Chapter 7

It was a fact that the slow departure of the British forces from the Boston harbor region was something that was approaching reality like a nightmare for the Tory citizens of that Massachusetts colony.

In the city proper, the streets all looked the same and the redcoats were running hither and yon like ants in a showcase all with a destination to head to but not really knowing the reason why.

The Generals were in their cups almost every evening now because the indication was that Whitehall thought New York City the key to defeating the upstart rebel forces under the leadership of the ungrateful traitor George Washington, Esquire. The Parliament had decreed that he be addressed by that title because they did not recognize his rank as a General in any force opposing them in the field of battle.

General Arnold was amused by the insult because he knew that he would be easily recognized as a General on either side of the squabble and able to run circles around any high-ranking officer in either army. Of course, Arnold was already being circled by the wolves of the newly formed Congress that thought him too well-liked by the common folk for his habit of always being in the front of his troops and not leading from behind. General Washington had a lot of respect for his fellow General Officer, but even with his power in the inner circles, George was unable to sway the politicians away from their collision course with the popular General.

The turning point with Arnold was the “bite of the apple” with Peggy Shippen, the Philadelphia Tory leaning socialite that set her cap for him to distract him from his mission to destroy the British regular Army on the field of battle.

I was privy to all of this fine intelligence, but was unable to take advantage of it except in a peripheral manner with hints and suggestions placed in a way that made it seem like it was from other sources and not from some itinerate enlisted man considered to be neither a gentleman nor an officer with the substance of rank.

The British patrols in the countryside were becoming less frequent and the ships leaving the harbor for Canada and Nova Scotia were loaded to the gunwales with Tory loyalists and their belongings relocating to a safer place than the colonies with danger on every side.

To some extent, the British military were disappointed that the majority of the Tory followers of King George were more interested in saving their hides and their possessions rather than joining the redcoat soldiers in their fight to subdue the patriots attempting to separate from the motherland in a way so ugly and mean.

Despite the fact that the Boston area was the “hotspot” of the Revolution origins, the residents were generally split fifty-fifty with regard to their support and the very thought of bearing arms was repugnant at best considering it was against neighbors they had fought with together in the French and Indian Wars.

The fact that the patrols were regressing allowed us survivors of the patriot side of the conflict to organize in the countryside and create an encirclement line of sorts that made it difficult for the British to logistically “rape” the countryside for provisions for their troops.

The purchase of produce for the city in general and the troops included in the mix continued from both Tory and Patriot farms in a lesser degree than before but sufficient to keep the British forces fed and ready to fight a battle if needs be to defend the harbor until word was sent from Whitehall to remove to a more defensible position.

The hundreds of ships and thousands of fighting men to continue the battle against George Washington were already headed to New York City and in a matter of months would be unloading in Staten Island as a stepping stone to owning both the city and the harbor considered to be the key to winning the conflict.

I had my Kentucky rifle now and had managed to find several other rebels with similar armament to gather around me in a sort of well-armed little center of defensive firepower in a sea of poorly made smoothbores that were ineffective at best. I knew from my studies that General George Washington was well aware of the impact because he personally authorized the establishment of a Ranger force of some one thousand and four hundred sharpshooters designated as snipers to harass the British forces and kill as many of their officers as possible before and during any engagement that he was involved in hence forward.

The situation in the countryside outside Boston almost all the way down the coast to the New York City area was totally confused.

One-third of the populace was fiercely pro Patriot and in favor of the New emerging nation free of the rule of the King. Another third was just as loyally committed to the continued rule of a King disinterested in the needs or hopes of far distant subjects with a different agenda than found in the bowels of Whitehall.

The final third of the populace was undecided and ready to jump to either side of the fence depending on the betting odds of the winning side. They were spread all over the colonies and were what could be described as “fair weather friends” by none other than Benjamin Franklin with his endless wit and charm that made him the ideal ambassador of American good will when there was some to spread around.

The period after the fighting around Boston died down was marked by a slow shift in favor of the Tories because as more and more British ships appeared in New York harbor the more the sentiment shifted in favor of the King. The constant conflict between the civilian forces created a situation of never really knowing where the front line was located in places like New Jersey and outside the city of New York.

Once the British forces skillfully outwitted General Washington with a flanking movement that forced him to abandon his defense of the harbor and retreat to the Pennsylvania countryside and certain regions of New Jersey that were still under Patriot control.