Our Sacred Honor

Our Sacred Honor: Volume 1

Book Series: Prelude to Glory
Author:         Ron Carter
Publisher:     Bookcraft
Publishing date: 1998
Pages:           602
Number of Chapters: 29

This volume spans four years, 1775-1779

Chapter 1
April, 1775

Meet the Dunson family headed by John and Margaret. John is six feet tall with dark brown hair and brown eyes. As the town's only gunsmith, he is bent over his work bench. Margaret is blonde and blue eyed; fiercely devoted to her family. Their oldest son Matthew, age twenty-one, takes after his father with dark hair, eyes and strong features. Harvard graduate, he is studying charts in preparation to be a navigator on a ship. Both men wear their long hair tied back with a leather thong.
Brigitte is eighteen with light brown hair, blue eyes and a heart-shaped face. Top of her class in school, she is determined to be the first 18th century feminist with equal rights and education for women. Caleb and the twins Adam and Priscilla, nicknamed "Prissy" are asleep in the other room.
It is 9:45 pm (John Dunson is also a clockmaker so they know these things!) and during all this exposition, someone has been pounding on the front door of the Dunson home. It is Tom Sievers, notorious, mysterious town drunk in league with rebel colonists against occupying British in colonial Bostontown. British troops are moving along the Back Bay so they must get a message to Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Paul Revere will carry the message to them. As leader of the Committee of Safety, John goes with Tom to the secret meeting where they discuss how to sneak Revere and his men out of Boston without alerting British spies who have eyes and ears everywhere. War is coming!
The meeting adjourns and Tom walks John back home. It is now very early in the morning.
John and Margaret talk of all this being part of a "higher plan."

Chapter 2

Next day, a typical New England Sunday is described with everyone helping to prepare breakfast. Margaret worries Brigitte will end up a spinster if she doesn't put a filter on that brain-mouth of hers. We learn John was orphaned as a child when Indians attacked his cabin and it was Tom Sievers who took him under his wing, teaching him all the boy scout survival skills he'd need. Tom lost his own beloved wife, Elizabeth, to an Indian raid before John was old enough to marry. Known all over Boston as "Crazy Tom" John knows Tom as a good man to have on your side.
It's a beautiful spring morning as the entire Dunson family walks to church. Along the way Mathew's best friend, Billy Weems, joins them. Matthew notices they're being followed by British soldiers. Not a good sign.

Chapter 3

The British soldiers begin harassing them. Brigitte steps forward, opens her mouth to speak her mind, takes one look at the tall, handsome lieutenant with dark hair and hazel eyes and is struck dumb for the first time in her life! None of this is lost on Margaret. They arrive at church and anxiety increases when armed British enter the church before services have even begun. They are looking for traitors. They know about last night's meeting! Brigitte's handsome soldier walks solemnly up the aisle, inspecting the rows, while Brigitte tries hard not to stare. Adams and Hancock are the most wanted men on their list, but since they aren't here, the soldiers leave and protests erupt. After calming his congregation, the Reverend Silas Olmsted preaches his sermon.
More trouble on the walk home when a cocky British soldier makes a "questionable" maneuver with his bayonet (this is a true story) on Sarah Dawes angering her husband, William, who grabs and destroys the musket, injuring the soldier in the process. John Dunson intervenes, restraining William who threaten the British to never come near his wife again. No arrests are made but tension is high between British and Colonist.
The Dunson's prepare for their special Sunday dinner guests: Doctor Henry Thorpe, educated in London but a loyal Patriot, his wife Phoebe and their kids. His oldest is lovely daughter, Kathleen with long dark hair and eyes that shine with adoration for her best boyfriend. She and Matthew are ready to take their relationship to the next level. An engagement announcement! Kathleen has a little brother and sister, Charles and Faith, who listen with open mouths as the younger Dunsons recount the exciting episode with the British soldier and his broken musket
After the delicious Sunday dinner, (Leg of lamb, potatoes and vegetables all prepared over an open hearth fire and muffins carefully baked in the oven box adjoining the stone fireplace; cooking in the colonial kitchen was not for the faint of heart!) Matthew leads Kathleen outside to the oak tree in the backyard to pop the question. Everyone weeps with happiness.
Party over, the Thorpe family has just left when Tom appears with more news-there's a mole among the committee members. Someone leaked information about the hidden muskets and ammunition to the British along with last night's secret meeting. Everyone fears for Revere's safety.

