Forever Young Birth Of A Nation, page 28
Turning to the officers Schuyler said “He is right about that. Britain controls the seacoast. If they seize Albany they can control the Hudson Valley too and isolate the southern colonies from the northern ones.” Turning to Ian and Darren he said “Do not delay. Leave now and report back when you can. We need support here so I am giving you written orders to send any militia or Continental units that you encounter as soon as possible.”
Within a half hour, Ian and Darren set out on horseback toward the south, traveling down the Hudson Valley. That night they camped, having spread the alarm at many farms and homesteads along the way. Ian said “I can travel faster alone, Darren. I could take the orders and you could alert families along the way.”
“Well, that would be faster because we are taking a lot of time stopping and telling folks, but what other way can we get the militia out in force? We’ll split up then tomorrow.”
Later after Darren had dropped off to sleep, Ian quietly saddled his mount and left camp, walking the horse some distance before mounting up to ride in the moonlight. He found a small farm some three miles further along and taking the saddle from his horse, he let the animal into a pasture adjacent to a creek and to the house. Leaving the saddle on the porch with a note rolled up and stuck through a cinch buckle it explained that he would return for the horse later. He rocketed away to the south then and was within forty miles of New York City by sunrise, having never seen any redcoat units nor even a single campfire. Coming upon an encampment of the militia numbering nearly one hundred men, he hailed the camp and shortly was allowed to enter.
Soon he had explained the situation to Will Sims, the head of that unit. “How many redcoats are coming to Albany, McCloud?”
“I saw around two thousand west of there, headed to fort Stanwix and at Albany, Schuyler said Ticonderoga had fallen. He thought that the ones coming south from there were a larger force.”
“We will head that way and bring as many as will come. I’ll dispatch a message to Benedict Arnold’s force. Tell Schuyler that we are pretty sure that Howe has taken a large force to take Philadelphia, and we have warned them there already.”
“That might be a good thing, really. The assembly will evacuate and the British will get a city with only civilians and Tories.”
“I see what you are saying. They won’t risk leaving New York City short on soldiers to send them this way too with so many already gone to Philadelphia.”
Ian nodded and smiled saying “You read my mind, Will.” He handed over General Schuyler’s orders for relief to Sims then, and shook hands with the man. Saying his good byes then, he trotted off toward the north. Once out of their sight, he rocketed away and near mid-day he was once again where he had left his horse. The family was not even at home, so soon enough he was mounted up and heading back toward Albany.
As he rode along at an easy canter, Ian thought if enough militiamen turn out, we have a good chance of crushing the entire northern British Army here. Howe will have gained Philadelphia with the Congress safely evacuated and will have traded his northern army for it.
Unknown to Ian there had been an incident where a preacher’s daughter in upper New York had allegedly been killed by Indians in the employ of the British forces. The Indians were burning and pillaging the countryside of southwestern Vermont and upper New York south of Ticonderoga as Burgoyne’s forces advanced on Bennington, in Vermont. They were hoping to raid a large cache of supplies that Tory spies had said were there, and they were desperate for horses and anything else they could use. All of New England was in a state of alarm and outrage. Militiamen from all over Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maine were heading toward southwest Vermont and New York. James Barrows had heard and had bid good bye to Melissa, heading toward Vermont himself.
Chapter 54
As the family gathered in the parlor of the chalet in Zurich, Celeste handed Celine to Louis and took a seat facing everyone. “Ian is north of New York City a good distance away, and has been helping them prepare for a big battle at a place called Saratoga. He was a lot further west before that, in the wilderness staying there with Indians.”
Little Aimee said “What are Indians?”
“They are the true native Americans, Aimee. They have always been there. Cosette and Stuart are still in New York City with the Millhouse family. The city is still occupied by thousands of British soldiers.”
“So Ian never returned to New York City then?”
“He did return and that was him on the park bench wearing a disguise” she said. Sophia and Marie both groaned and everyone shook their head. Marie said “So close! How frustrating this is!”
Mustafa asked “How is it you are just now getting this?”
“It is getting easier and clearer since I imprinted.” She then stood and smiled radiantly saying “There is more and it is good news.” Everybody leaned forward then in anticipation.
“I can now see Henri and Jennifer!”
Several of them said “What?” at the same time, and Marie stood up, coming to Celeste beaming with joy “Your gift, Celeste…it is growing since you crossed over?”
Nodding her head as she smiled at everyone she continued “At first I just got little bits and pieces and I didn’t know what to make of them. But recently I have been getting clear pictures of both Henri and Jennifer in Paris. Henri has been meeting with an American named Benjamin Franklin helping him to get France to enter the war on the side of the Americans.” Here she became very somber looking as she continued. “Jennifer has been relaying messages between Henri and the bank’s courier center in Paris. These are very important messages, and the subject is a very grave one.”
Everyone leaned forward again as she said “Two vampires that have been looking for Ian and Henri have left London and are in Paris now.”
