Daughter of the Revolution Ch. 15

"Do not under any circumstances fire your cannon before my or Alec's signal. It's imperative that we kill as many redcoats as possible in a short amount of time. Three rounds of grapeshot from each field piece should do the trick, then we'll sweep in and kill any remaining soldiers by hand. Make sure you tie your equipment tightly to your bodies to eliminate rattling while we sneak in on their positions. Sharpen your knives and swords and then try to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a do or die day for us. The General is doing well and resting right now. He sends his best wishes to you and prays for victory and your safe return. God bless you all."

After Major Moore called an end to the formation, two men approached Abby and she instantly recognized them as the two troublemakers from back at the plantation. "Earl and Robert, right?" she questioned with a smile.

"Yes, Mistress," Earl, the older man responded. "We'd like to volunteer to take out the sentries on your side. We're excellent woodsmen and would love to serve with you."

She eyed them speculatively. They certainly looked the part. Their hair and beards were shaggy but clean, while their buckskin clothing was well worn but serviceable. Their eyes were eager, yet somehow she sensed they were almost afraid of her, which was indeed so. Taking her long pause as a negative sign, Robert spoke up shyly.

"Please, Mistress, allow us to help you. It'd mean a lot to us," he begged. She knew she was taking a chance, but made a quick decision based on her gut feeling.

"I'd like that very much. You'll stay close to me as we work our way to their line and I'll show you where the sentry's posts are."

"Oh, we know where they are. In fact, we watched you and Miss Rose scout them out the other day. We'd been eyeballing them as well," Earl said with a mischievous smile while Abby laughed gaily, surprised at his words. "We had nothing to do and figured we'd spy a bit ourselves. Like I said, we're good at this sort of business." Abby knew then that she'd made the proper choice.

"Why you scoundrels! I had no clue you were in the area. I feel better knowing you'll be there with us," she complimented with a beautiful smile while the men colored at her words.

"Thank you, Mistress!" they both exclaimed happily. They bowed slightly to her and took their leave while she looked at their retreating backs with satisfaction, feeling even more confident in her plan than before.

It was now dinner time and Rose delivered a meal to Nathan's tent, hoping that he'd be awake to eat. She found Sarah still sitting next to him, nearly asleep in her chair. Sarah gently shook him awake and together the two women sat him up and watched as he hungrily ate.

"So, you're heading out tonight with the assault group, Rose?" he asked between bites.

"Yep, I'll be with Alec and Abby while June will accompany the Major. She's fast and efficient at loading both rifle and cannon. I think she'll be a huge asset to him," she said loyally.

"Ah, I so wish I could go too," he said wistfully. "I love watching you ladies work. You're all extraordinary in your own ways. It's an honor just knowing you three." She colored at his words, but loved his praise.

"Thank you, Nathan. And you are as well. We'll come see you when we've been victorious," she said, with more confidence than she was feeling. To be truthful, this was the biggest venture she'd ever been a part of and was quite nervous. As she spoke, she noticed his bared chest was covered in goosebumps and his nipples were hard, indicating he was getting cold. He handed his plate to Sarah with a groan and closed his eyes as he fought the waves of agony from his wounded thigh.

"Easy there, big man," Rose crooned. "Let's get you tucked back in." He eased down on his back while the girls tugged his blankets up. Rose watched Sarah closely and noticed that a few times she almost touched him but was too shy to continue. Rose took Sarah's hand in her's and used it to caress his thick pecs and tight belly, her fingers trailing through the curly hair that coated him.

His eyes remained closed and he moaned in pleasure at the sensation of her warm hand. In a few moments his breathing settled and he fell asleep.

"Would you like to stay with him tonight?" Rose whispered, her breath stirring the hair next to Sarah's ear.

"I'd like to, just in case he needs something," Sarah replied quietly.

"Then be bold and brave, sweetheart," Rose said, and tugged Sarah to her feet. Sarah's eyes widened in surprise when Rose began undressing her, and when she was naked, Rose gently pulled the blanket from Nathan's body and pushed Sarah down to lie beside him. The bed was narrow and she had to lay on her side, but she just managed to fit. He moaned at her touch and unconsciously put a hand on her thigh, causing her to jump nervously. Rose smoothed her hair and kissed her cheek before covering the two with the blanket.

