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Allegheny Uprising (1939)
Uncover. Uncover.
Uncover. Uncover. -Captain Swanson of His Majesty's forces. -Lieutenant Fouchier. Fifteen English prisoners for 15 French prisoners. Sergeant, deliver the prisoners to Lieutenant Fouchier. Yes, sir. This way, sir. One of these days, l'm gonna push the open end of a musket down your throat. Step back into line there. My apologies, Lieutenant. lt is customary for His Majesty's soldiers, if l may call you that without maligning my sense of proportion, to observe the rules of civilized warfare. -Yes, sir. -Tripe. -Who said that? -l did. Did you ever see a white man teach an lndian to walk up under a flag of truce and blast a soldier from a gun hidden under a blanket? -What's your name? -His name is James Smith. What do you mean by talking for him? Professor sometimes talks for me. Corporal, hold these men for court-martial. They'll pluck those cocky rooster feathers out of your tail -for court-martialing civilians. -Civilians indeed. -Deserters, more likely. -We're civilians! Born in Pennsylvania, taken three years ago by Caughnawaga lndians. We're initiated to the tribe. You can tell your story to a court-martial. lf you're not a fool, l reckon you'll listen to it here! We escaped while the tribe visited Quebec. The French caught us and here we are. Shackle these men with the rest of the deserters. We're civilians! You've no right to hold us here! Colonel Clapp, Captain Swanson. l'd like to get you behind a barn, back home in Pennsylvania ! Jim ! And the Professor. -Where have you been? -We were taken by the Caughnawagas. -You still got your scalps. -They made us blood brothers. -Are these friends of yours? -Aye. Let me introduce you. There's Jim Smith and the Professor. From Pennsylvania. l thought they were dead. They've been missing these three years. The best lndian fighters in the colonies. All right, Corporal, you may release them. You'd better read your dispatch, Captain. Gentlemen, Quebec is English. Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! Quebec is British. That closes the frontier. There's no more stirring up the lndians against us. No more massacres. Thank God. General Wolfe said he'd do it and he's done it. General Wolfe is dead, sir. He died with his face to the enemy. l guess we can go home now, Mac. Maybe our stomachs found a friend. All right, come on, boys. You've had your hot meal. Now back to work. Break stone, Teagle, help Spode with that axle. -MacDougall. -Hiya, laddie. l heard you was up in Canada with General Wolfe, fighting the French. l was just showing the General how to fight lndians. l killed 30 Onondagas in one day. Aye. -No. -Aye. How dead lndians do multiply! Well, maybe it was 20 Onondagas, but that's not to be saying that a MacDougall like myself couldn't have killed 30 if he had a mind to. They're bosom cronies of mine. -This is Jim Smith and the Professor. -How are you? -Strangers around here, ain't you? -We've been away a little while. This is Gary Smith's laddie. -Oh, yeah. -Could you spare a mite of that grub? Oh, fall to, lads. We've had ours, but there's plenty hanging. l suppose you wouldn't be having a snifter of whiskey, just a wee drop? You know, my appetite's not so good without a bit of a tonic just to wet my whistle. No, Mac, we don't traffic in firewater. We only carry trade goods for the lndians. -Trade goods? -l thought the border was closed. Don't have to be, now that the French have surrendered Quebec. Colonel Brady's out in Ohio making treaties with the lnjuns now. They're real friendly-like, the lnjuns. The only friendly lndians are dead lndians, l say. lf we don't trade with them, the French will. You know how they stir them up against us, with firewater. lt's a patriotic duty we're doing. Did you ask Tom Lowther about this patriotism? The lndians beat in his boy's head with a musket and left it sticking in his skull. Rum ! So you don't carry any spirits. Stop! Where are my spoons? Stop, thief! Stop! Five pewter spoons missing and a tankard. Blast them for the thieves that they are and blast me for the trusting woman l am ! Now, Janie, that'll do, l'll have no swearing from a daughter of mine. So, you're back. Now, now, lassie, it was no fault of mine. l was coming home, sober as a judge, when, bang, without even a word of apology, a patrol got hold of me and pressed me into the army. Against my will. Even when l told them what a beautiful and dutiful daughter l had. Who'd tend the tavern while you're away, swilling army rum? What, me? Why, l've got the best here in the cellar at