“We should all go there now. We can leave today” said Mustafa, his eyes like glowing topaz. The others looked at each other, eyes glowing. Celeste said “There is more. Cosette knows that a coven has been started in New York City and there was a dead man found not far from the Millhouse home who had been killed by a vampire.”
The room fell silent then, even little Celine was quiet, staring intently at her mother. The sound of a bird outside drifted into the room then as Celine stretched out her little arms toward Celeste, saying “Mama.”
Celeste stepped over to Louis and took Celine and held her to her breast, while looking down at her saying “What do you see, sweetheart?”
Celine stretched her little arm and placed her hand on Celeste’s cheek and had a very somber look on her face then. Celeste’s face became blank as her mind’s eye looked across time and space to see what could not be seen. She then seemed to return to the room where they all were gathered and said “There are two vampires in New York City that started a coven. One wears a silver hook where his right hand should be and the other is a pretty red headed woman with green eyes.”
***
French Foreign Minister Charles Vergennes took one last look at the letters he had received from Harold Laforge. He had taken a chance by not burning them, but he burned them now. There had been no change in the instructions he had received. He was ordered to advise King Louis XVI to formally enter the war on the side of the Americans and he had sat on the fence as long as he dared. Not willing to lose his private bank account in Lausanne and his position as Foreign Minister, he prepared to see the King that very morning, and this time it was to urge him to enter the war formally and not just speak favorably toward that idea. He had long since memorized the eight reasons why France should support America and rehearsed what he would say to the King this morning when he arrived.
As his carriage took him to the palace, he thought who knows but what we might indeed gain Louisiana and all of its land clear to the Pacific Ocean. The Americans did defeat the British yet again in Vermont, capturing one thousand prisoners. They are fighters and are determined. This could go very well for France but for the money it is costing us to pursue this. There will be a great celebration when the British finally surrender over there. I wonder how long it will take for them to realize that they will be fighting forever if they don’t end it. I wonder what the Laforges get out of all of this. How did they get to be so powerful?
***
The British under John Burgoyne suffered a great loss at Pennington, Vermont. Militiamen materialized from the countryside to swell the American ranks and the British forces were forced to surrender. A messenger was dispatched to Albany by the New Hampshire general assembly and John Stark was named to replace General Schuyler. There were hard feelings about the loss of Ticonderoga by a subordinate of his that fueled the decision and Stark was a favorite of the New England Militia. This helped to swell the ranks of the militia, causing them to flood into the region to fight against the British and their Indian allies.
In due time, the remainder of Burgoyne’s forces attacked the Americans at Freeman’s Farm near Saratoga in mid-September of 1777. The American forces lost some three hundred men and The British some six hundred when darkness ended the battle. There was no real wide spread action after that until early October when Burgoyne’s forces tried to overrun the Americans at Bemis Heights near Saratoga. General Burgoyne knew that General Clinton was not coming to help him from New York City because so many had been sent to Philadelphia. He had to fight or retreat to Montreal with winter coming, so he chose to fight.
Ian was busy carrying dispatches between Albany and the site at Bemis Heights near Saratoga, and also between different American positions on the battlefield. He was most effective at night of course and was the preferred man for any such communications if needed.
Benedict Arnold had received word of the siege of Fort Stanwix via the militia group that Ian had contacted north of New York City. After a forced march his force arrived and helped rescue Fort Stanwix, driving the British back into the wilderness to the west. He was now in the Albany area but due to bitterness between him and Horatio Gates he was sidelined after the battle had begun in early October. Within just a day, the British had lost one thousand men to the Continental Army’s five hundred. But militiamen had flooded in from every northern colony and the American forces then numbered around twelve thousand to Britain’s four thousand. Arnold defied orders and took the field helping the American forces to have a great victory that day. Having a horse shot out from under him, he broke his leg. The British were driven back north to their positions of September, and a week later being totally surrounded they surrendered.
Saratoga was a resounding victory for American forces. General Howe had taken Philadelphia, largely evacuated. But he had not captured one member of Congress and had traded that for the loss of the British Northern Army.
Ian spoke to Darren Roberts and took his leave, thinking to spend some time with Moon Owl before winter set in. Since he had never joined the army or taken any pay, he could come and go at will. He had resolved to go to Pennsylvania and try to help feed Washington’s army for the winter, but would not go until nearly year’s end for wanting to see Moon Owl again.
As he traveled that night, rocketing through the dark primitive forest of the American wilderness, he realized that he had come to love her very dearly. He had begun to ponder how he could marry her after the war was over and wondered if she could stand to live in New York with him a good deal of the time. He would be the head of the New York branch of the bank and James would head the Boston branch. Turning it over in his mind he tried to envision how he could take her home every year to see her people if they lived in New York City. It seemed possible if only she would be happy in the city. These thoughts pleased him and he longed for the war to be over so the two of them could start a life together as husband and wife.
