Annie hovered over her basin, which was full of clean water. She gently dipped both of her hands into the water, cupping the cool liquid in her hands, she then splashed her entire face. She kept her eyes shut as she continuously splashed more and more water, ensuring her face was cleansed from any remaining filth. Each time the water hit Annie's face, images of dead Redcoats floating in the river with clouds of bloody water trailing from behind them, flashed through her mind. Annie stopped cleansing her face and instead decided to wash her arms. As much as Annie continued cleaning herself, she still felt as though the blood ridden water she had fell into earlier, remained on her skin. She scrubbed her arms hard with a piece of cloth.
Once the basins water began to turn a light brown, Annie stopped washing herself and decided to change back into her clean clothes. Feeling a sense of cleanliness Annie thought perhaps it would be a good time to sit down and write a letter to her brother. She was curious as to how he was fairing. Annie and her family had not heard from Gabriel in quite some time, and it frightened her.
As Annie seated herself in front of her writing desk, she could hear the sound of someone approaching her room. She turned her head to see Thomas standing in the doorway of her room. Annie gave her brother a faint smile.
"I wanted to check on you to see how you are doing. Abigail and the others have finished putting dinner on the table. Will you be joining us for dinner, Annie?" Thomas asked, Annie turned her head back to her desk. She took out her quill from her desk and a piece of paper.
"No, I don't think I will tonight." Was all Annie said. Thomas nodded.
"I'm sure Father will have Abigail bring you something to your room in a little while." Thomas answered before, he decided to turn around and leave Annie alone once again in her room.
Annie had no appetite whatsoever. She hadn't felt like doing much of anything, after their game of hide and seek, which had been quickly spoiled. Annie took her quill and gently dipped it into the pot of ink beside her. She tapped off any excess ink off of her quill, and proceeded to write her letter to Gabriel. First she planned on asking him how he had been doing of course, then she would go on to write about their lives at home.
Dear Gabriel
It has been ages since we have last heard from you, I assume this is because you are far too occupied with the chaos going on around you. Myself and the rest of the family pray that you are doing well. The last time I had heard from you I recall you had mentioned the battle of Saratoga. I remember you writing about the brave Benedict Arnold and how he had gone against the General and ordered for his horse and spurred it into the thick of the battle. I can not imagine what it must have been like, being apart of that battle and charging into the English ranks like that. Sometimes I imagine what it must be like to be a soldier in the middle of a chaotic battle. And I often imagine what you are going through and how you are feeling, Gabriel. It saddens me, are you scared? Alone? These thoughts plague me, and make me fear for your safety and well being. I miss you Gabriel, we all do, of course. I wish there was something I could do, I feel so useless at times. While you are off at war defending your country, I am at home tending to our younger siblings. I wish I could help the cause in some way. Which reminds me...
Annie stopped writing, something had caught Annie's eye as she scratched the quill into the piece of paper. She noticed from her window that her dark blue dress and petticoat was flying about in the wind, one of the wooden pins that had been securing the left shoulder of her dress had come loose from the laundry line and fell into the thick grass below. Annie got up from her writing desk and decided to make her way out of her room, down the stairs and out the back door of the house. On her way out of the house she had grabbed a few extra clothes pins to tightly secure her dress from flying away.
Once Annie was nearing the clothing line she noticed her blue dress was laying on the ground along with the two pins. It was rather windy outside, and she was thankful she grabbed the extra pins. She quickly bent down and picked up her dress to put it back on the line. Putting one pin onto the line, she held the rest in her left hand. As she went to grab the second pin, it fell out of her hand. She sighed and muttered to herself, annoyed with the situation. Retrieving her dress from the ground and securing it back onto the clothes line, Annie then went on to secure her other pieces of clothing that had also been occupying the line. Annie grabbed her petticoat and then her pockets she noticed they were still rather damp, and needed more time to dry. Feeling one of her pockets she noticed that inside there was something wet inside the right pocket. Curious, she reached inside and pulled out a soaked ball of paper, Annie recognized it was the letter from Dorothy that she had stuffed in her pocket earlier that day. Annie opened the letter and held onto it tight, as a large gust of wind nearly took the letter out of her hands. Reading its contents Annie could only make out a few words, the rest had been practically washed away from the river water, She read the remaining words out loud to herself.
"Captain, British, Mother, Charles town... Colonel Tavington." She whispered faintly.
Annie stood and stared at the letter for a while. The only things that went through Annie's mind was.
It's been a year, he has forgotten all about you, it is time to forget about him. You will never see William Tavington again.
Annie crumpled the letter up once again and squeezed the letter tightly in her first before throwing the letter forcefully to the ground, Annie turned her back and began walking back towards the house as the letter blew away in the wind further and further away from the plantation. Annie nearly reached the back door of her house, but before she could go back inside she noticed something from the corner of her eye. Annie saw what looked like to be a person leaning behind a large oak tree not far from her. She squinted to get a better look at who the person might be, she managed to see a boot, a leg, and and a hand holding a pistol. Seeing the pistol in the man's hand made Annie cautious. She took a small step forward, and then another, and another.
"Hello? Who's there?" Annie's voice shook, asking the man to identify himself.
Annie inched closer and closer towards the man behind the tree she stopped in her tracks when the young man stumbled out from behind the tree, Annie gasped at the sight of the man. It was Gabriel! Annie thought he looked horrible, his face was covered with gun powder, dirt, blood and sweat. His shirt had a large tear and was also covered in blood. Gabriel slightly limped as he tried his hardest to begin walking towards Annie without fainting from the pain and fatigue he was experiencing.