"Sweet dreams," she whispered, and quietly took her leave.

No one slept a wink that night as they lay collectively thinking about the attack planned for the early morning. As a result they were all ready to slip into the forest before the time came to do so. Alec, Abby, and the Major walked through the groups of men scattered about to give them words of encouragement and remind them of their individual parts to play in the next few hours. Finally, the appointed time came and the two groups slipped quietly into the forest and began their slow, steady movement to the enemy line. Abby, Robert, and Earl led their company and stealthily crawled in close to the two sentries. Both redcoat men were sitting on the ground and leaning against nearby trees, wrapped in blankets and sleeping soundly.

Abby watched as Robert slipped behind the first one and clapped his hand over his mouth while holding him tightly with the other. Earl rammed his knife in the man's neck and chopped out his throat as the man struggled mightily. The only sound Abby heard was the whoosh of air leaving his lungs and gurgling of blood through his opened windpipe. The two woodsmen were quiet as mice when they sneaked in and repeated their bloody deed on the second sentry, then waved Abby and the remaining troops forward.

"Well done, gents!" Abby breathed to them as she squeezed their arms in thanks. "I couldn't have done it better myself!" she said with a sly wink at the men. Both of their chests puffed in pride at her words. They'd each fallen in love with her when she'd forgiven them, and sought to win her approval any way they could, including bloody murder if that's what it took.

Alec led the men through the darkness and across the open field, ensuring each cannon emplacement was void of the enemy, then he placed three men in each position. They silently turned each cannon to point towards the redcoat camp, then using their own powder and shot, stealthily loaded the guns and hid behind the embankment while waiting for dawn.

Meanwhile, Major Moore's company had enjoyed the same success. Their sentries on the enemies right flank were easily overpowered and killed without waking the camp, then he stationed his soldiers at each field piece according to plan. June had chosen to accompany him and she bore his rifle, shot, and powder horn as she followed him closely.

Abby and Rose picked a position on the embankment that gave them a clear view of the field where the redcoat formation would soon form. The girls made sure they were well dug into the dirt in order to expose a minimum of themselves to the redcoats when the shooting started. It seemed to take forever for dawn to break and the troops huddled together in the morning chill as they waited.

Abby's eyes grew drowsy as she cuddled close to Rose, then was rudely jerked awake when the redcoat trumpeter sounded the morning reveille. Rubbing the sleep from their eyes, the two deadly beauties scrambled up the embankment and shouldered their squirrel rifles.

"Be patient, honey," Abby cautioned, "I'm waiting for a few moments."

She watched the command tent with sharp eyes while a captain shouted to the still sleepy redcoats, urging them into a formation of farting, scratching soldiers. Abby tensed when the command tent flapped open and the general came out. He paused beside his dwelling and unleashed a mighty stream of urine, the hot stream steaming in the morning chill.

"The men are assembled, sir!" The captain barked out and called the men to attention. The general wanted to have words of encouragement with them this morning because he intended to bring this standoff to a finish and defeat Nathan definitively. He strode briskly to stand before his men, and his adjutant, a colonel by all appearances joined him as well.

"You take his officer when you hear me shoot, Rose," Abby whispered as she put her front sight on the general's head.

"I'm ready," Rose responded, so quietly that Abby could barely pick out her words. When Abby's breathing paused as she exhaled, she gently pulled the trigger while concentrating on her front sight. The recoil surprised her completely and she knew the shot was perfect. The general's head snapped forward when her.32 caliber bullet impacted the back of his skull, opening his forehead and scattering his brains on the front rank of surprised men. Rose's shot broke an instant behind hers and the colonel suffered the same fate as her bullet emptied his brainpan onto the cold ground.

Almost simultaneously the girls heard Alec's command, "Fire, fire on those sons' of bitches!" he shouted in his best bull roar. The mighty blast of cannon shattered the morning air and sheets of grapeshot ripped bloody swaths through the packed ranks of surprised redcoats. Abby tried to watch the action as she rapidly reloaded, searching for any targets that may have survived the initial fusillade of cannon fire. The Continental soldiers were expert cannoneers and it showed in their effectiveness. The guns on the ends of the line had been aimed at the outer ranks of men, and the middle guns were increasingly aimed towards the center of the formation so when they all fired at once the entire group of soldiers came under fire.