Chapter 4

Narration backs up to that Sunday morning, April 16, 1775, for British General Thomas Gage's day. He's furious over these rebel colonists and their ungrateful attitude. He WILL have order in Boston. He also wants Paul Revere, dead or alive but Paul Revere is miles ahead of him, already meeting with Adams and Hancock who are hiding out in a country farmhouse. Revere gets back safely to Boston that night and meets with another man to plan the famous "one if by land, two if by sea" signal for their upcoming midnight ride to spread the word to all the farmers living outside Bostontown alerting them to the British movement. The time has come!

Chapter 5

As told in Chapter 1, John's profession is clockmaker and gunsmith. He's made seven muskets for the patriot cause and must smuggle them to the church where Reverend Olmsted will hide them in preparation for the inevitable war with England.
Monday is washday for all Boston Goodwives. This means hauling buckets of water to fill the kettles over the fire pits outside and hours of backbreaking work stirring and scrubbing the laundry. During the intervals of waiting for water to heat, Margaret and Brigitte get the younger children off to school while John watches all the British patrols searching citizens in the street for hidden weapons. How will they ever get the muskets to the church without getting caught?
Brigitte has an idea-women could hide muskets in quilting frames claiming a church quilting bee is being held later in the week. They get Kathleen, her mom and Billy's mom, Dorothy, to help carry the bundles of frames and quilts. The party arrives at the church. Brigitte and Kathleen let the soldiers search their bundle, deliberately left empty but when they insist on searching the others, Brigitte fakes a spectacular fall, pretends to be injured and while everyone is distracted, the muskets are safely secured by Reverend Olmsted.
Suddenly, Brigitte's handsome soldier (now with blue eyes!) arrives to inquire what's going on. He suspects something but everyone is allowed to go home. That night, British raid the church. They had a search warrant and everything. Brigitte feels she's to blame.

Chapter 6

John, Henry Thorpe, and Tom meet at a committee member's home to discuss the raid. The truth is out. Someone in their inner circle told the British about the seven muskets because the search warrant specifically mentioned them.
Meanwhile, Brigitte sneaks out to find her soldier and ask him, straight out, if he knew about their contraband and tattled? He says no and by the way, congrats on the hurt foot's swift recovery. Brigitte turns bright red. His name is Richard Buchanan and he asks for hers. He won't turn her in but when his superior officer appears to demand what's going on, he lies while Brigitte bolts.
Meeting adjourned with no answers, John visits Reverend Olmsted and his wife at the church where a strong spirit of freedom touches all.

Chapter 7

On Tuesday, while all Boston Goodwives are hard at work ironing yesterday's wash, Tom Sievers shadows a colonial citizen, Amos Ingersol, all day who never suspects a thing as he is admitted into British headquarters to meet with General Thomas Gage (the reader is privy to their conversation while Tom loiters outside to the dismay of British patrolmen). Tom continues to follow Amos who makes his usual stops at the tavern and the local shops, including the bakery, where Tom catches the passing of a note to Enid with her basket, about to make her afternoon deliveries. The Thorpe home is her last stop where Tom observes money being exchanged for Ingersol's note. Tom realizes Doctor Henry Thorpe is their traitor!
Meanwhile, General Gage dispatches armed troops to Concord where another secret stash of weapons is about to be confiscated, thanks to Colonial spies.
Tom bursts into the Dunson home with the news of British troops marching on Concord. This means war!