"Gabriel! My god, Gabriel, what has happened to you?" Annie shouted, she held her skirts up as she sprinted towards Gabriel. Reaching her injured brother, she quickly took his arm without thinking and put his arm over her shoulder, trying to support him from toppling down to the ground.
"Annie be careful!" Gabriel cried out in pain.
"I am so sorry Gabriel! Oh Lord, where is Father? Father! FATHER! Please quick help, its Gabriel he needs help. He's hurt!" Annie screamed, hoping someone would hear her.
Thomas came running to the door and looked outside shocked to see his sister and brother struggling to make it to the back door, without a second thought Thomas nearly crashed through the back door, and ran straight to his brother. Annie noticed that her father was trailing not to far from behind Thomas. The two said nothing to Gabriel and instead quickly took him from Annie and guided him towards the house. Annie stayed behind for a few moments and watched her brothers and father, she was still in shock from the sight of Gabriel. She quickly spun around and looked out towards the vast field when she heard the sounds of cannons in the distance, and they hadn't sounded too far off. A chill and a sense of fear then ran through Annie's body at the thought of a large battle nearing their quiet home. She wondered if herself and her family would remain safe tonight, Gabriel was already severely injured and they didn't need anyone else in the family hurt.
Annie and Thomas both sat beside Gabriel's bedside, the rest of their siblings had gone to bed and their father was out listening to the raging battle that was going on outside. Annie nearly jumped every-time she had heard the sound of a cannon fire off, its loud booming noise cracked and echoed through the peaceful trees and the fields. As time went on Annie noticed that the battle sounded like it was getting closer and closer to their house, after a while she started making out what some of the soldiers in the midst of the battle were shouting and yelling. It scared her greatly. Annie just held on to her brother Gabriel's hand firmly and prayed to herself.
Dear Lord, please keep us safe.
Annie and her brothers had sat in silence for a while, Gabriel had not said much about what happened, since the pain of his wound nearly took his breath away. But Annie couldn't help but want to hear more about what happened, though the thought of what happened to Gabriel and what he saw frightened her. Both herself and Thomas were curious as to find out what Gabriel went through. A couple minutes of silence passed, until to Annie's surprise Thomas spoke up and questioned Gabriel about the battle. Gabriel hesitated for a moment, but then begun to tell his two younger siblings what he had witnessed on the battlefield.
"It was nothing short of horrific tonight. In the beginning," He paused to take a breath, and then winced as he tried propping himself up.
"Gabriel, you need to stay laying down, do not exert yourself." Annie calmly said as she gently took Gabriel's arm and helped him lay flat on his back.
She lifted his head carefully and fixed and arranged his pillows.
"In the beginning." He repeated "We had the upper hand, not long after we started forcing the British back into a retreat. Of course the Dragoons took notice of this and immediately charged into the battle, there was so much carnage. Before the Dragoons had rode into battle, I was given some dispatches that I was suppose to deliver to Hillsborough... As I was leaving I saw the Virginia regulars surrender, but the Dragoons had not taken their surrender into accord. They drove into them, and slaughtered them all. I believe there were two hundred regulars that were brutally killed. The Dragoons leader, Colonel Tavington. Is no gentlemen, he's not a respectful soldier in the least, he hadn't even took that surrender into consideration, is it any wonder he has earned the nickname the Butcher?" Gabriel spat in disgust. Annie said nothing and just look down to her lap, she didn't know how to feel or think in that moment. Gabriel noticed his sister looked like something was troubling her.
"What disgusts me the most, is the fact that aunt Charlotte had to allow Tavington and a few of his men billet in her home back in Charles Town. I'm horrified that you and aunt Charlotte had to endure their presence for as long as you did. When I received your letter a couple years ago, informing me about Colonel Tavington being courted in aunt Charlotte's home, I could hardly believe it. It made me angry and it also saddened me, I was afraid that he would harm the two of you. I know if he did he would suffer the consequence for doing so, but Tavington is ruthless." Gabriel finished, he was beginning to tire himself out.
Annie still remained silent, she tried as hard as she could to hold her tears back. Gabriel bringing up Tavington's stay in her aunt's home two years ago brought back so many feelings and memories. As Gabriel was describing the night's battle and Tavington's and his men's action to her and Thomas, she couldn't help but feel that perhaps Tavington had not been his true self in Charles Town two years ago. He seemed to be a sort of caring, romantic man. But the way Gabriel described Tavington, made him sound like a horrible, ruthless and brutal man.
Was William nearly creating a façade of himself in hopes of seducing me?
"Tell us Annie, what was it like having the Colonel and his men stay in aunt Charlotte's house? You hadn't written much about your experience, only that he was staying with yourself and aunt Charlotte, and that apparently one night he and his men had arrived late back to aunt Charlotte's completely soused." Gabriel said.
"I bet it was torture." Thomas added.
"Well. Gabriel. As you said yourself Colonel William Tavington is no gentlemen and that he is far from a respectful soldier," Annie swallowed "I must agree with you, the things I wrote to you while I was in Charles Town was all true, he indeed had returned to aunt Charlotte's home with his men, soused, and rather loud as-well. He and his men nearly woke the entire house that night, aunt Charlotte was far from happy the following day and expressed her anger and disappointment to he and his men." Annie replied.
"Yes we know that, Annie. What else did he do to make you dislike him so?" Thomas asked. Annie paused for a moment and searched for any answer that may have been floating around in her mind.