As the first volley died off and the men were frantically reloading the field pieces, the screams of wounded and dying men rang shrill in the air. Abby and Rose each picked off another man before the cannon began to speak again in a ragged chorus. For another two minutes it was bedlam as bodies and body parts fell in the field like rain as the terrible grapeshot did it's formidable duty. After the third and final round, the men charged the remaining redcoats and engaged in hand to hand combat.

Rose held back and continued to fire at targets of opportunity while Abby joined Alec with her rapier and together the two reaped a bloody harvest. She had no mercy as she fought, killing every man who had the courage to engage her flickering steel, and stabbing the wounded as she passed them by. Alec stayed close to her and when his newfound sword fighting skills didn't serve him well, he beat the redcoats back with sheer strength and audacity.

Somehow, through the fog of battle he saw Major Moore take a musket ball to his thigh that fractured his femur, sending him to the ground with a roar of pain. A redcoat saw opportunity and charged the Major with a drawn sword, intent to dispatch him. Alec knew he couldn't get there in time but he tried anyway. He broke into a run towards them, then saw a sight that would live with him forever.

Little June, the slave girl, was running like a deer across the field with a sword in her hand and quartering behind the attacking redcoat. She threw herself on the backs of his legs and they both went down in a heap. She scrambled quickly to her feet and chopped down on the hapless man while sobbing with anger. She cursed him roundly as her sword bit into his head and neck, splattering herself in his hot blood. When he was dead, she stood over the wounded Major, her sword poised and ready to fight like a lioness defending her young.

Meanwhile, Abby had tangled with a huge redcoat, one that she knew she should've avoided if possible due to his sheer size and strength. The crushing blows of his steel on her's were difficult to parry and she knew her wrist couldn't take the punishment for long. Her rapier darted in and out, leaving its mark twice on his right arm and again on his belly. He was streaming blood and panting loudly, but seemed to grow faster and stronger as their bout progressed. Remembering the way she'd defeated a redcoat officer long ago, she parried a particularly heavy blow and she struck like a rattler at the wrist joint of his sword arm.

He bellowed in pain as his tendons parted with an audible snap and she smelled victory, but it was fleeting. His left fist came from nowhere and clouted on the side of her head, knocking her to the hard ground nearly unconscious. She looked up at him woozily, fully expecting his sword to appear and run her through. His snarling face swam into view and his left hand closed around her throat, viciously squeezing the life from her. Her vision began to tunnel as she writhed on the ground struggling to breathe. His evil, grinning face grew close to hers and she could smell the horrible breath emanating from his blackened, rotting teeth.

Suddenly, his teeth exploded and a sheet of blood rained down on her upturned face as Rose's well aimed bullet took his life just in the nick of time. He stiffened spasmodically, then fell lifeless on her body, crushing her to the dirt. She sucked for air, nearly gagging as his hot blood ran into her mouth and nose. Kicking and fighting she rolled from under him, then in a fit of rage, drew her dagger and punched it in his eye, twisting and turning it viciously and scrambling his brain to mush.

Strong arms went around her and Alec's comforting words pierced her fog, "Easy, Angel, easy now. He's dead." She looked at him numbly, then collapsed in his embrace.

"That was a close one, Heavy. I need to quit picking on the big ones, damn it," she muttered as her senses slowly returned. They both stood shakily and she turned to face him, kissing him quickly before turning her attention back to the battlefield.

Just then the cavalry arrived from the Continental lines. They'd awaited to charge until they heard the booming of cannon fire. They poured over the embankment and smashed into the remaining redcoats, first firing their muskets and pistols, then slashing down with razor sharp sabers, slaughtering the last of the enemy troops. As the fighting died off, Alec and Abby stood and rested, completely blown and panting for breath. They looked in amazement at the sight before them. It looked like a scene from hell, bloody, eviscerated bodies and burning tents filled the air with a putrid scent while the screams of the wounded set their teeth on edge. The troops moved among them and swiftly killed the survivors, using sword and knife to end their lives.

Alec went to Major Moore and tended to him until two soldiers with a wagon arrived and carefully lifted him in the bed, joining the other wounded for the bumpy ride back to camp. Abby hunted for and found Rose, whom was sitting at the embankment with a smoking rifle, the barrel hot to the touch from the high rate of fire she'd maintained.