Chapter 8

Tom and John head to the Committee leader's house to inform the others so they can begin assembling to Concord for the inevitable battle. On the way, Tom gives John the personal bad news about the Thorpe family.
In preparation for his famous midnight ride, Paul Revere tells two men to hang two lanterns  in the church steeple (two if by sea) and gallops off on his horse to warn the countryside about the approaching British.
Back at the Dunson home, John takes his son aside and tells him Kathleen may be a Torry as her father has betrayed them all. Before leaving for what will later go down in history as the battles of Lexington and Concord, John looks in on his sleeping children, contemplating how Tom basically saved his life as a young man after he was orphaned. What will become of his own children if something happens to him in Concord-Foreshadowing anyone?

Chapter 9

Arrival of the Sheriff with a warrant for the arrest of Henry Thorpe upsets the entire house. Phoebe goes into hysterics. Kathleen tries to be brave and accept the fact her family name has just been ruined. They are pariahs. Outcasts. Matthew is equally heartbroken when Kathleen closes the door in his face, refusing his comfort and support. Kathleen will not have Matthew's good name soiled by association with her. They can never see each other again.
With nothing to lose, Matthew finds Tom who agrees to let him travel to Concord with him and join the fight for freedom.
Brigitte and Margaret talk of her forbidden love for the British soldier.
Across town, Richard's thoughts are of a spunky colonial gal.

Chapter 10

Brave Paul Revere dodges British patrols who shoot and miss as he rouses every farmhouse with the alert that the British are on the move to seize the supplies in Concord. He reaches the farmhouse where Adams and Hancock are still hiding out near Lexington where William Dawes, (the second rider history forgot) joins them. Revere and Dawes continue to Concord but British force them to split up. They capture Revere, take his horse and let him go. He walks back to the farmhouse to tell Adams and Hancock.

Chapter 11
April 1775
John Dunson is also dodging British as he walks to Concord. Not far behind him, Tom and Matthew are also doing their best to avoid British patrols. The redcoats are uneasy, running behind schedule and worried about the threat of a local uprising when they reach Concord.

Chapter 12

British arrive in Lexington on Wednesday, April 19, where they are met by armed colonials who know they MUST NOT fire the first shot but, somehow, one is fired and history still disagrees with which side was responsible for "the shot heard round the world." British aim and fire at the line of colonials. Tom arrives just in time to shout "No!" and watch as survivors of the first battle turn and run. Tom helps carry one wounded man inside to his tearful wife where he dies honorably as the last man who refused to run.

Chapter 13

Backing up again to Boston a messenger arrives at British headquarters with a request for more armed troops to Concord. Margaret worries for her husband and son and can't sleep. Wednesday morning dawns. The younger kids are sent off to school. Brigitte hears the British troops marching outside and runs hoping to catch one last glimpse of her man. They exchange meaningful looks but no words are spoken. Margaret worries and sympathizes. She goes to visit the Thorpes, comforts Kathleen who is basically running the household while Phoebe rants and wails in her bed. Seeing there's nothing more she can do, Margaret takes her leave but promises to send food to Henry in prison and ask the Sheriff to watch the house as they've already been threatened.

Chapter 14

Everyone else is in Concord. Tom and Matthew find John and Billy Weems. Men from every hamlet and village are here, ready to defend their supplies. British arrive and begin raiding, burning and bullying the women and children while the men can only stand helpless and watch because, once again, they MUST NOT fire the first shot. Some are exchanged anyway, wounding British, who begin a retreat back to Boston.

