Hey guys, so I had finally had alittle bit of time and got to writing. So as the title suggests, it's going to be about the American Revolution. I'm not the strongest writer so I apologize for if it ain't the best. So with out further ado,
Raise the Union Jack...
British Occupied New York Island, June 30th, 1777
There was an odd hustle about the city today but John Williams didn’t have the time to pay much attention to it. He was one of the few merchants that were still open, mainly due to his willingness to sell British goods. Some of the other colonists weren’t thrilled that he remained open and as they put it bend knee to King George. While he may have supported breaking away from the crown, he had a family and needed to take care of them first.
“Damn Lobster backs seem like there up to something eh John?” said Dan Tailor.
It broke John out of his own thoughts, “Oh Dan I didn’t hear you come in, what makes you say that? I haven’t gone past the camp today.”
“Yeah quite a bit of hustle out of garrison force, officer’s yelling all sorts of things at their men.”
“What Dan, have you taken to spying on the British for Washington now” He said with a joking tone.
“Now now, don’t say that too loud or the Brits will hang me in town square.” Both men were laughing by this point.
“So what can help you with Dan?” said John as he started to clean off a neighboring table.
“Came to tell ya that the crop is coming in and I should be able to give you your share soon.”
“Well that’s good, let me know when it’s all ready and I’ll send…” but before he could finish the sentence his son Thomas came running into the house. Dan left, and John would go find out where his son went. “Well, you’re in hurry, mind telling me where you’re going?”
Thomas was packing a small bag, “General Clinton called for more men to join the loyalist regiments, and I….”
“Declined to join due to your father’s wishes yes?” His father’s tone was stern; he was deeply against his son joining the war on either side. John supported the idea of being represented back in Britain; he did not however believe that violence was the answer. Thomas and his father had argued time and time again over this, it usually came down to them storming off to cool down.
“I enlisted. I already signed the paperwork already. I know you’re against it but it’s my own right to do it if I want and I want to.”
John could see the fire burning in his son’s eyes. He truly believed what he was saying and for that he respected his son that. He was no longer the child he that he always saw him as. He chuckled and was in a much more somber tone “Your uncle said almost the same thing to my father almost twenty years ago before he went to fight the French. Listen I won’t stop you, hell at this point I can’t stop you if I tried. Your mother however she will probably think otherwise.”
“I know. She’ll try and convince me otherwise, but like I said I signed the sheet. It’s not really up to me anymore. We’re leaving tomorrow morning, Clinton seemed rather adamant about it.”
“You still remember how to shoot right? I can take you outside of town for a reminder.”
“Probably couldn’t hurt to have a little practice. Just let me pack a few more things and I’ll be ready to go.”
John walked out of the room and closed the door. He sat down at the chair behind the counter, he began to rub his hands through his hair “Am I really going to allow my son to march off and fight for the king. Hell, I don’t even support Crown… and now I have no say in the matter, the damn fool did it without even asking me? I know damn well what Mary is going to say to, he gets it from you. Oh is she going to be mad. She’ll simmer down eventually, I hope.”
“Dad, are you all right?” said Thomas, breaking John from his thoughts. He could see his father was stressed out.
“Huh, yeah I’ll be ok. Just trying to figure out how we’re going to break it to your mother without her taking both of our heads” He stood up and made his way to cabinet where he kept the muskets. John picked up the old musket and handed it to his son. They made their way outside; their shop was within view of the harbor which was full of British soldier and sailors bustling about. The two Williams walked to the outskirts of town and finally found a spot where nobody was around them.
“Well let’s see what you got. Load and fire your weapon soldier” John said to his son trying to do his best officer impersonation.
He took the musket ball and poured the powder in like he had been drilled for a week by an angry Prussian drill instructor. His father sat there with a dumbfounded look on his face. “You forgot that Oliver and I spent the better half of fall hunting didn’t you” Thomas had a sarcastic smirk on his face.
His father was shaking his head “Yeah you can shoot now, but let's see you do it when your being shot at? You joke about fighting now, but just wait for your first battle. You’ll see the hell that is unleashed.” He didn’t have the same joking tone that he had before. It was a more serious tone; he wanted to make sure that the message stuck with his son.