Abby threw herself in her arms and hugged her tightly. "Thank for saving my life again, sweetness," she said loudly, her ears still ringing from the din of battle.

"You're welcome, honey!" Rose exclaimed with fire still in her eyes. "I love killing those bastards, almost too much I'm afraid." She put an arm around Abby and hugged her close, then shared a sweet kiss with her. The two sat in silence and watched as the troops continued to mop up the battlefield. Suddenly, Rose had a thought. "The general's tent! We should loot it before anyone else does! I bet he has some stuff that Nathan would want!" The two beauties shot to their feet and ran to the tent. It was still standing, but barely. A couple guy ropes had been parted by shrapnel or shot and the fabric was torn, but it had survived.

They went in and found Alec had beat them there. He was stuffing parchments and other items into a leather satchel. Abby flung herself in his arms and kissed him deeply, sighing at the warmth of him. Rose gave them a few seconds, then joined them and her lips mets Alec's as well. He hugged his girls and sighed with relief, happy beyond words that they'd all survived the battle unscathed. As they rifled through the tent, Rose let out a cry of joy when she found a small wooden chest filled with gold coins, so heavy that she couldn't pick it up.

"I want to give it to the soldiers and their families!" she exclaimed. "Do you suppose that Nathan would agree?"

"I can't speak for him, but I'd imagine so. We'll run it by him when we get back to camp," Alec stated. They continued sacking the tent and Abby let out a surprised cry.

"I found some laudanum!" she said happily as she sniffed a gallon jug of the substance. "We can use it for our wounded!"

Soon, they'd finished their pillaging and readied for the long walk across the field back to their own lines. Alec secured a loose horse and strapped the treasure chest to it's saddle while Abby paused atop the enemy embankment and turned to look back over the field of battle, shaking her head at the sight. Over three hundred redcoat bodies were laying in bloody, stinking disarray.

"A job well done," she muttered to herself as a wave of exhaustion rolled over her small frame. Everyone had been awake for over twenty four hours now, and with her adrenaline dump wearing off, she was almost asleep on her feet. She took Alec's arm while Rose took the other and together they made their way back to their lines.

They found Nathan sitting up in his bed with Sarah in close attendance. He was wide awake and hoping for good news. They swiftly filled him in on their victory and he let out a huge sigh of relief.

"So we won? Was it decisive?" he asked hurriedly.

"Yes, Uncle. We killed over three hundred of them. We've nothing to fear anymore, and I brought this back for you," Abby said with a happy smile, and tossed the brain spattered hat of the enemy general to Nathan. He flicked a piece of skull bone from the brim and chuckled joyfully.

"You cocksucker. We've finally got you," he said to the hat with a smile.

"Abby got him!" Rose bragged. "She killed him with a single shot to his noggin, and I got the colonel. Then Alec called out the order to fire and all hell broke loose!" she said excitedly, reliving the opening moments in her mind.

"We also got a chest full of gold!" Alec exclaimed. "We'll leave it here with you under guard if that's ok."

"Of course it is! Well done!" he congratulated, "you'll have to tell me all about it later. Where's James at?"

"He took a ball to his thighbone, I believe it's broken badly," Alec said. "and June is taking care of him. My next stop is the doctor's tent to check on him."

A frown of concern furrowed Nathan's brow. "Keep me up to date on his condition, please. Maybe I can visit him later."

"You need to rest, darling," Sarah spoke up unexpectedly as she caressed his shoulder, "your own wound is quite grievous."

"Alec, this is Sarah," Rose broke in to introduce her, "she's helping Nathan in his recovery." Alec met her gaze and she gave him a conspiratorial wink. He smiled back, not at all surprised that she was up to no good yet again.

He kissed her cheek and muttered in her ear. "You saucy wench, always spoiling us men. Well done, beautiful." She colored at his praise and wondered why he still had such an effect on her after all the time they'd spent together.

The companions took their leave and went to check on James. The doctor had him on a makeshift table and was swabbing out the wound in his leg. June was with him and was attempting to hold him down as he writhed in agony. His thigh looked crooked with a slight dogleg in the middle of it. Abby approached the doctor and handed him her newfound jug of liquid gold.