Chapter 11: A Favor

Baltimore was full of rumors and women of easy virtue, and that is where I caught up with Foster and my companions. The Maryland legislature was in session when we reached Annapolis, so we paused there for a day or two while General Greene outlined his needs and shortages. General Mordecai Gist, who had survived at Camden by taking to the swamps while Gates skedaddled, agreed to forward whatever supplies could be squeezed out of the Maryland counties, but no one thought much was to be found.

We camped just outside the pretty little town that was Maryland's second capital along with the Baron's aides, Benjamin Walker of New York, who translated for him as best he could, and Captain Duponceau, who had come from Europe with Von Steuben as his secretary-aide. The Frenchman was much too nearsighted to be a soldier but could spot a pretty girl at two hundred yards. He had pointed out comely milkmaids all along the road. The one he found here was named Jean McG--, a serving wench at the nearby tavern who had once been an indentured servant like so many Marylanders. She served Walker and the French captain the first evening to their enthusiastic delight and rogered Captain Foster to a fare-thee-well the next forenoon. Then it was my turn.

Jean hauled me back to her small cabin, smiling and chattering as if we were heading for a church picnic. She said she had a friend of some years who was about my size, maybe broader in the chest and not quiet as tall but just as ugly and hairy. She laughed and helped me undress, and we enjoyed each other thoroughly in her crude rope bed. I loved hearing the creak and twang of the cords beneath us when we really got going. She was a very healthy young woman and seemed to be able to match any pace for an indefinite period. I managed to forget Philadelphia for quite a spell.

While we lay together, recovering our energies for another romp, Jean told me about Matthew, an ironmaker who had also been indentured but won his freedom by serving in the militia. She sounded like she loved the man, but said he had married a woman who had been on the ship that brought them both to servitude in America.

"They're living up in Frederick, raising a family," she said, checking on the status of my still-sore member.

"That's where I grew up, Frederick Town," I told her.

"Was you in that fight at Trenton, back a while?" she asked, tickling her way through my belly hair.

"Um hm," I said, "that's where I got this scar on my neck and lost a finger." I showed her the stump.

"Cost old Matthew two toes," she said, kissing my damaged hand. "Froze 'em right off. They threw him out of the army."

"Lucky man," I said truthfully.

"I guess so. When's this war goin' to end?"

"When the King's men figure out we ain't gonna quit no matter how many fights they win. They can't win, but they hain't realized it yet. Won't be much longer now that Gen'l Greene and me's headed south." I hoisted her up across my loins, and she made herself comfortable.

"Glad you ain't one of them braggers," she said, starting with some long, slow humping, exhaling with each energetic heave.

"Not me," I told her, caressing her heavy thighs and busy rump.

"What's you gonna do to them Redcoats?" she asked as she gritted her teeth, closed her eyes and increased her pace.

"Stack 'em up like cordwood," I told her as I pulled her down to my chest, and we let our bodies go about their pleasurable business almost effortlessly, certainly mindlessly.

When we finished and she had smoothed down her shapeless dress on her shapely body, I kissed her pug nose and shook out what was left in the lieutenant's purse into my hand. "Take what you like," I told her.

She curled my fingers over the coins. "Put it away," she said with an honest smile. 'That was for Matthew. You're a lot like him, an' he only paid me for some bathing, never for what we did in bed." I declined the bath since in those days I still held that frequent bathing was surely unhealthy. Missy cured me of that as you shall see if you stick around.

Then, with Lt. Foster's grudging permission, I made a side trip home to Frederick. I told him I would catch up with them down in Southern Maryland before they crossed the river. He told me I had better do that and lent me some money, paper money. He gave me a week.

It took me most of the day to get home, greet my family and friends and tell a lot of lies about what I had been doing. My older brother hauled me off to our usual tavern and bought me some beer. Then he looked at me with a very serious face and said, "Want 'chu t'do me a favor."