"I had lied to the Colonel, once. It was before he had been billeted into aunt Charlotte's home. I had in fact met Colonel Tavington and Captain Bordon earlier that day, while I was accompanied by my friends. Colonel Tavington was, may I dare say charming," Annie paused, when she noticed Gabriel furrow his brows, he had a look of disgust on his face. "But of course, I realized later that William. Uh, I mean Colonel Tavington was nothing more than a disagreeable man. Colonel Tavington and I had conversed for some time that day, I learned that Colonel Tavington and the Captain had been in search of a home to billet in. Since they wished to leave the Cuppins home, due to Mrs. Cuppins illness," Gabriel scoffed and shook his head. "I knew that aunt Charlotte's home at that time was one of the very few residences that were not housing any British soldier. When Tavington asked me if anyone was residing in aunt Charlotte's home, I lied and said that we already had soldiers occupying the house. Of course, Tavington found out I had lied and he expressed to me that he was thoroughly disappointed with me, and he kept demanding me to tell him as to why I decided to lie to him." Annie finished.
Both Gabriel and Thomas just nodded, and there was silence. Until Annie looked up and noticed outside the open window that the battle was coming into view.
"Good Lord." Annie breathed.
Annie quickly sprung up from her seat and ran to the window, Thomas followed closely behind her. The two looked out of the window, while Gabriel struggled to prop himself up to see what exactly was going on outside the house. Annie and Thomas just watched the battle, they were both wide eyed and shocked from the scene in front of them. It was unlike anything they had ever seen before. Men on horseback were firing at each other, others were also being fired at while some were fighting with their swords or bayonets. Both horses and men were being killed, and Annie watched as the soldiers and horses cried out in pain and fell to the ground. There were a few moments where Annie had thought she was dreaming or imagining things. But the battle in-front of her had not disappeared, but instead continued to rage on.
"I have to go, I need to get out of this bed. I have to get those dispatches to Hillsborough. It's not safe for any of us in this house as long as the dispatches remain here. If I am to be caught by the enemy, then I will suffer dire consequences. I could become a prisoner of war, or worse. I could be hanged. Which is why I must leave immediately." Gabriel said, as he swung one of his legs off of the bed.
Before he could get up Annie hurried towards Gabriel and this time somewhat forcefully pushed him back down onto his bed.
"Don't be ridiculous Gabriel, there is no chance of you being able to stand, let alone walk or ride in your condition. Stay laying down and don't move. I will deal with the dispatches, Gabriel." Annie earnestly replied.
Gabriel said nothing and ignored Annie, he tried one last time to get back up, but Annie grabbed his arm and pushed him back down, Annie knew he was to weak and tired to fight back, so he gave up and listened to his sister.
"Now don't you dare try to get back up. You would be foolish to try to do anything, in your condition. At least wait until tomorrow, then you can see what you can do about getting those dispatches to Hillsborough. And if you decide that you are well to travel to Hillsborough," She paused. "Then know I will be coming with you." Annie said.
Gabriel furrowed his brows and crinkled his nose. He shook his head repeatedly, over and over again. Thomas turned his attention from the battle, to his sister, even Thomas could not believe what she had just said.
"No, absolutely not Annie, your place is here, war is no place for a woman like yourself. I already worry for my safety, and I don't need to worry about my sister. No, I will not allow you to journey with me to Hillsborough and you can best believe that Father will not allow you to come with me as well!" Gabriel answered, he still could not believe Annie had even thought of accompanying him.
"I want to help you, I want to help the cause Gabriel! Please, there is nothing for me here. I thought by now that perhaps I would be married and at least have my first child. Instead I am here, doing what I always have been doing for years. Gabriel please, I want to help. Women are always needed among the camps are they not? I can cook, do laundry. I think-" Annie stopped when she noticed the look of seriousness on both Thomas and Gabriel faces. "Please Gabriel, I want to make sure you will always be safe."
"My answer is no! As I said, your place is here, to look after our younger siblings and help Abigail. I don't need you working around camp, cooking and cleaning for us soldiers. You think that it would be some type of adventure don't you? You want to get away from your mediocre life at home. Well I can assure you it won't be much of an adventure, I promise you that after a few weeks," He paused. "Not weeks, it shall be after a few days when you will be begging me to return you home. Life in an soldier's camp is not a luxury, it can be very rough at times, especially during the colder months. And thought it is true that Women are in-fact needed amongst the camps, I have heard that Washington firmly believes that Women can be a distraction to the soldiers-" Before Gabriel could say any more, Annie interrupted him.
"Is that what you think I will become then, a distraction to the soldiers? Do you believe me to be some sort of doxy! I am your sister Gabriel, you know me, you know what I am like and what a help I can be to the cause. Please tell me you will support my efforts?"
"I am only telling you the truth Annie. No I do not believe you are a doxy, but I do believe that camp life is most definitely not a suitable life for you." Gabriel replied.
"If Annie is to leave with you to Hillsborough and work among the camp. Then I believe it is my time as-well to support the cause by finally becoming a soldier, like I have always wanted to." Thomas confidently said. Annie turned her attention to her younger brother. Thomas so desperately wanted to become a soldier. It had only been a few days ago when their father had mentioned that he had caught Thomas trying on his old uniform and wielding his tomahawk, as he gazed at himself in the mirror, imaging himself as a soldier. But Thomas was much too young to take part of war. He had only just turned fifteen a few weeks earlier.