Recalling his grief at Alandra’s death, Moon Owl being mortal did bother him. He was certain that Marie, Henri, and all of the others would love her and welcome her. How would she feel about going to France with him? Would she be willing to cross over and become a vampire? Did he have the right to ask her to do that? As he sped through the night he thought I wish I could ask Marie what she would think about all of this.
***
Cosette sat in the carriage, parked around the corner from a blacksmith shop on the lower west side. “This one is the perfect weight, Stuart” she said as she hefted the beaten piece of iron that would become her short sword. The blacksmith that had finally given Stuart this piece said it was a bit too heavy for a short sword, but the other one that Cosette had tried was too light for a vampire. She had wanted to take care of this herself, but had not wanted to attract any undue attention. A woman selecting a sword would be talked about and Cosette, being an Adept schooled by Henri and Marie Lafayette, always went out of her way to do things in such a way that would never arouse suspicion.
“He said he would have it ready to be picked up in eight days. It will take two just to temper it the way you want it done and to put an edge on it.”
“And my sheath?”
“The tanner will do it with a sharpening stone pocket on its surface as you asked. I have one ready to take to him when we get the sword.”
“Good. Take it back to him now. We have other stops to make.”
Shortly the two were at a sail maker’s loft where they picked up her twin shoulder holsters.
“When did he say he would have my waist holsters ready?
“Three days.”
“And the saber sheath attachment?”
“It will be just as you ordered it.”
“Well, go on and order what you want. We have other stops to make.”
At a tailor’s shop Stuart brought out a package with a one-piece black fighting suit. It was made of sturdy cloth, and heavy button thread was used, doubled throughout. There were tie-straps on the ankles and wrists for making it fit snug, and to lessen the chance of a cuff catching on anything. Pleats at the shoulders, doubled cloth at the knees and a generally loose fit made it a garment suitable for violent combat. A woman could easily wear it and not be readily distinguishable from a man.
“What are the four buttons for beneath the collar?”
“They will secure the hood that I will be making.”
“Hood?”
“Yes. You don’t want another vampire to see your face if you are fighting with him. If he or she escapes, they know what you look like and that can be a disadvantage. This way, none of them will have seen my face should we meet at some time after a fight.”
“But Cosette, your eyes…they are so…unusual.”
“Our last stop will solve that problem. We are there already so why don’t you just come in with me?”
Inside she walked through aisles of cloth and finally she found what she was looking for and bought a yard of it. A small slender woman with black curly hair in a tattered dress came in seconds later and proceeded to browse nearby. She was wearing a scarf in such a way that it overhung her forehead so that her features were difficult to make out. The two barely noticed her as they went up and down the aisles looking at other bolts of fabric.
Priscilla thought what are you two doing? Why are you stopping at all of these places? Which of you are all of those things for? Having noticed how clean and fastidious Cosette was about her appearance, Priscilla had taken to bathing nightly in the Harlem River and had also taken to washing her clothes every second day. One good thing about being a vampire was that bathing in even really cold water did not bother her at all. She had resolved to always be clean and to have clean clothing even if it was tattered.
Back in the carriage Stuart looked at the cloth and suddenly his face lit up in a smile. “Widow’s Gauze; oho! I see now. You will cut a hole in the hood you make and sew that in. It will hide your features and allow you to see at the same time. This is a great idea, Cosette! Whatever made you think of it?”
“I didn’t. Ian did. He invented the first one in Paris when he had to raid a coven by himself.”
“I haven’t heard that story! Did he invent those shoulder mounted holsters too?”
“No. Marie Lafayette did that.”
“Marie! She is so…refined and…I don’t know…genteel?”
“She is all of that and a tigress too, Stu. You should see how she fights!”
“When he was teaching swordsmanship to me in Edinburg, Ian told me that you all fight together.”
“We do.”
“Well, are you going to tell me about when Ian raided that coven?”
“There will be plenty of time to tell you all of that when we get to where we are going next.”
“We have another stop to make then?”
“We are going back to the Millhouse’s and then we are getting two saddle horses and going out to the countryside.”
“Why?”
“I need to do some target shooting.” She turned to him then, her eyes glowing as she said “Good marksmanship could soon come in handy.”
Chapter 55
Henri, wearing his Laforge disguise appeared to be in the same inn as Benjamin Franklin that day just by coincidence. Seeing him, Franklin stood up and called his name, beckoning him to come to his table.
Henri approached his table seemingly surprised to run into the man there. “I hear that the King has agreed to formally enter the war on our side! I am to appear before his majesty tomorrow to formalize it.”
Already knowing this and sitting down at the table Henri smiled and extended his hand while answering in a low voice he said “Congratulations, Benjamin. Your patience and wisdom has paid dividends.”
“So has having the right friends in France, Henri. I am not sure that it would have happened in time without you and your friends. Is there something that I can do for you?”
“Not really, Ben. I do have some friends who could use some help though.
“Tell me about it.”
“A friend has two agents in America now for the purpose of starting two banks there.”
