Chapter VI
Benjamin and Evelyn suddenly spotted an abandoned horse by a raided house that lay at the side of the path. They halted their horses beside the vacant horse in front of the plantation.
"That's Gabriel's horse," Benjamin commented dismounting off his horse. Evelyn did the same heading towards the house with him.
"Are you sure?" she questioned as she grasped upon her rifle in which was owned by her father still kept within her possession. They entered the messed up house heading towards the stairs to the second level. Gunshots and cannons could be heard from a near distance a few miles outside the property. Suddenly, Gabriel was spotted within the vacant bedroom of the house, glancing outside the window towards his companion soldiers fighting against the Redcoats with a powerful struggle. He turned from the window spotting Evelyn and his father behind him.
"I'm not going back," he replied after a moment of silence.
"No I didn't expect you would," Benjamin remarked in a sigh. Gabriel looked at Evelyn noticing her appearance.
"What is she doing here?" Gabriel questioned curiously. Benjamin bowed his head looking out in the window. Gabriel went towards Evelyn examining her appearance sort of wide-eyed. "Why are you wearing the continental's uniform?"
"She requested to come Gabriel," Ben replied in a straight face. Gabriel glanced towards him and back towards her.
"Why?" he whispered leaning close towards her face.
"To fight for my family, you and your family as well," she whispered back at him. Gabriel just looked her and sighed, heading back towards the window beside his father.
"Father this is suicide for her," he informed in a whisper.
"It is for you and I as well, if we do not keep our heads straight," Benjamin informed. "This war was over when it started."
Both Benjamin and Gabriel made their way towards the stairs with Evelyn close behind. They mounted onto their horses, heading towards the camps of the continentals in which they stayed for recovery. There were bleeding soldiers, some which limped from the wounds. The three of them dismounted off of their horses, Benjamin heading towards the Colonial's tent.
Evelyn followed Gabriel as he looked down upon the ground at a ripped up flag. He picked it up in his grasp, Evelyn looked at him with curiosity.
"It's a lost cause," a wounded soldier remarked with hopeless tone. Gabriel ignored the soldier's comment, stuffing the flag within his pouch. He stood looking at Evelyn who examined the area with unsure eyes.
"Are you going to be all right?" Gabriel asked. She looked at him.
"I'm a little frightened but I shall not let that weakness overcome me," she replied her head held high. He looked at her once more then headed towards the occupied tent that his father entered. Evelyn looked at the wounded soldier that was bandaged by the head, covering one of his eyes. She stared at him for a long moment but then headed towards Benjamin and Gabriel who was within the tent of Colonel Burwell whom seemed deeply troubled by the recent defeat.
"Colonel do you believe you can defeat Cornwallis in the south?" Benjamin questioned as Evelyn entered into the tent.
"He captured five thousand of our troops but the French will come to bring ten thousand to our army," Burwell informed.
"How long?" Ben questioned.
"Six months the earliest," Burwell replied in a sigh.
"You really trust the French to keep their word?"
"Absolutely not," a very strong French accent replied. A man stood from the side of the tent in a bright blue uniform his hat held beneath his arm.
"Benjamin Martin this is Jean Villeneuve of the French army. He will help train the militia," Burwell explained. Gabriel and Evelyn looked at the French officer with a glance.
"Martin your reputation proceeds you," Jean commented in a flat tone.
"I will give you field commission as Colonel," Burwell informed Ben with a stern tone.
"Will you please assign my son under my command?" Benjamin requested to Burwell.
"No sir please-," Gabriel protested.
"It's done," Burwell objected in a stern voice.
Burwell looked up at Evelyn whom stood there quietly.
"Benjamin, who is this?" Burwell questioned as he examined this unseen soldier. Gabriel looked at Evelyn and his father with wide eyes. Benjamin looked at Evelyn nervously nodded his head for her to depart from the tent. Burwell looked at him with a query expression. Evelyn departed from the tent, leaving the orders to Benjamin and Gabriel.
"Ben?" Burwell repeated in curiosity.
"Colonel, do you recall a Logan Moore within your group?" Ben asked in a hopeful tone. Burwell pondered for a moment.
"The name does strike me yes, I assigned him as a spy. Why does that name become important to you?" Burwell queried in an anxious tone.
"That is his sister whom stood before you," Ben explained in a hesitant tone. Burwell looked at him as if he was crazy.
"In a continental soldier's uniform?" the colonel asked in disbelief.
"Yes," Ben sort of choked on his replied. Burwell walked towards the end of the tent opening the flap, staring towards the girl. He stepped back into the tent, looking at Benjamin with frustration and astonishment.