Raise the Union Jack...
British Occupied New York Island, June 30th, 1777
There was an odd hustle about the city today but John Williams didn’t have the time to pay much attention to it. He was one of the few merchants that were still open, mainly due to his willingness to sell British goods. Some of the other colonists weren’t thrilled that he remained open and as they put it bend knee to King George. While he may have supported breaking away from the crown, he had a family and needed to take care of them first.
“Damn Lobster backs seem like there up to something eh John?” said Dan Tailor.
It broke John out of his own thoughts, “Oh Dan I didn’t hear you come in, what makes you say that? I haven’t gone past the camp today.”
“Yeah quite a bit of hustle out of garrison force, officer’s yelling all sorts of things at their men.”
“What Dan, have you taken to spying on the British for Washington now” He said with a joking tone.
“Now now, don’t say that too loud or the Brits will hang me in town square.” Both men were laughing by this point.
“So what can help you with Dan?” said John as he started to clean off a neighboring table.
“Came to tell ya that the crop is coming in and I should be able to give you your share soon.”
“Well that’s good, let me know when it’s all ready and I’ll send…” but before he could finish the sentence his son Thomas came running into the house. Dan left, and John would go find out where his son went. “Well, you’re in hurry, mind telling me where you’re going?”
Thomas was packing a small bag, “General Clinton called for more men to join the loyalist regiments, and I….”
“Declined to join due to your father’s wishes yes?” His father’s tone was stern; he was deeply against his son joining the war on either side. John supported the idea of being represented back in Britain; he did not however believe that violence was the answer. Thomas and his father had argued time and time again over this, it usually came down to them storming off to cool down.
“I enlisted. I already signed the paperwork already. I know you’re against it but it’s my own right to do it if I want and I want to.”
John could see the fire burning in his son’s eyes. He truly believed what he was saying and for that he respected his son that. He was no longer the child he that he always saw him as. He chuckled and was in a much more somber tone “Your uncle said almost the same thing to my father almost twenty years ago before he went to fight the French. Listen I won’t stop you, hell at this point I can’t stop you if I tried. Your mother however she will probably think otherwise.”
“I know. She’ll try and convince me otherwise, but like I said I signed the sheet. It’s not really up to me anymore. We’re leaving tomorrow morning, Clinton seemed rather adamant about it.”
“You still remember how to shoot right? I can take you outside of town for a reminder.”
“Probably couldn’t hurt to have a little practice. Just let me pack a few more things and I’ll be ready to go.”
John walked out of the room and closed the door. He sat down at the chair behind the counter, he began to rub his hands through his hair “Am I really going to allow my son to march off and fight for the king. Hell, I don’t even support Crown… and now I have no say in the matter, the damn fool did it without even asking me? I know damn well what Mary is going to say to, he gets it from you. Oh is she going to be mad. She’ll simmer down eventually, I hope.”
“Dad, are you all right?” said Thomas, breaking John from his thoughts. He could see his father was stressed out.
“Huh, yeah I’ll be ok. Just trying to figure out how we’re going to break it to your mother without her taking both of our heads” He stood up and made his way to cabinet where he kept the muskets. John picked up the old musket and handed it to his son. They made their way outside; their shop was within view of the harbor which was full of British soldier and sailors bustling about. The two Williams walked to the outskirts of town and finally found a spot where nobody was around them.
“Well let’s see what you got. Load and fire your weapon soldier” John said to his son trying to do his best officer impersonation.
He took the musket ball and poured the powder in like he had been drilled for a week by an angry Prussian drill instructor. His father sat there with a dumbfounded look on his face. “You forgot that Oliver and I spent the better half of fall hunting didn’t you” Thomas had a sarcastic smirk on his face.
His father was shaking his head “Yeah you can shoot now, but let's see you do it when your being shot at? You joke about fighting now, but just wait for your first battle. You’ll see the hell that is unleashed.” He didn’t have the same joking tone that he had before. It was a more serious tone; he wanted to make sure that the message stuck with his son.