The Glorious Cause - Jeff Shaara [157]
HE LED THREE REGIMENTS, MEN WHO HAD HEARD THE SOUNDS OF the fight well before he did. They marched through the fog along the bank of the Schuylkill, and when the river made a sweeping turn to the left, he rode straight, the guides leading him toward the heart of Germantown, and the low roll of thunder. As they reached the first houses, the fog began to lift, and for the first time he could see the town itself, one main road leading away to the west. The sounds were drifting away on the far side, the battle slowing, scattered shots, the artillery silent. As he moved past the houses, there was a new sound, closer, the houses already filled with wounded, makeshift hospitals. It was a sound every soldier dreaded, and the men behind him seemed to quicken their step, the column pressing forward. He responded as well, spurred the horse, thought, The fight is moving well beyond the town. We are surely driving them back. He looked behind him, the officers waiting for his order, and he saw Leslie, said, “Prepare to advance. I will locate General Howe.”
There were still low patches of fog, and he saw horses, flags, a cluster of color riding toward him. He stopped his horse, and Leslie moved up beside him, and he said in a low voice, “I seem to have found him.”
The riders came slowly, a deliberate parade, Howe leading the pack. They were close now, and Howe raised his hand, punched the air with a fist.
“General Cornwallis! Perfect, marvelous day! The matter has been concluded! Dare I say, this was a fine victory for His Majesty’s soldiers!”
Cornwallis saluted him, said, “General, three regiments at your service, sir.”
“No need! Did you not hear me? The matter has been settled! The rebels have been swept completely away! I must say, that rabble did a sprightly job of stumbling about the place. The fog was quite a disadvantage for them. There was a moment when I thought we were in a serious scrape, that Washington had sprung quite the surprise. But, hah! In short order, we found our mettle and drove them right back into their forest!”
He had never heard Howe so animated, the man now turning to his aides.
“Make careful count of the rebel casualties. This will play well with Lord Germain!” He looked at Cornwallis again, said, “They dared to come right at us, and we stood tall! London will find no fault with this command on this day!” Howe looked past him, seemed to see the column of reinforcements for the first time.
“Too late, General! This one was mine! I’d say you should return your men to the city.”
Howe moved away, his entourage keeping pace. Leslie was beside him now, and Cornwallis said, “It seems the commanding general did not require our services after all. Have the column rested, issue them some food. And then, Mr. Leslie, I suppose we should return to Philadelphia.”
The order passed along the line behind him, the drummers taking up the call, and his men began to file out beyond the houses. He nudged the horse, moved forward, made his way past more of the houses, saw broken glass, one roof punched by an artillery shell. As he moved toward the far side of the small town, he could see troops dragging the bodies aside, lining up the dead, a long row of red uniforms. Beyond, he saw fences draped with color, blue and brown, more rebel bodies spread out in a small field. He rode forward, saw a patch of open ground to the left, one large stout house, the yard a vast carpet of bodies, nearly all rebels, several British soldiers picking through them. He saw an officer, moving slowly around the house, and Cornwallis stopped the horse. The man noticed him, stood upright, but no salute. Cornwallis could see he was very young, short red hair, saw a smear of blood on the man’s face, and he said, “Well fought, Lieutenant.”
The man seemed unsure, looked around at the rebel bodies, some moving slightly, badly wounded.
“It was very close, sir. There was good fortune here today. If not for the bloody fog, they might have run straight over us. I’m ashamed to say it, sir, but so many of my men