"Ben, why may I ask you is a nineteen year old girl in a continental soldier's uniform?" Burwell questioned trying to get as many answers as possible.
"She requested to fight within the militia," Ben replied in a flat tone.
"You know what will happen if a woman was found within the army? She could be hanged or shot for impersonating a soldier," Jean informed in a serious voice his eyes in a sort of glare.
"You will not have to worry about her, she will follow every command and will fight any assignment you give her. Please Colonel I wish for you to put her within my command," Ben requested. Burwell looked at him with a sigh.
"You bring me into a tough position Ben, I really can't afford any mistakes, especially from you," Burwell explained.
"Believe me you won't regret anything. I'll take full responsibility for her well being," Benjamin informed, his grip upon his rifle tightening.
"I'll put her within your command but I will not be responsible for her life. That's your problem," Burwell explained.
"Thank you Colonel," Benjamin commented with a small smile departing from the tent with Gabriel following close behind. Evelyn followed them as they entered outside the tent towards their horses at a fast past.
"Colonel I've been a soldier for two years," Gabriel protested. Evelyn followed them mounting upon her horse as well as the others.
"That's why I transferred you under my command, you know ever back-trail and swamp between here and Charlestown," Benjamin informed.
"We could split up and make it easier," Gabriel requested.
"Fine you take Harrisville, Hen Brook and Wakefield and we'll meet at the Old Spanish mission in Black Swan," Benjamin ordered.
"Yes sir," Gabriel replied obediently.
"Gabriel take Evelyn with you," he called back forcing him to stop in his tracks. Gabriel looked at him nodding. Evelyn looked at Benjamin with uncertainty.
"You heard me," Ben commented.
"Yes sir," Evelyn replied obediently trotting her horse towards Gabriel.
"Corporal!" Ben called out. Gabriel and Evelyn stopped turning towards their officer. "Be careful."
"Yes sir," Gabriel replied cantering off passed the crowds with Evelyn following from behind.
They cantered off into the fields towards a nearby town a few miles away. As they gotten a few yards from the town, they saw three hanging victims upon a deadened tree, swinging lifelessly. Evelyn looked up at the victims as Gabriel headed forth towards the church. She muttered a prayer for the victim's souls her head bowed then cantered off towards Gabriel who dismounted off his horse heading towards the church. Where they could hear singing within the chapel. They entered at the finishing of the ceremonial hymn.
"Reverend, with your permission I wish to make an announcement," Gabriel spoke his hat and rifle by his side. Evelyn did the same, standing beside him in silence.
"Young man, this is a house of God," the Reverend informed with an offended tone.
"I apologize. But the militia is to call forth all who are willing to fight," Gabriel explained.
"We are here not to pray for the souls who were hung outside this town," the Reverend informed.
"That is glorious in the eyes of our Lord but it will not bring those innocent back to us in return," Evelyn commented.
"Yes you may pray for them, but honor them so that their deaths may not be in vain," Gabriel agreed. Anne Howard sat in the pews with her father and mother, looking at the two of them, realizing that it was Evelyn who stood next to Gabriel.
"King George can hang any one of us out there," a townsman protested.
"You speak of independence at my father's table. All of you know that you are strong patriots as I. All they ask you is to support in which you strongly believe instead of the stopping at words," Anne Howard announced in an encouraging tone. After a few moments of whispers and mutters along the church, a man stood from his place. Then another, and another stood for the agreement of leaving for the militia. Evelyn and Gabriel smiled upon Anne as she smiled back at them with hope in her eyes.
The people gathered outside the town, saying their farewells to the ones they loved. Evelyn walked up to her horse as Gabriel walked over towards Anne and her parents.
"Mr. Howard, may I have the permission to write Anne?" Gabriel questioned in a loud voice. Mr. Howard put his hearing aid horn in his ear in question. Gabriel repeated his question louder.
"Yes, you have permission," Anne replied with a smile upon her face. Evelyn looked at them with a sort of smirk upon her face as she heard the conversation slightly. Gabriel nodded in acceptance heading towards his horse. Anne looked at Evelyn with curiosity; she sort of lipped Evelyn's name towards her as she stared in her direction. Evelyn nodded with a smile.
Anne sort of looked at her in shock and then, nodded in farewell with a smile of hope upon her face. Evelyn and Gabriel mounted onto their horses and rode off with the volunteers of the town. They galloped off into the forests towards their next destination: the Spanish Mission of Black Swan.