Hey guys! Yay, another chapter up! I know I have some grammer problems so I am working on them. Tomorrow is my first day of school for the second semester so I probably will be busy this week to post another chapter up. Maybe I will post it up on Saturday if that's possible. We'll see. Thank you for supporting me. Now, here we go!
The Assembly
As we were sitting at the courtroom, the men were getting angry so the Judge had to quiet them down by bringing his gravel down against the sound block.
"Our first order of business--" said the Judge, interrupted by a man named Williams.
"And our last if we vote a levy!" said Williams.
"Hear, Hear!" said the men, agreeing with Williams.
"Order! Order! , Williams, you do not have the floor!" said the Judge, banging his gravel.
"First, an address by Colonel Harry Burwell of the Continental Army."said the Judge, introducing the man. "Colonel Harry Burwell."
Colonel Burwell stood up and walked to the center of the courtroom.
I noticed Gabriel straighten up when Colonel Burwell came to the center.
"You all know why I'm here. I'm not an orator. And I would not try to convince you of the worthiness of our cause."said Burwell, looking around before continuing."I'm not a soldier.... and we are at war. From Philadelphia, we expect a declaration of Independence. Eight of the thirteen colonies have levied money in support of a Continental Army. I ask that South Carolina be the ninth--" interrupted by Williams.
"Massachusetts and Virginia may be at war but South Carolina is not!" said Williams.
"Hear, Hear!" said the men.
Burwell waited until the men had quiet down and continues his speech.
"This is not a war for the independence of one or two colonies... but for the independence of one nation."
The man stood up, his name I do not know, says "And what nation is that?"
"An American Nation." said Howard, standing up.
"There is no Nation, and to speak of one is treason." said the man.
"We are citizens of an American Nation, and our rights are being threatened by a tyrant 3,000 miles away." said Howard.
"Would you tell me, please, Howard" said Father, standing up and looking at him before continuing."Why should I trade one tyrant 3,000 miles away for 3,000 tyrants one mile away?
The men laughed at Father. I could tell Gabriel were getting angry by looking his fists opening and closing. I put my hand on one of his hands and squeezes his hand to remind not to lose his temper.
He looked at me and nodded his head.
"An elected legislature can trample a man's rights as easily as a king can." said Father.
"Captain Martin, I understood you to be a Patriot." said Burwell.
"If you mean by "Patriot" am I angry about taxation without representation? Well, yes, I am. Should the American Colonies govern themselves independently? I believe they can. And they will. But if you're asking me am I willing to go to war with England? Well, then the answer is most definitely no." said Father.
The men murmured and Thomas and Gabriel looked at each other.
"This from the same Captain Benjamin Martin whose fury was so famous during the Wilderness Campaign?" said Middleton.
Father had the guilty look on his face and said "I was intemperate in my youth."
"Temperance can be a disguise for fear." said Middleton.
I closed my eyes at Middleton's answer.
"Middleton, I fought with Captain Martin under Washington in French and Indian War." said Burwell, walking up to him. "There is not a man in this room or anywhere for that matter, to whom I would more willingly trust my life."
"There are alternatives to war. We take our case before the King. We plead with him." said Father.
"Yes, we've tried that." said Burwell.
"Well, then, we try again and again if necessary to avoid a war." Father argued.
"Benjamin, I was at Bunker Hill. The British advanced three times. We killed over 700 of them at point-blank range and still they took the ground. That is the measure of their resolve. If your principals dictate independence, then war is the only way. It's come to that." said Burwell.
The men agreed with Burwell.
"I have eight children. My wife is dead. Who's to care for them if I go to war?" said Father.
"Wars are not fought only by childless men." said Burwell.
Father has the saddest look on his face, and I didn't know why until he made his speech that made chills run down my spine.
"Granted. But mark my words, this war will be fought, not on the frontier... or some distant battlefield.... but amongst us. Among our homes. Our children will learn of it with their own eyes. And the innocent will die with the rest of us. I will not fight. And because I will not fight, I will not cast a vote that will send others to fight in my stead." said Father.
"And your principals?" said Burwell.
"I'm a parent. I haven't got the luxury of principles." said Father, finally sitting down.
I heard Gabriel scoffed and stood up and left quickly. Thomas tried to go get Gabriel but Aunt Charlotte stopped him. I looked at her and she nodded at me to get him. So I stood up and left the room quickly.
I went outside and started to run down the stairs, holding my dress up. "Gabriel, wait!" I said as Gabriel turned around and waited for me.
"Gabriel, why did you leave?" I said, trying to get my breath since the damn corset is too tight.
"It's so disgusting. Trying to hide behind his family so he wouldn't fight the war." said Gabriel, getting angry.
I sighed heavily and looked at him, putting my hand on his cheek to try lessen his anger.
"Gabriel, you don't understand. Father has been through enough. He did fight in French and Indian war and I think that's enough for him. Maybe someday, you'll understand why he's doing this. Maybe He's doing this because he loves us and doesn't want us to suffer at all." I said, dropping my hand.
"Well, I still think that Father is a coward!" said Gabriel.
"Damn it, Gabriel! You are so thickheaded! If you say one more thing about Father, I swear to you, I am going to hit you!" I said, clutching my fists.
"Oh, really? Let's see, Father is a tyrant!" said Gabriel.
I lost my temper and hit him across the face. "Slap!"
There was a red hand-print on his cheek. Tears came to my eyes, and I tried to push them away.
"I'm going to walk away now." I said, leaving him in shock that I hit him.
I walked to the Oak Tree next to the courthouse and stood against it in the shade. I wiped away my tears that were rolling down my cheeks.
I couldn't believe I did that. I have never done that before. I was trying to defend my father. I could see Gabriel rubbing his cheek and started to walk back and forth to wait for the news.
I sighed heavily and started to walk back to the front of the courthouse and waited for the news.
Gosh, It must have been 30 minutes before the newsboy came out of the courthouse and announced:
"Twenty-eight to Twelve! The levy passed!"
Everybody cheered and started to shoot the guns off.
I saw that Father with Thomas and Aunt Charlotte came out of the courtroom. People were looking at Father as he comes down.
Gabriel was in the line to sign up.
Father walked to Gabriel and said: "Do you intend to enlist without my permission?"
"Yes, I do. Father, I thought you were a man of principle." said Gabriel.
"When you have a family of your own, you'll understand." said Father.
Charlotte and Thomas were watching them.
"When I have a family of my own, I won't hide behind them." said Gabriel.
"Gabriel!" I said sharply.
"It's okay, Emily." said Father.
Gabriel went to the table and signed up.
Burwell walked up to my father's side and said:"He's as imprudent as his father was at his age."
"Regrettably so." said Father.
"I'll see to it that he serves under me. Make him a Clark or Quartermaster, something of that sort." said Burwell.
"Good luck." Father said.
Father leaves, with Charlotte and Thomas behind him.
I looked at Burwell and said "You better do that."
He nodded and walked away.
I looked at Gabriel, with the sadness.
Then I walked away to go Father's carriage.
Aw, Emily hit him! Don't hurt me (cringes) Anyway, click the green button to leave a review and you will get another chapter soon.