First of all, he made it easily to the New Jersey militia, only to find that the spy who had the allegedly thorough drawing of Trenton and Princetown's camps has been delayed and perhaps captured. He ruminates for several hours, considering the possible consequences of going after him versus returning empty-handed, and, in the end, chooses to try to obtain the information. It was his own idea, after all, to do this attack, and its failure could reflect on him and his family.
So, second, he pursues the rumor of this spy's passage eastward. He spends the night under a white oak, penning a letter to Burr that unfortunately leaves him missing his husband rather more, and finds that the British have been seeking a young man, several years younger than Hamilton, who was a servant at a Loyalist house where a British general stayed.
It's around this time that he runs into a surprise confrontation between part of the militia and a small detachment of the British, who have just finished "requisitioning" from a nearby town. The militia is in an ignominious retreat when Hamilton rides into their midst and shouts for them to follow him -- and, to his surprise, many of them do, enough to get to the supply wagons and set them aflame before fleeing. A few of them ride with him eastward, into the pine barrens of the New Jersey cape. It's his good fortune that they do, because between the handful of them, they are able to get some rest and keep watch for the British overnight.
One more night that he's away from Burr. They must expect him back by now -- at least by the following evening. It can't be avoided, though.
After, once it's clear they've lost their pursuit, he sends the soldiers back towards Washington and continues on, towards the village that was apparently the young spy's destination.
Hamilton works very hard to find the spy before the British do. Fortunately, the village is sympathetic to the patriots, and he finds a friend of Hercules Mulligan, a man peripheral to the Sons of Liberty, who helped hide the youth. This man agrees to hide the horse and some of the more distinctive parts of the uniform, and lends Hamilton a rougher coat that makes him look more like a local farmer. It's a risk -- he could be hanged as a spy, but with the uniform, he could also get summarily shot. And while a past Hamilton, before his marriage, might have kept with the uniform, he now wants to take his greatest shot at survival.
He has to spend another night there, and sets off in the morning.
Another day of searching, and he finally finds the young man, Elias Rolfe, terrified, taking shelter in a rough lean-to. The fact that Hamilton is obviously not British helps, and once he explains who he is, the youth lights up and says, "From the news?"
They agree that Hamilton is a farmer -- Alexander Faucette, taking his mother's maiden name -- and the youth is a foster child -- Elias suggests the name of a friend of his, Jack Taylor -- he is taking in as a servant, and in the morning they start back to the village.
Unfortunately, this is where they run into the British.
There is no running from them -- they're on horseback, and Hamilton and Elias are on foot. Hamilton makes no secret of his tension.
The commander, a Captain, begins to interrogate them. Asks about Elias's name, and Hamilton's. He doesn't like their answers, and presses them. The captain doesn't like Elias's fear, or Elias's resemblance to the description of the servant.
After several minutes of this, Hamilton starts to get a sinking feeling that they might not get out of this alive.
no subject
First of all, he made it easily to the New Jersey militia, only to find that the spy who had the allegedly thorough drawing of Trenton and Princetown's camps has been delayed and perhaps captured. He ruminates for several hours, considering the possible consequences of going after him versus returning empty-handed, and, in the end, chooses to try to obtain the information. It was his own idea, after all, to do this attack, and its failure could reflect on him and his family.
So, second, he pursues the rumor of this spy's passage eastward. He spends the night under a white oak, penning a letter to Burr that unfortunately leaves him missing his husband rather more, and finds that the British have been seeking a young man, several years younger than Hamilton, who was a servant at a Loyalist house where a British general stayed.
It's around this time that he runs into a surprise confrontation between part of the militia and a small detachment of the British, who have just finished "requisitioning" from a nearby town. The militia is in an ignominious retreat when Hamilton rides into their midst and shouts for them to follow him -- and, to his surprise, many of them do, enough to get to the supply wagons and set them aflame before fleeing. A few of them ride with him eastward, into the pine barrens of the New Jersey cape. It's his good fortune that they do, because between the handful of them, they are able to get some rest and keep watch for the British overnight.
One more night that he's away from Burr. They must expect him back by now -- at least by the following evening. It can't be avoided, though.
After, once it's clear they've lost their pursuit, he sends the soldiers back towards Washington and continues on, towards the village that was apparently the young spy's destination.
Hamilton works very hard to find the spy before the British do. Fortunately, the village is sympathetic to the patriots, and he finds a friend of Hercules Mulligan, a man peripheral to the Sons of Liberty, who helped hide the youth. This man agrees to hide the horse and some of the more distinctive parts of the uniform, and lends Hamilton a rougher coat that makes him look more like a local farmer. It's a risk -- he could be hanged as a spy, but with the uniform, he could also get summarily shot. And while a past Hamilton, before his marriage, might have kept with the uniform, he now wants to take his greatest shot at survival.
He has to spend another night there, and sets off in the morning.
Another day of searching, and he finally finds the young man, Elias Rolfe, terrified, taking shelter in a rough lean-to. The fact that Hamilton is obviously not British helps, and once he explains who he is, the youth lights up and says, "From the news?"
They agree that Hamilton is a farmer -- Alexander Faucette, taking his mother's maiden name -- and the youth is a foster child -- Elias suggests the name of a friend of his, Jack Taylor -- he is taking in as a servant, and in the morning they start back to the village.
Unfortunately, this is where they run into the British.
There is no running from them -- they're on horseback, and Hamilton and Elias are on foot. Hamilton makes no secret of his tension.
The commander, a Captain, begins to interrogate them. Asks about Elias's name, and Hamilton's. He doesn't like their answers, and presses them. The captain doesn't like Elias's fear, or Elias's resemblance to the description of the servant.
After several minutes of this, Hamilton starts to get a sinking feeling that they might not get out of this alive.