"Thomas you know that is not possible. Father had only told you just a few days ago that you may become a soldier when you turn seventeen, that is two years from now and until then you must stay here. You are just a boy Thomas. You must understand that."
"I'm not just a boy, Annie! What difference does two years make? I know I am ready to become a soldier, I'm ready to fight! How can I prove to you and Father that I am ready? My friend in Charles Town, Abe Roberts joined the army and he was only eleven at that time!" Thomas shouted, he was become more and more frustrated.
"Thomas, he became a drummer boy in the American army because his parents believed that he was far too young to fight! Though I have heard that there are boys younger than you that have become soldiers, that does not take away from the fact that Father will never allow you to join. At least not until two years from now. And by then this war might already be over." Annie answered.
"Well, what makes you so strongly believe that Father will ever allow you to leave with Gabriel, tomorrow?" Thomas shouted. Before Annie could say anything to Thomas, their father walked into the room.
"What is all this shouting I am hearing? You three should get to bed, I know that may seem impossible, due to the current situation outside. But you must not worry, it will all be over soon. But until then I want you all to stay close together. Thomas I suggest you stay with Nathan and Samuel tonight. Annie I want you to stay with Margaret and Susan. I just returned from upstairs just moments ago, while I was upstairs I noticed Susan had been crying and was clinging to Margaret. I think it best you make your way upstairs now and try to calm your sisters down. While you two are upstairs I will be helping Abigail tend to Gabriel's wound throughout the night... Go on now." Benjamin instructed to both Thomas and Annie.
Thomas without a second thought angrily stomped out of the room. A confused look spread across Benjamin face when he noticed the anger in his son.
"Father, before I am to retire for the night. I wish to speak with you about something, but not here please." Annie nervously said.
Annie looked to Gabriel who had a stern look on his face, Gabriel knew exactly what Annie was going to speak about with their father.
"This doesn't have anything to do with Thomas, now does it?" Benjamin asked. Annie shook her head.
"No, it doesn't."
"Very well then," Benjamin paused and turned to Gabriel. "I will be back in a few moments with Abigail to check on your wound, you'll be in need of a change of bandages soon. That wound of yours looks like it's still bleeding quite a bit." Gabriel said nothing and only gave his head a quick nod.
Benjamin then turned and walked out of the room, Annie followed closely behind her father until they were a few feet away from the doorway of the room they had just left.
"Now, what is it you wish to speak with me about, then?" Her father asked curiously.
Annie took a breath and slightly jumped when she heard the sound of a cannon once again give a loud explosion, not far off from the house. Annie was nearly expecting to see a cannon ball come smashing through their front door.
"Will they ever stop fighting?" Annie was starting to digress.
"It should all be over soon, and when the fighting stops. I need you and Thomas to accompany me outside to retrieve any living soldiers. I know you may not want to help Thomas and I drag the injured to the house, but it is something that needs to be done. It is unacceptable to leave any wounded, living soldier to die. We need to harbour these poor men and see that they are tended to. And please, try not to be alarmed when you see some of the soldiers, many of them may having missing limbs and will be terribly injured." Benjamin replied, he noticed Annie's eyes slightly widened and she had an alarming look on her face.
"If you do not wish to help us, I can have Nathan help retrieve the bodies instead."
"No, no it's fine, I feel it may be a good thing for me to familiarize myself with the ugly face of war." Annie answered. Benjamin once more looked slightly confused.
"What do you mean by, 'familiarizing yourself with the ugly face of war', Annie?"
"Father, I want to leave... I want to leave with Gabriel tomorrow if he is able to deliver his despatches to Hillsborough. I know Father, that you must be thinking Father, but please reconsider," Benjamin had a look of horror on his face. "I want to help the cause Father, I want to make sure Gabriel is safe at all times. I can no longer keep wondering everyday if my brother is dead or alive. At least if I am there in the camp then I can be sure of his well being. I am nineteen years old, I am not married, I bare no children, and I no longer wish to tend to my younger siblings. I do thoroughly enjoy their company and I love them dearly, but I can not remain here for the rest of my life and tend to them like I am their mother, when I am not. I have already spoke the Gabriel about this, and I told him that I would be able to cook, clean and tend to the soldiers in the camp. These soldiers, my own brother, do so much for this country and I want to give back by helping the American soldiers. I know it may not be much, but women are always needed throughout the camps." Annie stopped. A frown formed her father's lips, he lowered his head and gave a loud sigh.
"You need to realize Annie, that what you are talking about here, is very serious. I had once been apart of a brutal war myself, and women who accompanied their husbands or relatives in the camps were never safe. You may think that just because you won't be participating in a fight on one of the battle fields, means that you won't be in harm's way. You are all aware that during the French and Indian war before any of you were born your own mother had accompanied me and stayed with me through countless camps during the course of the war. And there were many times danger would arise, the camps would sometimes be attacked, other times we would be attacked simply travelling with the army from one location to another. Please trust me and believe me when I say that while you are in the presence of war, you will never be fully safe. And I can not afford loosing you, Gabriel is badly injured and your mother is dead. I can't lose anyone else in this family. I'm afraid I can't let you leave this house.
"Father, please!" Annie slightly raised her voice. "No where is safe! There is a battle going on as we speak outside of our home right now. This is what I wish to do, please let me go, let me help our soldiers. Let me look after Gabriel, he is all alone Father and has no one from our family to be their with him, to tend to him, to make him feel comforted and safe. Please let me follow in mother's footsteps. I'm sure mother was there for you when you were frightened, hurt or whenever you just needed someone to be with you. Gabriel is alone, he needs me Father, he needs his sister more than ever now. Let me go." There was silence for a few moments, Benjamin looked at his daughter with tears beginning to well up in his eyes.