Chapter 15

It is still Wednesday, April 19. Heavily outnumbered by colonials who begin picking the marching ranks off from their hiding spots all along the road, the British take a fatal beating with officers falling left and right thanks to their flashy gold giving away their rank. Local Lexington men join the holocaust.
Billy is attacked while British run in full retreat, desperate to shake the colonials. They meet the reinforcements from Boston and while other colonials fire on them from behind, John, Tom and Matthew rescue Billy, after killing the three British who shot and bayoneted him. British fire cannons at the Colonials hiding in the bush but miss. Billy is taken in by the same wife whose husband Tom helped back in Ch.12. The local doctor is sent for. He gets the bullet out of Billy and sews up his wounds declaring he'll live. Matthew stays while John and Tom rejoin the fight.
British raid, loot and burn in retaliation for this uprising. One seventy-eight-year-old man fights back with three guns and a saber. British shoot him, bayonet him thirteen times but he LIVES and what's more, he gets up, binds his wounds and is ready to meet the next British who dare set foot in his front yard! This is a true story.
John is not so lucky. He gets shot just as the sun is going down. Tom uses John's musket to shoot two and finish off the third with the tomahawk he's famous for carrying. Tom puts John on a British horse, takes him to the Charles River, commandeers a rowboat and rows John to Boston where he staggers up to the door of the Dunson home supporting John who is barely conscious.

Chapter 16

Backtracking to earlier in the day, AGAIN, Margaret's foreboding grows worse. She has a brief vision of her beloved husband, John, hurt and wounded. One hour later, Tom is banging on the front door. Doctor Soderquist is sent for and Tom leaves to inform Dorothy Weems about Billy. The younger kids are sent to bed. Tom returns and Brigitte, Margaret and Tom keep vigil at John's bedside all night. The doctor says John's gunshot wound is too deep in the lung, it is fatal, nothing more he can do. Sorry.
At 5:15am Matthew suddenly walks in, having no idea his father was mortally wounded but he is strong as Margaret sobs in her son's arms. Thursday, April 20, 7am, no school for the little kids today. Kathleen visits. She and Matthew talk in the other room but, again, it's over between them as Kathleen blames her family for John's inevitable death. They are enemies. Margaret holds Kathleen while she sobs, gets control and leaves without looking back.
John takes a turn for the worse. Everyone, including Tom, gather around the bed to say goodbye. A very touching scene as John admonishes his youngest twins, Adam and Prissy along with Caleb, to be good, read the Bible every day, say their prayers and take care of mother. Same goes for Brigitte who wipes a tear and promises to do the same. To Matthew, John repeats his knowledge (testimony) of this "higher work" everyone is engaged in. This fight for freedom is ordained by heaven. Matthew is now the head of the house. To Margaret, he insists that, despite the teachings of their church, families are meant to be forever. Margaret feels a strong feeling of peace. Love ya, bye!

Chapter 17

Saturday, April 22, 1775. The day of John's funeral, Kathleen stands outside the graveyard as the outdoor service is held in misty rain and chilly fog. She longs to be with Matthew but her family is already tormented by abuse-rocks through the windows, no money to pay bills or buy food which no one will sell to them anyway. Meanwhile, as told in Ch. 1, Matthew is a Harvard graduate and his knowledge of naval navigation is needed on warships as ordered by General George Washington. A letter arrives with orders to report for duty. Matthew will go, of course. The spirit of liberty touches mother and son as they say farewell.

END of PART I

Chapter 18

Three months later, July 1775, Matthew is on the fictional ship Esther off to plunder British ships in the Atlantic off the New England coast. They find one and shoot a few holes in it with their cannon then cripple it by taking out her rudder, forcing surrender. Esther tows it to the nearest port. All marvel over a "higher power" guiding them through it all.

Chapter 19

July, 1775. With no breadwinner in the house, everyone in the Dunson family must pull together and work: Brigitte at the bakery (not the British loyalist one from Ch. 7), Caleb delivers newspapers and Margaret takes in washing. Tom drops by and helps in minor household chores and repairs. Margaret is grateful. A recovering Billy, hobbling with support of a cane, brings word about Richard, wounded in the Concord battle; convalescing here in Boston. Brigitte is determined to visit him or at least send him a care package.

