The Real End to the Patriot
(I came up with this idea, because I thought the battle
between Martin and Tavington could have been better, and about Yorktown, I have
a much more dramatic ending. And uh, to
you out there who has seen the movie, the French fleet really didn't do what
they said it did in the movie. Why? Because I go to school 20 minutes from the
Yorktown National Battlefield (and been there I don't know how many times and
I'm a history major. That enough
qualification?)
ALSO: I have Jeff
Daniels playing George Washington. Did
anyone see him in his non-comedy movies like Gettysburg and The
Crossing? He was AWESOME when it
comes to historical movie. And I don't
speak French. Don't worry, youll
understand at the end. OK OK, enough
babbling, and ONTO THE STORY.
**********
After restoring the
American lines, Martin quickly scanned the battlefield for Tavington. Martin knew the time for revenge was at
hand. Now if only he could find the
coward…There on horseback came Major Tavington of the Green Dragoons. His reign of terror on the civilian population
of the American south was about to end…
Tavington also
spotted Colonel Martin. The two came
face to face with each other, each bearing the weapon of his choice. Tavington wielded his sword, while Martin
bore his son's flag. They eyed their
opponent, trying to provoke the other into attacking first. Suddenly, Tavington dug in his heels on his
horse, and charged. Martin, seeing his
opponent move, slowly built up a head of steam, and within seconds was at a
full run straight at Tavington. As they
got close together, Tavington swung his blade at Martin. Martin nimbly avoided it, and quickly thrust
the tip of the flagpole into the heart of the mighty beast. The horse tripped and flung its rider off
of its back. Tavington quickly got up,
and regained his fighting composure.
Martin now picked up a musket with a bayonet and began to battle
Tavington with it. Tavington sliced a
gash in Martin's left arm, while Martin clubbed Tavington in the head. He was about to run Tavington through with
the bayonet, but Tavington punched Martin in the chest. This not only got Martin off of him, but the
musket also flew out of Tavington's hand.
Martin promptly drew the Cherokee tomahawk and a knife to counter
Tavington's sword. While Martin's knife
halted the thrusts of the Tavington's sword, the tomahawk was doing its lethal
work on Tavington's left arm. Then,
Tavington cut a huge gash in Martin's left hand, and he dropped the knife. Tavington then proceeded to cut Martin to
pieces to leave him bleeding and near done.
Martin, in a last effort to buy time, threw the tomahawk right at
Tavington's chest. It missed its
intended target, but lodged itself into Tavington's left breast. Although weak himself, Tavington ignored the
pain shooting from the tomahawk and focused solely on Martin.
Martin had nothing
left. But then he looked up and saw
that the patriots had won the field. He
remembered he had one more musketball for his pistol, made from Thomas's chess set. While Tavington uttered, "Now we see who the
better man is," Martin had quietly loaded his pistol. "AND NOW I GET TO FINISH YOU!"
Tavington charged, and then swung his sword right for Martin's neck. Martin again ducked, turned and fired at
point-blank range, and placed a huge hole in Tavington's chest. Blood poured out of Tavington's wound as he
fell to the ground next to Martin.
Martin slowly dragged himself over, and removed the tomahawk from
Tavington's chest. "No…my sons were
better men than you." He raised the
tomahawk, and the cheers of the American army overshadowed those of Tavington's
scream as Martin cut off his scalp, and then cut off his head.
On the ridgeline
above the battle, Cornwallis watched as his best troops were routed from the
field. He scowled, and then turned to
his second in command. "Sound
retreat. Let's move on to fight another
day." His second in command was quite
surprised. It had been many years since
the British Army had been so routed from the field. "Sound…retreat…" said the surprised second in command.
(Martin) The victory we achieved that day would be
the first in a series of defeats for Cornwallis. We pursued Cornwallis north,
and joined with Washington's army. The
French did arrive soon after and helped blockade the British in at a Virginia
town called Yorktown. Although
Cornwallis was sealed in from the sea, he wasn't completely surrounded from the
army's perspective side. That was up to
us.
General Washington
held a conference of war with his top commanders, including Burwell and Martin,
who had completely healed from the battle with Tavington. Before the meeting started, Washington
wished to congratulate the two for their victory down south.