Annie could begin to feel her own tears surface, from the sight of her father who was clearly becoming upset.
"As much as I want you to stay Annie, and as much as I believe that your place is here. I can not stop you from leaving us."
The fighting had stopped hours before, dawn had began to approach. Annie, along with Thomas and her father found themselves outside, to begin searching for those who were still alive among the countless dead. Annie surveyed the seemingly lifeless bodies in the vast quite field, not far from her home. As she examined the bodies she couldn't help but gasp whenever she noticed a soldier with missing limbs. She noticed one soldier, a Redcoat lying a few feet away from her, his arm had been cut clean off and his stump was red and pink with the exposed tissue that hung from his arm. Annie slightly shook as she approached the Redcoat to get a better look, to determine whether he was dead or alive. As she inched closer and closer to the motionless Redcoat she noticed his body was twitching and his chest seemed to be rising and falling. Once Annie was standing beside the man she noticed his tear stained his face was covered with blood and gunpowder. Annie jumped back, she became startled when the man opened his eyes and slowly lifted his head to see who was standing near him. When he noticed Annie standing in front of him with a look of shock and fear on her face he slowly lowered his head back down. Annie once again walked back to the Redcoats side, she then crouched down and lowered herself down to the ground so she was sitting on her legs. She reluctantly took the man's hand in hers and squeezed it gently.
"Sir, my name is Annie Martin. My brother Thomas and my father Benjamin are surveying the field and looking for those who are still alive to take back to our household to have them tended to. If you will allow me I can get my father or my brother to help me take you to get yourself looked after." Annie calmly said trying to comfort the injured soldier. She felt sorry for him, he was so helpless.
"I'm so scared." He whispered.
"I beg your pardon sir?"
"God I am so scared, please don't let go of my hand. Don't leave me." The soldier said faintly in his thick accent. Annie noticed the man looked rather young, she figured that he had looked to be only been twenty years old.
"I can no longer feel the pain in my right arm. I can hardly feel anything anymore, It's getting harder and harder to see, I can feel myself dying." He breathed heavily. Annie noticed he began to cry, his tears slowly rolled down his face and fell into the thick grass below.
"I don't want to die Miss Martin, not yet." He cried. The look of sadness and fear on the young man's face caused Annie to begin to cry. She loosened her grip on his hand and went to wipe her tears from her face, but before she could, the young soldier mustered up all the energy he could to grasp Annie's hand firmly, ensuring that she could not leave him.
"Please Miss, oh please don't leave me." He pleaded desperately.
"I promise, I won't leave you. Tell me, what is your name?" Annie sweetly asked. The soldier took a shallow breath and replied.
"Arnold Lucas. Major Arnold Lucas." Arnold said with a large cough, he tried regaining his breath but had a hard time and began to panic when he couldn't find his breath. Annie just held onto his hand as tight as she could and tried calming him down, so he could start breathing properly again.
"Arnold, just stay calm." Annie calmly said as she took her hand and began to gently rubbed his forehead.
Annie noticed as a few moments passed his firm grip on her hand started to weaken more and more, and she could see that his chest was hardly moving. It seemed as though he had stopped breathing completely. Both Annie and the soldier said not a word to one another, since the soldier was far too weak and was slowly starting to slip away. Annie just continued to gently rub his forehead until she heard Arnold begin to gasp for air, it was only seconds later that Arnold finally took his last breath and he was gone. Annie just continued to hold his cold hand, she closed her eyes and said a prayer for young Arnold Lucas.
"-May Christ, who called you, take you to himself; may Angels lead you to Abraham's side." She quietly whispered.
She then released Arnold's hand and pick herself up from the dewy morning grass. She took one last look at Arnold before walking away to begin searching for any of the living once again.
"Annie come here chil'" Abigail instructed. Annie stopped what she had been doing, and instead began to make her way on to the porch to where Abigail had been. Abigail was tending to an older officer, he was sitting in one of the rocking chairs on the porch, Annie noticed his knuckles were white as he gripped onto the arms of the chair. His jaw was clenched and he let out a couple deep groans of pain. Abigail was applying alcohol to the man's deep cut that had went across his shoulder all the way down to his waist.
"Jesus Christ!" The man yelled out in pain.
"Oh hush, you best watch that tongue of yours Major. I don't want to hear that foul language come out of yo' mouth again." Abigail scolded the Major, A look of pure anger spread across his face.
"Don't tell me about what I can and can not say, and don't you dare tell me to shut up! ya' damn negro." The man shouted angrily, Annie's eyes widened and Abigail looked taken aback by the man's disrespectful remark.
Annie took a few steps forward and gently pushed Abigail to the side.
"Major you have disrespected and insulted my dear friend Abigail! Now you are lucky that Abigail is a kind genteel women who has decided to tend to you. And while you are being tended to by Abigail I want you to give her your respect. If you fail to do so, Abigail and I will be sure to leave you here to suffer with your wounds, Major. And you will be sure to refer to her as Abigail and not that foul word you had just called her." Annie practically yelled, furious with the Major.
"Yes Ma'am." The older man slightly snarled. Annie straightened her back and turned her attention back to Abigail.