Chapter 20
July 1775
As outcasts in Bostontown, her father found guilty of treason and banished south to British occupied West Indies, Kathleen is forced to take the only honest job with the only people in the city who will hire her-the British compound where the troops are stationed. She works the graveyard shift as a laundress while Phoebe sits at home in her bed and pretends everything is normal. Her health has been deteriorating ever since that fateful day. Poor Kathleen must work all night plus find the energy in taking care of the house, her mother, and homeschooling the children who were kicked out of the common school thanks to their father's betrayal.
It gets worse when she catches the eye of a British major who tries to get fresh. She calls him a filthy animal and leaves, troubled by the ultimatum as he yells threats about reporting her as a spy. Kathleen was only trying to get information about a wounded soldier for her friend, Brigitte.
In despair, Kathleen spills the whole story to Billy who stopped by to take the information she might have about Richard to Brigitte. Unbeknownst to them, Phoebe eavesdrops then pens her own letter to King George III of England imploring sanctuary, as loyal British subjects, in behalf of her husband who was always a loyal servant to the Crown.
Before he leaves, Billy begs Kathleen to accept the help of her friends. Nobody blames her. Kathleen refuses. Billy goes to the Dunson home where Tom learns about Kathleen's trouble with sexual harassment in the workplace. It is now late afternoon and a July thunderstorm is moving in as Tom takes it upon himself to be Kathleen's avenging angel. He seeks out the offending major that night at the compound, sticks a knife in his face and promises to give him (hell) if he even LOOKS at Kathleen Thorpe again!
Problem solved.

Chapter 21
January 1776
Matthew tricks British ship into shoals where it wrecks itself and the Esther takes her. All marvel over the Hand of Providence in this whole battle. A message arrives requesting they join a raiding party to West Indies (modern day Caribbean) where British have a fort on Isle of Providence (Nassau). Before they depart, Matthew has permission to visit his family.

Chapter 22
February, 1776
Laid off from the laundry job, Kathleen toils at the fisheries cleaning and gutting the fresh catches. She had no idea Phoebe wrote to the King of England last summer until a letter arrives granting them passage to England. If they will go to the British compound and meet with General Gage, he will arrange everything. The King's noblesse oblige includes a monthly stipend and a permanent family residence in London. Phoebe is determined to go. Kathleen wonders if life can get any worse.
Over at the Dunsons', Matthew is coming! Brigitte suffers silent agonies over a letter from Richard, thanking her for the cookies. She begs Margaret to let her invite her young man over for dinner, say this Tuesday?

Chapter 23

Matthew is welcomed home, he brings gifts for the entire family, is devastated to learn Kathleen and her family are gone, disappeared into the night without a word to anyone. They attend church that Sunday where Reverend Olmsted enlightens them-gone to England. Everyone is sorry they never got to say goodbye.
Tuesday arrives and a special dinner guest knocks on the door. Richard presents Margaret with a pair of lovely candlesticks in gratitude for the invite. He is very polite. The younger kids like him and even Matthew talks pleasantly with him as Richard reveals he was born an only child, his parents are dead so he never had a family of his own and is lonely in a foreign country. He and Brigitte talk under the oak tree in the yard where he gives her a handkerchief and she kisses him on the cheek and clings to him until he gently suggests they go back inside. An enjoyable visit, once everyone got past the awkwardness.

Chapter 24

The party of ships arrive in the West Indies. John Paul Jones and Matthew meet and become instant friends as they both keep feeling the spirit of the Almighty guiding their every move (and it's getting a bit redundant!). They navigate dangerous sandbars to safely land on the island and take the British fort without a single shot fired. Once again, everyone won't shut up about the hand of God aiding them all the time.

Chapter 25
March 1776
All British soldiers are leaving Boston to take the fight north to Lake Champlain and south to where Washington's army is currently stationed in the New York City area. A man knocks on the door with a letter from Richard but it's not addressed to Brigitte, it's for Margaret informing her he's leaving with the rest of his squadron and feels it's best he end this relationship with her daughter. A Brit may love an American, but where would they live? It would never work. Tell Brigitte and thanks again for inviting me to dinner. Brigitte buries her head in her arms and bursts into tears.
In London, Kathleen and the kids are miserable. Their new neighbors treat them no different than their former Boston's. The children are bullied at school for their foreign accent and everyone accuses them of being spies. Phoebe has had another stroke and is now permanently bedridden. She is depressed to the point of being catatonic with no idea what's going on. Her rantings have been reduced to mumbling about her husband returning any day now and making everything right. Kathleen thinks on Matthew and tries to be strong.