"Congratulations
Harry. I never thought in a million
years that we would ever have the British on their knees like this. Because of you, Harry, and the French
assistance, we may have one the war."
"Well thank you
general, but the strategy was all Col. Martin's." Washington now looked at Martin.
"Well then. Brilliant strategy Martin. You've served these colonies with
pride. You have served the cause
well. Now gentleman, lets strangle
Cornwallis." He turned to the rest of
the officers in the tent, which also included French general Rochembeau, who
was the French commander. "Gentlemen,
we have the British on their knees.
However, they still can escape our grasp. We must perform one more attack.
Alex…" He turned the meeting over to his trusted lieutenant, Lieutenant
Colonel Alexander Hamilton.
"Gentleman, the
British have a pair of forward fortifications with which they can pry a hole in
our lines. Redoubts 9 and 10 on our
right flank pose a threat that we cannot ignore. At present, Admiral Comte de Grasse is holding the entrance to
the Chesapeake Bay and sending us fresh French troops here at Newport News
Point. We believe that Admiral Graves
of the Royal Navy intends to force his way into the bay within the next few
weeks to evacuate Cornwallis. If we can
seal off his land exit, and the French seal off the sea, Cornwallis will most
certainly surrender." Rochembeau now
piped up.
"We French will take
vill take the right most fortification of Redoubt Number 10. We vill leave de Redoubt 9 to you
Ameritien." Hamilton spoke up.
"Now then. We have selected a force of Lee's Virginia
Continentals and Martin's South Carolina milita all under Colonel Burwell. We will have the Continentals storm the
fort, then the militia will encircle the fort and prevent any men from
escaping." He turned to Martin. "Are your militia up to that task at
least?" Martin became visibly upset by
the comments.
"My men could easily
take that fort themselves, and not give the glory to regular
continentals." Hamilton looked
offended.
"Gentleman, this is
no time for fighting each other. We
need to focus on the British. So Alex,
want the militia to lead the way?"
Burwell now entered in the converstation.
"Begging your pardon,
sir, but since I am to be the commander of this attack, don't I have the final
say?" Washington smirked.
"Yes that's right
Harry, you are. Now, who gets to
spearhead." Burwell didn't have to
think about that one.
"Why, the
militia. Martin's the best damn
commander I have, and his men are the best.
I wouldn't give it to anyone else if I had a choice."
"Good." Said
Washington. "The attack goes off
tonight. Any questions? Good.
Let's make Cornwallis squeal!"
Martin went off to prepare his troops.
"Alright gentlemen,
we are leading what could be the deathblow of Cornwallis. We're gonna attack an advance British
redoubt, and we're only gonna fire one shot, if that. We aren't going to stop to reload; muskets and bayonets
only. Understood gentlemen?" With a resounding "Yeah," Martin went off
with Major Villeneuve to watch the continued bombardment of the British by the
American and French artillery.
"I'm glad to see your
countrymen have arrived. I didn't think
they were going to make it major."
"Ah, we French always
arrive when de opposition least expects it."
The fire intensified, especially on Redoubts 9 and 10. Martin looked at Villeneuve.
"Viva la
France." The major smiled. "Vive le Ameriti!" The shook hands, and readied for their night assault.
The men were crouched
behind the defenses as American and French artillery had gone silent hours ago
because the sun had set. Martin and
Villeneuve had quietly moved forward with the militia to less than a few
hundred yards from Redoubt Number 9.
Suddenly, from the lines behind them, a mortar fired a shell into the
darkness. That was the signal to
advance.
"Alright men,"
whispered Martin, "our finest hour is here.
Let's take this fort!" The men
advanced quickly and quietly on the fort.
Suddenly there was firing off to their right. The French had attacked first.
Oh well, they were a few moments behind, but Martin knew that they would
have their redoubt first. The British
in Redoubt 9 immediately began firing in support of Redoubt 10. But then the Americans managed to get inside
and surround the fort without firing a single shot. They gave the prisoners to the Continentals and it would be the
victorious militia who held the fort, and sealed Cornwallis in Yorktown. A week or so later, Cornwallis surrendered.
**Then the rest of
the movie, inc Burwell's scene and the baby, and the return home to SC. I just thought the battle of Yorktown seemed
kinda lacking that real umfph it deserved.
That and it seemed rather flat.
Hope you liked it**