"Now, what is it you need me for Abigail?" Annie asked, whipping her hands on her apron, there had been blood stains all over her hands.
"We're all out of bandages, now I asked yo' father about using some of them lace curtains that are hanging from the back windows of the house, and he has given us permission to use them. Now I need you to get them curtains for me please, rip them up in long strips, "She paused."Thank you chil'" Abigail smiled. Annie nodded and gave Abigail a large smile before she decided to make her way through the front door of the house.
Once inside she walked all the way to the back windows of the house that overlooked her mother's grave. Annie carefully took the lace curtains down and started to rip the curtains into long strips. It was unfortunate that she had to destroy such lovely curtains, they were the same lace curtains they had purchased in Charles Town many years ago. She remembered her father telling her how expensive they had been. Once Annie had been finished ripping all the curtains, she gathered them in her arms and proceeded to make her way back outside. Once outside Abigail told Annie to place half of the curtains on one of the rocking chairs, and take the other half and start bandaging up the rest of the soldiers. Annie was close to walking off of the porch until she noticed Gabriel slowly make his way out the front door. He rested his hand gently on his wound.
"Gabriel, why are you up? You should still be resting." Annie said turning to face her brother. He waved his hand.
"No, no I'm fine I can assure you. Where is Father?" Gabriel asked, he looked around in hopes of finding their father.
Annie took the lace curtain from her right hand and gently placed them on the porch step. She turned her head and looked around, but could not see their father anywhere.
"I'm not entirely sure, Gabriel," She paused when she spotted her father round the side of the house."Ah, never mind there he is, there."
Annie watched as her father walked towards the porch, he stopped a few feet away from the porch steps when he noticed the lace curtains. He took a couple steps forward and reached for the torn curtains, he took them in his hands and inspected them.
"It's a shame to see these lovely curtains in such a horrid state. I remember the day, years ago when your mother and I were in Charles Town visiting your aunt Charlotte's when we purchased these," he paused. "You took these off of the back windows, Annie?" Benjamin asked.
"Yes, Abigail told me to." Annie answered. Benjamin nodded.
"Just be sure not to take any curtains from any of the front windows, I want to save those ones," Benjamin diverted his eyes away from the curtains and looked around at the many soldiers."I'm sorry you all have to see this, I know it's not the most pleasant thing to look at. I figure it won't be long until both American and British troops arrive here and look to see who's died and who's lived from last nights battle. It will be a relief to have all these men taken off the property, there is already enough we have to do and worry about around here." he said. Annie noticed that Gabriel had almost seem to shudder when his father mention the arrival of British troops
"Father. As you know I have must deliver those dispatches to Hillsborough still, and I believe that I am well enough to be able to take them there today. I must leave here as soon as possible before I am caught with those dispatchers, they are urgent and must be in Hillsborough today, Father." Gabriel said in a whisper, making sure the enemy would not be able to hear him.
Benjamin stayed silent for a few moments before replying.
"I see, well as much as I wish for you to stay here I am afraid I can't stop you from leaving for Hillsborough. Are you sure you will be able to ride? I think Abigail or I should at least check your wound, you may need more rest." Benjamin said in concern, he went to reach for Gabriel but Gabriel flinched back.
"I know you are concerned for my well being Father, but I am confident I am well enough to ride. I think I will go back inside and get myself and my things ready. Excuse me." Gabriel turned his back on the two and made his way back into the house.
Annie looked to her father who was standing quietly behind her with his one leg on the porch step and his hands on his hips.
"You should follow your brother inside, and inform him that you will be leaving with him. If he refuses to bring you along with him, tell him that I have given you permission to leave with him."
"Of course. Thank you, Father" Annie replied, before re entering her home. Benjamin just nodded and watched his daughter leave him behind on the porch steps.
Annie went straight upstairs, she quietly made her way up the stairs and down the hall on her way to Gabriel's room, she noticed that her brothers and sisters were still fast asleep, so she tried her hardest not to wake them with the loud clicking of her heels. Annie stopped in front of Gabriel's room and gently knocked on his door, before entering his room. Annie waited to enter until she heard her brother tell her to come in. Annie slowly opened the door and noticed Gabriel already had his blue uniform on, and was quickly gathering any last minute things he thought he would need to take with him on his trip. Annie could tell Gabriel was in a hurry to leave the house.
"I'm coming with you Gabriel. I told you last night I would be accompanying you and-"
"And I told you last night, that I would not allow you to come with me."
"Father has granted me permission to come along with you, to travel to Hillsborough and stay in camp with you. You can not make me stay here Gabriel, I am coming with you whether you like it or not. Now before you can say anything else, I am going to get my things ready and say my goodbyes. Wait for me." Annie said before walking out of the room, as she walked down the hall she could hear Gabriel say that she would regret ever leaving home.
She ignored Gabriel and decided to go to her room and gather her things. Once she was finished she went to her younger brothers room and then Margaret and Susan's room to say her goodbyes. Saying goodbye to Susan had been the hardest for her, while Annie had tried her hardest not to wake up her sisters as she each gave them a kiss on the forehead while they were quietly sleeping. Both Susan and Margaret had woken from their sleep. Annie had explained both to Susan and Margaret that she would be leaving with Gabriel and not coming back for some time, when she had said this it cause both Margaret and Susan to burst out in a fit of tears, Annie tried hard not to cry but failed when little Susan jumped into her arms and held on to her tightly. Both Margaret and Susan begged Annie not to leave, and just seeing her two sisters cry and cling to her almost made her stay. But she knew that after a while they would do just fine without her, they would have each other. Annie apologized to the two profusely and promised that both Gabriel and herself would return home safe. As soon as Margaret and Susan began to calm themselves down, Annie figured it had been time to leave, Gabriel would be waiting for her and he would begin to become impatient if she continued to take her time in the house. Annie continued to sit with her sisters for a few moments until they had stopped crying.
