Posted by Seamus on March 10, 2000 at 12:32:59:
In Reply to: The Fort at Carlisle posted by Corporal Malcolm A. MacWilliam on March 10, 2000 at 11:38:22:
: Cousin Seamus,
: I have received your latest message concerning the battle with Col. Armstrong. I thank St. Andrew that you have come through safe to fall once again into the arms of the dark haired lass. Your side of the family (those Irish rovers!) always did have a penchant for the lassies!
: My hopes are still that we can rendezvous at Fort Frederick in one month's time. I have not had a message from Many Flags or Three Tales for several days. Last evening I sat with one of our Lenape scouts, Owl by name, a comrade of Sign Talker. He mapped out the area which cousins Flags and Tales are now traversing, east of August, near the land of Daniel Montgomery. If Owl's mapping is correct, our longhunter cousins should be reaching Augusta in two days time. However, I also remember Flags talking of a minister's daughter who lives in that area that he is sweet on. That may delay his arrival at Augusta!
: Carlisle has been a respite for the 77th. We repair our kits and take on supplies before heading southwest to Reynold's Spring near a mill owned by the Chambers family. This is about a day's journey from the stockade at Loudoun where a small group of our grenadier company will head south to meet you at the Fort of Frederick. We have already been given the written orders, signed by General Forbes himself, which will allow us to leave our comrades of the 77th Grenadier company with our small contingent and protect the frontier of Mary Land.
: Carlisle is a small village, a few cabins, a few stone houses, the Presbyterian church where Rev. John Andrews presides. Last evening we attended vespers at the church, many of us thinking on our loved ones in Scotland. We stay here at the fort, which is just north of the town, the castrimentation of our camp laid out in streets inside the fort, which is made up of high embankments in the shape of a 12 pointed star. Actually, it may be 14, having been sipping at some rum this past hour, I may have miscounted. It is a huge area inside the fort, as my last post indicated, large enough for 1000 troops to parade easily. As we sit by our fire this evening, we sing a few of the old songs, with a bit of rum and pipes of taback. 'Tis certainly a fine night, although we know there will be hard fighting ahead of us; as we protect this land for the colonists of our soverign, George the 2.
: Ahh, I hear the singing getting louder beside the other large corporal's tent. He and MacFarland are certainly enjoying themselves and I understand that Col Bouquet has given leave to Pvt. MacCrimmon to play the Highland pipes this evening. As the song goes, "So let the rum flow and the ladies dance!"
: We have several more days here, Cousin Seamus before we travel on the next leg of our journey. If you hear from Many Flags and Three Tales, send communication to Davey Gunn and myself immediately. We worry for his safety, especially if Flags is with the minister's daughter!
: God Save the King!
: Cpl. Malcolm A. MacWilliam, 77th Reg't of Foot, Grenadier Company
Cousin Malcolm!
It is so good to hear from you that you are well. My compliments to Capt. Croy and all my good friends in the 77th! Malcolm, I cannot tell you how glad I am that Many Flags and Three Tales were not able to accompany us to Kittanning, although I do believe that they would have been able to prevent some of our misfortune. The scouts and pilots the colonel had to deal with I believe were afraid of the Indians, and did not even reconnoitre the village as they had been employed to do. I know, for a fact, that they ran at the first fire and were not to be seen again. I have indelibly marked their images in my mind and when things cool down around that country, I will endeavour to seek them out and they will pay for their dastardly behaviour. I am wondering if they might have been in the employ of the French...Hmmmm? Malcolm, the dark haired lass has made a confession to me. She has told me that while I was away, she prayed for my safe return constantly, and could do nothing but weep. The poor thing ate little or nothing over the period I was gone, and has lost enough weight to be at once noticeable, and when she saw me awhile ago, she ran to me and hugged me so hard I thought I would need the blacksmith's bar to pry her loose. My Heavens, Malc, she is a strong one for such a wee lass! Malcolm, her tears flowed so freely that she soaked the shoulder and front of my hunting shirt so that it appeared as if it had rained upon me! After she regained her composure somewhat, she insisted on dressing my wounds and I allowed her. The relief she applied was much needed, as they were far worse than I had thought they were. She has told me her name...Nancy...and when she did, I just stood there dumfounded and ashamed for not having ever asked her what she was called. I don't know why, but it just had never occurred to me to inquire. Nancy...Nancy...N-a-n-c-y! What a lovely sound... I took her to get some sorely needed victuals, and after she supped, we took a walk through the gardens and, Malcolm...the lass ..er, Nancy...told me of her feelings ...you know, the same as I told you I had when I was near her, and that she has come to the conclusion that she LOVES me! Can you imagine that?? She loves ME!!! No other woman has EVER said that to ME!! My head is spinning, Malcolm...and you know, I believe it to be true...I love her, too. It cannot be anything else. Now I have many things to sort out, many things to think about...so I must go and do just that. I will go into the forest and find my favorite Thinking Tree and spend some time there.
I shall be at Fort Frederick in a month's time, and in the meantime, I will keep an eye out for Many Flags and Three Tales. I will be interested to hear Many Flags' stories about the minister's daughter. I know these people, we call them the Aged Ones...and a finer, sweeter pair does not exist. I wonder if my dear Cousin has the same feelings for her as I do for my Nancy?
Pax Aye!
Seamus