| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - January 06 2006 : 11:23:52 AM
“Hail the Conquering Hero” (Part Two) By Sgt. Munro
Carlisle, Pennsylvania Colony
08 January 1765 / 1545 Hours
The biting January air was only made more miserable by the sleet stinging the faces of the Pennsylvania soldiers, as they marched into the town square. Bringing his detachment to a halt, Captain Michael Schloss motioned for Corporal Dammer.
“Ja, mein Kapitan.” Dammer said, as he snapped his firelock to the ‘recover’.
“Herr Corporal, you shall take the men along the High Street to the ‘Sign of the Turk’ tavern.” Captain Schloss paused, as he retrieved and handed a sealed letter to Dammer, “Give this to the proprietor, Herr Pollock. He will provide hot food and dry accommodations for you all.”
“Ja, mein Herr.”
Watching for a moment, as his men marched off, Captain Schloss then continued toward Carlisle Barracks, to report to Colonel Bouquet. Finding the colonel standing between lines of redeemed captives and searching family members, Captain Schloss saluted, “Herr Colonel, I report that no further captives arrived at Fort Pitt before our departure.”
“Very good, Herr Captain.” Bouquet answered returning the salute, “The rest should arrive in the springtime. In the meantime, I am having a problem reuniting these people with their loved ones. As you know, a great many were taken captive as small children, some almost ten years ago.”
“I do understand our problem, Herr Colonel. If you would excuse for one moment, mein Herr.” Captain Schloss then walked over to a woman he recognized, tipping his hat as he asked, “Frau Hartman, why is it that you look so sad?”
“Oh, Herr Schloss…” she said while weeping, “I came here to look for my daughter, Regina. You remember how she was taken from me nine years before?”
Handing the woman his handkerchief, he quietly said, “Take a moment, dear Frau. I shall help you look among these captives.”
The two spent the next half an hour walking amongst the captives. Many of the girls were the right age, but none seemed to recognize Frau Hartman. Appearing sad and frustrated, she handed Captain Schloss back his favor, and said, “I fear that she is not here.”
Thinking for a moment, Captain Schloss then asked, “Frau Hartman, is there something that you might do which would help recall the past for one of these children? Perhaps a hymn that you used to sing to her when she was very young?”
Frau Hartman then remembered, and sang, “Allein, und doch nicht ganz alien, Bin ich in meiner Einsamkeit…”
She had not even finished the second line, when a young girl ran from the crowd and began to sing with Frau Hartman. The young girl then embraced her mother, and started to cry uncontrollably. Frau Hartman knew that she had found her Regina.
Another girl, younger than Regina, came up and locked onto Regina’s waist. This girl had no parents, and was obviously Regina’s friend during her captivity. Frau Hartman looked into the child’s large, tear-filled eyes, and said, “My dear, you shall come to live with Regina and I, if you wish.”
Watching the happy trio depart the parade ground, Colonel Bouquet noted, “As usual Herr Captain, you manage to find a solution in an impossible situation. Are you certain that I could not interest you in a regular officer commission; a majority in the 60th perhaps?”
Captain Schloss smiled, and said, “Thank you, no, Herr Colonel. As I had noted before, it is my wish to return to my farm, and my people, in the Susquehanna Valley.”
Saluting, Colonel Bouquet replied, “Then the service will be wanting, Mein Herr. I wish you well, old friend.”
…Meanwhile, at Fort Pitt:
The men were finishing up with afternoon barracks details, when Lieutenant MacMillan rushed through the door shouting, “Graham’s Company, fall in at the double-quick!”
As the men finished assembling, Sergeant Munro turned to face Lieutenant MacMillan, and reported, “Sir, the company is all present, and/or accounted for, |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - January 18 2006 : 6:20:55 PM
Thank you, MG; I figured some of you guys would appreciate seeing some of the things I include in my writting.
YMH&OS,
The Sarge |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - January 18 2006 : 4:52:47 PM
Very nice indeed, - one really beautiful piece of work. Thx, ... |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - January 18 2006 : 11:37:14 AM
Okay, here is the picture of the powder horn, which I had mentioned in the above installment of "Soldier of the King; The Life and Times of Duncan Munro"
YMH&OS,
The Sarge |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - January 07 2006 : 1:52:39 PM
Thank you both for the kind words. It pleases me to know that my humble writting is enjoyed by others. In case you were wondering, the powder horn and strap do exist, as part of my 'toy' collection; and they both were made by the people named in the story. I tried to upload an image of it for posting, but I kept coming up with the internet explorer 'Page Cannot Be Displayed' white screen of death. I did resize said image to around 30kb, but it still will not post. I will try again later...
YMH&OS,
The Sarge |
| qasimoto |
Posted - January 07 2006 : 02:55:30 AM
A very nice piece of work, sir!
Qasimoto |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - January 06 2006 : 12:02:22 PM
Excellent again Sarge, - you might be missing your calling. ;) |
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![The Mohican Board! [Bumppo's Redux!]](images/wwwboard.gif "The Mohican Board! [Bumppo's Redux!]")