"You two will be fine without me, and I promise that this will not be the last time you see Gabriel or I. We will return. I love you both so dearly, I promise that the two of you will always be in my thoughts and my heart while I am away. Be sure to pray for Gabriel and I every night, as I will pray for all of you back home." Annie slowly broke the embrace between herself and Susan.
Susan reluctantly let her sister go and climbed off her lap allowing her to stand from where she had been sitting at the end of the bed. Margaret and Susan sat on the bed and watched their sister with tears still lingering in their sweet eyes. Annie smiled and gave each of her sisters a small kiss on their forehead on last time, before she said good bye and left the room. As Annie quickened her pace down the hall, she carried her things in one hand and with the other whipped her tears that stained her cheeks from her face. Annie reached the front door of the house, but before she walked out onto the front porch she turned around and took in the surroundings of her home. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of her home. Opening her eyes she surveyed the house one last time, turned around and then left. Annie noticed Gabriel had been waiting for her outside with both her horse and his own tacked and ready to leave. Her father was standing beside Gabriel, she watcher her father take Gabriel into a large embrace and firmly patted his back, the fact that she would be leaving her home on her own with Gabriel to travel to Hillsborough and live in a foreign place, started to sink in. Annie began doubting whether or not she really wanted to leave.
Should I really be leaving home? Was my decision to leave to rash? Perhaps I should stay and watch after the others. But I promised myself I would look after Gabriel, he needs someone he cares about to accompany him during these hard times. I should leave.
Benjamin and Gabriel saw Annie begin walking down the steps of the porch, Benjamin turned to his daughter and without a second thought took her into his arms and held on to her tightly. Annie dropped her bag and wrapped her arms around her father. She buried her head into his shoulder and just held him, until he lessened his grip and let her go. He cupped Annie's face in his hands and kissed her on the forehead.
"You know you don't have to leave Annie, you can stay here." Benjamin smiled, Annie just gave a small laugh as she bent down and retrieved her things from the ground.
"I have thought about it, and I want to leave. Thank you again Father for allowing me to go, I was certain you never would." Annie replied, Benjamin chuckled.
"I still don't know why I agreed to allow you to leave. But I knew I most likely would not have been able to stop you from going. You are so much like your mother was, strong, determined, brave. You know you make me a very proud father Annie, very proud. And Gabriel as well. You two have grown up so fast and it's time for me to let you go, but I know you and Gabriel will return, safe. I love you both so much, more than you can ever imagine. And so do your brothers and sisters." Benjamin said as he noticed Thomas come to say his goodbyes.
Annie turned to her younger brother when when she realized he had been standing quietly behind her waiting for her to notice him there.
"Before you and Gabriel leave. I wanted to apologize for shouting at you last night." Thomas quietly said, as he diverted his eyes to Annie and looked down towards the ground by his feet.
"You don't have to apologize Thomas, I understand why you were angry with me. I treat you like you are an infant, but you are far from that. You are a young man who just wants to fight for his country, but you must be patient Thomas. Your time will come when it is time for you to become a soldier, but for now you need to stay here and help Father and Abigail. You are the eldest of our brothers and sisters now, and they will need their older brother to look up to while we are away. I love you Thomas." She reassured. Thomas gave Annie a smile and then clasped her in his arms.
"We must be leaving now, Annie. Here give me your bag and I will secure it." Gabriel spoke up, Annie lifted her bag out in-front of her brother to take. While Gabriel had got her luggage situated, Annie walked around to the other side of her horse. Benjamin followed behind Annie and helped her mount her horse. While waiting for Gabriel to mount his own horse, Susan, Margaret, Nathan, Samuel, William and even Abigail gathered on the front porch and prepared to watch Gabriel and Annie leave the plantation.
"Be safe, Annie." Benjamin added, before the two were finally ready to leave. Annie nodded and told her father that she loved him one last time before both her and Gabriel turned their horses away from the house, Annie turned her head as her horse walked further and further away alongside Gabriel. Annie and Gabriel waved to her sisters, brothers, Abigail and their father, until they reached the brush and were out of sight.
An hour had almost passed since Annie and Gabriel left their home, much was going through Annie's mind. It felt so strange to Annie not knowing when she would be returning to the comfort of her home, she wondered what living among American soldiers would be like. She knew her life would not be the same, not at least until she returned home. Annie's thoughts were then interrupted when she heard what sounded to be like many horses approaching herself and Gabriel. Gabriel looked at Annie and quickly motioned her to follow him deeper into the trees to their left, they both had no idea who had been approaching them. And they did not want to stay in the middle of the trail and wait to find out.
"Here, take the despatches, if we are to be caught by the enemy then it is less likely for them to search a woman for any despatches." Gabriel lowered his voice into a faint whisper.
Annie nodded and took the dispatches quickly lifted her top skirt and shoved them deep into her pocket.
"Now, stay very quite, and try not to move. You don't want to bring any attention to yourself" he added.
