An Officer and a Gentleman-1777 Ch. 08

The Baron appeared and Jeffrey rode over to him. Saluting he said, "The field is ours, sir. The rebels are retreating."

"Thank you, Major. You know you must take better care of yourself."

"The men must see us, Herr Baron," Jeffrey replied.

"Agreed," the Baron said. He placed his hand on Jeffrey's shoulder. "With your scarlet coat and your actions, someone may mistake you for General Burgoyne!"

Jeffrey left the Baron and rode slowly across the battlefield. Now after the fighting when he had calmed down, he was appalled by the sights. The death were everywhere, in various stiff poses but the wounded gave the field a sort of crawling effect as they moved about. The sight of so many dead British officers dismayed him. The thought suddenly came to him. All officers were being targeted. He finally noticed his saddle pommel and a chill swept over him. Kill the head and the body dies. That thought troubled him.

He saw an officer walking towards him. He was holding his hat in his hand and wiping his forehead.

"Acland! John Acland!" Jeffrey shouted riding towards him. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Tremaine but barely. Do you have any water?" Acland was sweaty and his face covered in black soot. Blood was splattered on his pants.

Jeffrey handed him his canteen. "Are you hit?"

Acland looked at his pants. "No, that's poor FitzMorris' blood." He took a swig from the canteen. "It was murder today, bloody murder. All my officers were hit except two. It was murder."

Jeffrey dismounted. "As long as you're all right. Let's walk back to our lines."

The General waved a letter to the gathering of officers. "This is from General Clinton. He has taken Fort Montgomery on the Hudson and he is only 45 miles south of Albany. The letter is dated 2 weeks ago. He must be closer than that now."

"That's good news, General," General Phillips said, "but I don't see the rebel army growing weaker. Our prisoners say General Arnold has arrived and more reinforcements are on the way."

General Fraser spoke up. "Phillips is right. We need to follow up today's success and attack tomorrow, while they are still disorganized."

"No," Burgoyne replied, banging the table for effect. "We will gather our dead and wounded and wait till we hear from Clinton. We will husband our strength and then strike in conjunction with his forces. I know we all want to be in Albany soon but we must wait on more news. Dismissed."

As Jeffrey left the room he overheard Phillips whispering to Fraser, "At this rate, the only way we'll see Albany is a prisoners."