Chapter 26
June 1776
Back in America's oldest seaport, Gloucester Massachussetts, Matthew is again called upon in a letter from George Washington to go to Lake Champlain where General Benedict Arnold is building ships to fight the British. Matthew suggests Tom Sievers to serve as a guide for all of Arnold's men and a letter is sent. Tom actually beats Matthew up to the New York/Vermont lake, meets him in camp and both report to Arnold who just received a copy of the newly adopted Declaration of Independence. He reads it to the entire camp, everyone is PROFOUNDLY moved, until everyone remembers there's a war on and gets back to work.
Tom sneaks into the British camp and blows up everything, chops holes in all the Huron tribe canoes and pretty much fixes it so British can't fight. With his newly constructed boats, Arnold engages the British and defeats them.

Chapter 27
December 1778
Life is normal in Bostontown as Margaret reflects on the last three years and two months since John died-Matthew off fighting in the war but coming home for Christmas. Caleb wants to join (*Continuity error!* Caleb has already joined! see Vol 4 The Hand of Providence chapter 12 p. 248 June 1777, Caleb runs away from home to enlist.) but Margaret absolutely refuses to let him go. No one's heard from Kathleen or Richard. Brigitte is now twenty-two and teaching at the school. She'd be married if every eligible bachelor wasn't so discouraged by her devotion to a British officer.
One day, a package arrives for Brigitte. It's Richard's personal effects. He was killed in the Battle of Freeman's Farm over a year ago, October, 1777. Brigitte relays all this to her family before turning and walking, dry-eyed to her room to shut the door and mourn her grief in solitude.
In London, it's Christmas morning and Phoebe is DEAD. Kathleen discovers her lifeless body and keeps this from the children, distracting them with their small gifts and the anticipation of the special Christmas dinner she'll be preparing for them later today-roast beef and plum pudding. She gets the doctor who is very kind, sympathetic and discreet in removing the body without upsetting the little ones who remain too caught up in the day to notice anything amiss-Mama (who does nothing but sleep anyway these days) is going with the doctor- he brought them Christmas candy!
The funeral is held three days later. The minute it's over, Kathleen begins making arrangements to sail back to America. She begins by writing a letter to Reverend Olmsted.

Chapter 28
September 1779
Matthew and Tom are on a ship serving under John Paul Jones off the British isles in the North Atlantic with two other ships. They have enjoyed great victory in taking one British ship after another with all the spoils of war. They engage another warship but their luck has run out. The ship sustains heavy damage but brave John Paul orders his ship lashed to the British one so everyone can fight man to man. When defeated British captain pleads surrender a defiant Jones speaks his now famous line,
"I have not yet begun to fight!"
while Tom Sievers climbs up a mast to toss grenades on the enemy ship and save many lives until a musket ball hits him and he falls.
Matthew gets him indoors where Tom dies in his arms with a happy smile on his face because he saw his Elizabeth and their child, killed thirty years ago by Indians AND he tells Matthew he saw John and it's all so happy and peaceful over there on the other side-think I'll go join them, bye!

Chapter 29
October 1779
Back home, Matthew buries Tom. Reverend Silas Olmsted stops Matthew in church that Sunday to tell him about a delayed letter he just received. From Kathleen in England. Billy and Matthew go immediately to the docks to inquire about any ships expected from England. One will be arriving tomorrow. Next day, everyone in the Dunson family is waiting to greet Kathleen and the kids. Matthew and Kathleen hold each other as if they'll never let go and it's a happy

THE END