The British North American Revolution [4/6]
anonymous
August 24 2009, 03:25:20 UTC
The refusal to let military ships land in Newfoundland continued. At the same time, some of the Newfies had gone elsewhere to purchase or trade for weapons of their own. It would not be nearly enough, and both Nessa and Matthew knew it. But, somehow, they had to make the point that they wanted their voices heard.
The first ship-to-ship battle was fought off the Nova Scotia coast, Ross himself on board. A single ship loaded with angry farmers and fishermen against a trained military ship. The British did not lose a single man, the Nova Scotians were slaughtered.
Incensed with the unfeeling brutality of the military men, Nova Scotia’s dens of rebels and Yankees came to the surface, and Ross rose to aid Matthew.
“We’ll keep the limeys away from the Saint Lawrence as best as we can,” he said brightly as Matthew took care bandaging Ross’ arm. “But don’t get delusional,” he added as Matthew tied off the bandage. “I’m doing this for me. This alliance is over as soon as it stops being useful.”
“I know,” Matthew replied patiently. “I won’t expect any help from you besides you guarding the Saint Lawrence with Nessa.” He dusted his hands and stood. He had to get home.
----
The British soldiers said that the Canadien rebels were like insects. There always seemed to be more, no matter how many were crushed. They were also cowards, hiding in the woods with any Native allies they could find and causing ambushes. The British men loathed the tactics the Canadiens had adopted, hiding among the trees and moving with a finesse they could not mimic.
Still, it was not enough to drive the military presence away, and because they fought with stealth, they could not simply raid storehouses for the necessary supplies. They had to turn to their Native allies to provide them with bows and arrows and knives meant for war when their guns ran out of powder.
Alfred was the one who approached Matthew with the idea of an under-the-table weapons deal.
“If you give me money and animal pelts, I can give you munitions for your little rebellion,” he told his twin in the darkness near the Saint Lawrence. Matthew knew he should be asking Nessa and Ross and the leaders of his rebellion. Instead, he just nodded his head. Any help would be accepted eagerly.
“You know,” Alfred added softly, “I want to help you. I could push for my government to form an official alliance with you.”
Matthew shook his head. “This is my fight. Mine and Nessa’s and Ross’ fight. If you win this fight for us, we’ll just be under your influence instead.” He stopped Alfred before he could protest. “I had to reject Papa’s offer to help, too. He’s stretched too thin as it is.” Alfred’s hand landed on Matthew’s thin, frail shoulder. It alarmed the older man that his brother, his twin, was so thin and felt like he would blow away with the softest breeze. How had he fought when he was so small, so unready?
----
Land battles in the forests of Lower Canada continued well into the autumn, at which point Nessa and Ross arrived, escorting Ross’ younger sister, Anne.
“Anne wants to join the rebellion,” Ross told Matthew when the four met up again. The small girl, only nine years old, crossed her arms.
“I can speak for myself, Ross!” she snapped. “St. John’s Island wants to be part of the rebellion,” she said. “We can’t offer more than a little bit of supplies and some men, but that’s because we have our own problems that the Empire caused.” She huffed. “The absentee landlords mean that I mostly have to look out for myself.”
“I understand,” Matthew replied, and he really did. All four of them were fighting for their own reasons, their own goals in mind. But it was help, and that was what the Canadian desperately needed.
The first ship-to-ship battle was fought off the Nova Scotia coast, Ross himself on board. A single ship loaded with angry farmers and fishermen against a trained military ship. The British did not lose a single man, the Nova Scotians were slaughtered.
Incensed with the unfeeling brutality of the military men, Nova Scotia’s dens of rebels and Yankees came to the surface, and Ross rose to aid Matthew.
“We’ll keep the limeys away from the Saint Lawrence as best as we can,” he said brightly as Matthew took care bandaging Ross’ arm. “But don’t get delusional,” he added as Matthew tied off the bandage. “I’m doing this for me. This alliance is over as soon as it stops being useful.”
“I know,” Matthew replied patiently. “I won’t expect any help from you besides you guarding the Saint Lawrence with Nessa.” He dusted his hands and stood. He had to get home.
----
The British soldiers said that the Canadien rebels were like insects. There always seemed to be more, no matter how many were crushed. They were also cowards, hiding in the woods with any Native allies they could find and causing ambushes. The British men loathed the tactics the Canadiens had adopted, hiding among the trees and moving with a finesse they could not mimic.
Still, it was not enough to drive the military presence away, and because they fought with stealth, they could not simply raid storehouses for the necessary supplies. They had to turn to their Native allies to provide them with bows and arrows and knives meant for war when their guns ran out of powder.
Alfred was the one who approached Matthew with the idea of an under-the-table weapons deal.
“If you give me money and animal pelts, I can give you munitions for your little rebellion,” he told his twin in the darkness near the Saint Lawrence. Matthew knew he should be asking Nessa and Ross and the leaders of his rebellion. Instead, he just nodded his head. Any help would be accepted eagerly.
“You know,” Alfred added softly, “I want to help you. I could push for my government to form an official alliance with you.”
Matthew shook his head. “This is my fight. Mine and Nessa’s and Ross’ fight. If you win this fight for us, we’ll just be under your influence instead.” He stopped Alfred before he could protest. “I had to reject Papa’s offer to help, too. He’s stretched too thin as it is.” Alfred’s hand landed on Matthew’s thin, frail shoulder. It alarmed the older man that his brother, his twin, was so thin and felt like he would blow away with the softest breeze. How had he fought when he was so small, so unready?
----
Land battles in the forests of Lower Canada continued well into the autumn, at which point Nessa and Ross arrived, escorting Ross’ younger sister, Anne.
“Anne wants to join the rebellion,” Ross told Matthew when the four met up again. The small girl, only nine years old, crossed her arms.
“I can speak for myself, Ross!” she snapped. “St. John’s Island wants to be part of the rebellion,” she said. “We can’t offer more than a little bit of supplies and some men, but that’s because we have our own problems that the Empire caused.” She huffed. “The absentee landlords mean that I mostly have to look out for myself.”
“I understand,” Matthew replied, and he really did. All four of them were fighting for their own reasons, their own goals in mind. But it was help, and that was what the Canadian desperately needed.
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