Annie noticed her hands were beginning to shake and she slightly trembled, the thought of British soldiers finding them frightened her. Moments passed and Gabriel let out a sigh of relief when he saw the colour blue. Annie herself felt greatly relieved and she felt like she could stop shaking and finally be able to breath again. Gabriel kicked his horse's side and walked out from the trees, Annie followed closely behind. The nearly dozen young American soldiers stopped their horses and smiled when they noticed it had been Gabriel emerging from the thick brush. Annie stopped her horse and watched, she figured that the soldiers must have known or been good friends with Gabriel because almost all of them had large smiles on their faces as they greeted Gabriel.
"Gabriel I can't believe you're here, we thought you had perished with the rest during last night's battle. It's so good to see you're safe. We are just on our way back to the scene of the battle to retrieve any of the living, join us if you like." A tall brown haired soldier explained. Gabriel just shook his head.
"Last night's battle just so happened to end up in my Father's fields last night. While I had been badly injured I had decided to go straight from the battle to my home to seek urgent care. My sister Annie," Gabriel paused and turned his head to his sister. "Father and my brother Thomas spent all morning retrieving any of the living, you will find all of the remaining soldiers both British and American being tended to on our property. I'm afraid I can't join you all, my sister and I are on our way to Hillsborough," Gabriel lowered his voice. "To deliver some dispatches I was given to last night."
"Ah, I see. Well we will leave you to it then. And I when you return to camp, I won't mention to General Gates that you fled the scene to seek proper care. You know how Gates feels about Soldiers who abandon a battle." The man assured Gabriel. Gabriel nodded and thanked the young soldier.
"Thank you, Henry. I will be sure to see you all perhaps later this evening, until then I-" Gabriel stopped mid sentence when a twig could be heard snapping somewhere off in the forest. Everything had been eerily quiet, it had been so quiet that Annie was sure she could hear her own heart pounding up in her throat. Annie then gave out a loud scream when she heard the sound of muskets fire off from behind the trees, clouds of smoke filled the area and no one could see who it had been firing at them.
"We're being attacked, dismount and prepare to fire arms!" Annie heard one of the soldiers yell.
Annie panicked and looked around hoping she could find Gabriel, when the smoke lifted Annie's eyes widened in horror when she noticed a tan skinned man, with long black hair and only a loincloth came rushing out of the bush screaming at the top of his lungs, as he jumped in the air towards an American soldier, and knocked him off of his horse. The young soldier fell to the ground with a large thud, the Indian man hovered over the soldier and without a second thought lodged his tomahawk into the skull of the man. Annie screamed out in horror as she tried to turn her horse around, but their was another firing of muskets and before Annie knew it she felt herself fall to the ground. The horse fell with her and came toppling down on Annie's right leg. Annie once again let out a shrilling scream, as the thousand pound beast lay motionless on her leg. Annie could tell her leg had been broken. All Annie could do was watch the scene unfold around her. She noticed Gabriel not far off from her lying face down in the dirt, Annie desperately called out his name hoping he would answer but he would not.
An Indian took notice of Annie screaming and straight away charged at her with his tomahawk held high above his head. Annie's eyes widened and the man was nearly over top of her now. Annie closed her eyes tightly and waited for her life to end. But Annie noticed nothing had happened, she opened her eyes and noticed one of the blue coats stab a bayonet through the man chest. It was a horrific sight and Annie just closed her eyes once again and kept her mouth shut when she felt hot thick blood sprinkle across her face. When she finally opened her eyes she could see that the man who had saved her topple to the ground with his left arm freshly severed from his body. It was all too much for Annie. She started feeling light headed from the pain she was experiencing in her leg and from the horrific scene in front of her. Annie's head fell back to the ground and everything went completely black.
Annie slowly woke, as she opened her eyes she noticed her vision was quite blurry and she felt a strange sensation in her right leg. When she regained her vision she looked around her, her head felt foggy and she was confused from the sight of dead American soldiers around her. Until she remembered that Gabriel and herself along with the other soldiers had been attacked by a group of Indians. Annie looked beside her she realized that she had remembered seeing Gabriel lying motionless on the ground during the fight. Gabriel hadn't moved since she last saw him, and she was convinced that he had been killed. Annie began to whimper, seconds later she let out a large cry. She couldn't believe that her brother was dead, along with beloved horse who still had her broken leg pinned under its heavy body.
I'm going to die here, how did this all happen? Why did this happen? Oh god I am going to die. No one will ever find me in time.
Annie just closed her eyes and continued to cry to herself, until she heard something. Her eyes opened wide and she slowly propped herself up on her elbows. She listened carefully and noticed she heard the sound of horse hooves once again and the sound of men laughing and talking. She became excited and was about to call out for help but stopped when a chilling thought crossed her mind. She wondered if a group of Redcoats or perhaps more Indians would run into her. Annie sat up and tried as hard as she could to find a way out from under her horse but whenever she tried to wiggle herself free, she felt a tearing pain rip through her leg. She couldn't help but yell out in pain, she knew she would be caught now, they had already heard her. Instead of trying to escape Annie helplessly laid back down on the hard dirt ground closed her eyes and waited for the men on horseback to find her. After a few moments Annie heard nothing, everything had been completely silence, the sound of horse hooves had stopped and she could not longer hear the sound of men talking and laughing in the near distance. She thought perhaps they had turned around and left. But Annie realized this was not true when she heard a familiar man in a thick British accent say her name. Annie opened her eyes once more and turned her head. When she saw Colonel Tavington and the rest of his Dragoons a few feet away from her she thought she was dreaming. Her heart started to race at the sight of him.
"William!" She cried.
