The doors of the church were slammed shut. Then the widows were shut and locked, leaving it dark. Outside Tavington rode and instantly ran out to meet Bordon and Wilkins. Wilkins saluted Tavington.
"Ready to fire the town on your orders, sir".
Tavington sneered. "The town? Burn the church".
Wilkins was horrified, finding no honor in this act. But Tavington reminded him of his comment that all who rebelled against England should die the death of a traitor. After several minutes, Wilkins grabbed a torch and threw it on the church roof. The other dragoons followed and soon the whole building was in flames. Smoke appeared threw the doors and some men at the front smashed into it again and again, but to no avail. Some people gasped and fell over from the smokes, and others screamed as the flames reached them, engulfing everything. Anne Howard was screaming in fear, holding her mother and the necklace Martin had given her. Her father, Peter Howard, tried to calm those down, looking in horror at the smoke engulfed the walls. some sat down in pews awaiting the end. some was kicking on the walls and doors and trying to smash the windows. Tavington rode off with some other officers, and Wilkins and others stared at the inferno, hearing screams and feeling the heat. As the sun was setting it glowed over the land. The steeple was fully engulfed, as was everything else. Pieces of burning wood were falling down and the dragoons and soldiers stayed even after it was quite. The building collapsed into flames and smoke, which shot into the sky. A smell of burned flesh rose in the air. After all the wood was nothing but a charred, blackened, smoking pile, the dragoons rode off into the night sky.