what's the risk? Billy admits he likes her but she's in love with someone else and he's not good enough for her anyway. Eli tells him, despite being ugly and dumb, Billy should mail that letter anyway. They laugh.
Meanwhile, George Washington is nearly overcome with grief for this lost cause. In despair he bows his head and supplicates the Almighty. A knock at his door brings the newest essay by Thomas Paine, composed in the bitter cold on a humble drum head. Freedom IS worth fighting for! Washington's spirits are lifted and he is filled with the spirit of freedom.
THE END
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