War Comes to Willy Freeman!

Chapter 3&4

I road back up to the fort. I could tell that the horse was scared so I patted he then I saw a rope. It was Pa; he was there to help me over the wall into the fort. There were some of the people in pain from getting shot or some were just lying still on the ground staring up to the sky. Pa and I and other soldiers went and looked over the wall. We saw three British soldiers with a white flag walking to the fort.  Three of the soldiers that were with Colonel Ledyard, went and talked to the red coats. The red coats wanted us to surrender. They threaten to massacre us if we didn't surrender. Pa told me to go down into the powder magazine. He said I would be safer down there and I could help make cartridges.  There was a little white boy down there working on the cartridges. He was Colonel Ledyard’s son. He taught me how to make the cartridges, so we started making them. We each had to bring some up to the soldiers so they could use them. He went first; he can back and said there were a lot of people dead. I asked him if my Pa was dead, but he didn't know who my Pa was. I wish I had decided to be a girl because it was my turn to take them up to the soldiers. When I got up there I saw two or three British soldiers around four Americans, Pa was one of them. The British were jabbing there bayonets into their backs. I crouched down under a platform were none of the British could see me. I saw Colonel Ledyard go up to the leader of the British. Colonel Ledyard handed his sword over and then the British solider jabbed his sword into Colonel Ledyard side and killed him. Then I saw British soldiers around Pa, I saw there bayonet go through his back and he flung his arms out and fell on to the ground.

I saw the platform start to rattle; I opened my eyes to see what it was. There was a British soldier standing there above me. He had blond hair and blue eyes, he seemed young to me. I said please don’t kill me. I’m a girl not a boy. He just looked at me, then he said, why are you hearing, what are you doing in this? I said I came up with my Pa, he’s already dead. Then he grabbed me by the soldier and spun me around and said, out of here now! So I left I was running as fast as I could across the battle field into the woods. All I wanted was my Ma. So I started walking to the cabin. When I got there I couldn't find Ma. Where was she? I kept calling for him but she wasn't answering. I was looking around to see if she left something for me to find. She could have gone anywhere. She could of went up and looked to me and Pa. I just sat there with my back up against the wall of the cabin.  I saw someone coming down the road. I thought it was Ma. But it wasn't  it was Granny Hyde. She lived down the road from us. She said she thought I was dead. I said Pa was dead and I saw it happen. I asked her were my Ma was, she said gone. She said the British took her back to New York with them. She said that we won’t ever she her again. I couldn't believe it my Pa was dead and my Ma was captured. Granny Hyde said I could go stay with her, but I didn't want to. I went back into the cabin and went to sleep. I woke up, and called for my Ma, but she still wasn't there. I went and looked out in to the sea and there were more British ships then there were before. I didn't know what I was going to do. I thought about going to help Mrs. Ledyard but I would have to back into slavery. The only relatives I had were Aunt Besty and uncle Jack Arabus and Cousin Dan and I have never met them. Would they take me in? How would I get there? It was fifty miles to Stanford. I could take Pa’s jolly boat that he hid in the trees. Would it still be there? I went and looked for food in the cabin and then I went off to baker’s cove. As I got there the British were sailing off to New York. After the sailed of a ways I started going to Stanford. They lived with Captain Ivers and Mrs. Ivers. They had a wharf by the shore in new field in Stanford. I sailed all day feeling lonely and sad. I headed the jolly boat into a beach alongside the wharf and climbed out. I walked up the beach and there was a path and walked up it. Then I saw a brown shingled house. It was the house where they lived. I walked into the barn and saw Dan. Dan looked at me and said Cousin Willy? I said where’s your Ma? He said she’s in the kitchen making dinner. Then I saw Aunt Betsy running out saying Willy? Then she hugged me, it felt mighty good to be hugged. She asked what I was going to do. I said I was going to stay with you. Aunt Betsy just looked at me and said I don’t know if you can Willy. Then a big black man walked around the house and it was Uncle Jack. He gave me a big hug. He said you poor child and he was glad I came I’d come.