home. That you can't get at. Oh, Mac, don't go away and leave me again. Take me with you like you used to. Oh, you contrary female MacDougall! No. Hello, Janie. Put me down, Mac. And the Professor, they're back from the very mouth of the grave. They'd all say, ''He's dead, you'd better forget him.'' And l'd say ''Sure, he's dead, he's forgotten,'' but l knew it wasn't so. l didn't let myself know anything else, l knew you'd come back. And just where were you, and what were you doing? -Well, a... -Oh, no, no, l don't care. You're here now. Blast it, Mac, do you have to stand around and watch a girl make a fool of herself? Get in and get your rum. And you, too, Professor. lt is a wee bit chilly. You've grown up, Janie. lsn't that much nicer, for both of us? Still the same shameless wench. Am l supposed to be ashamed? l will be if you want me to, but l don't feel ashamed, -not before the man l'm going to marry. -Marry? Yes, you gave me your word, you promised, don't you remember? There's another girl! Somewhere you've hitched yourself to another girl! Blast you for a bigamist scoundrel! -Your temper is no better. -l'll have the law on you! l'll have you put in stocks for breaking your promise! -l promised a half-grown girl. -Half-grown? Half-grown? Stop whimpering about marriage. We're very hungry and tired men. Come inside, Jim. Half-grown, am l? Well, l'm full-grown, now. l killed 40 Onondagas in one day. The barrel of my gun, it got so hot, l used it to warm up the rum toddies. lt got so hot, l... The war is over, Mac. Come on, get behind the bar and work for your keep. Woe is me. l'm a victim of the skirling blood of the MacDougalls. Janie, are you happy? Oh, mind your pig. What am l to do? The whole town knows we were going to be married. Now you've changed your mind. Why don't you put a rein to your nimble imagination, girl? Let him do his own talking. The Professor always talks for me. You only thought he promised. They'll point me out as a girl who was left. Well, then, marry and fool them. Who'll have me after you've tossed me aside? Well, l don't know. You're not bad to look at. l think so, too. But maybe it's because we've lived with lndians so long. You're an lndian, cruel and merciless! Janie, l'm no man for you. -He's going over the far hills too much. -l wouldn't care! l wouldn't ask for anything except to go with you. You can't die once, and then come alive and go away again. lt's like making me see you die twice, l couldn't stand it. Jed, Tom... lndians. lndians. They're all around Fort Pitt. Shawnee and Delaware. They've burned the town and they've scalped the kids in school at McDowell's Mill. Let's be on the way, boys. McDowell's Mill is 20 miles from here. -Any more guns in the house? -Two long rifles. Well, l know where we can get some more. You're not going again, Jim, you're not! Mac, Mac, tell him not to go! Don't be a fool, lassie, you know what we have to do. All dead, Jim. Horrible. Dirty, murdering heathens. l'm taking my family and leaving while we're still alive. Aye. l'm fair sick of it. A remarkably fine season and what good is it? You can't harvest for fear of bloodthirsty barbarians. Men, if the Conococheague settlements stand firm the country will have some little sort of safety. Safe for the blasted tradesmen. For the fields of corn you planted. For the plenty we've taken and will take from this land. l will water it with my blood before l give it up. -And l. -And l. Everybody accounted for? All except Jacob Miller's two kids. They must have taken them alive. Mrs. Lewis, do you know if Jacob Miller's kids got taken? Mrs. Lewis? l picked up the tracks. About 20 of them. Delawares, l think. l'm not sure, but they seem to have a couple of youngsters with them. -Any missing? -Yes. l want about 10 men with me. Stewart, Calhoon, M'Cammon, Professor. You got plenty of charcoal over there, M'Cammon? Yes, and plenty of bear grease. Now, we're traveling light, so are the Delawares but they'll be held back because they're carrying the kids along. Twenty of them. lt's just the odds l like. l'll kill them myself like l did them Onondagas in one day. l wanna see your guns. Trade musket. They're no good. They misfire too often. Sorry, M'Cammon, we can't take you with us. lf it misfires, Jim, l'll use my knife. l'm only taking men with long rifles, M'Cammon. -Mac! Mac! -Janie, lassie. What brought you here? With lndians loose, you might have been scalped from your eyebrows to your shoulder blades. Here, l'll get somebody to take you back. l'm not going back. l've seen what the lndians did and l'm going with you. -l forbid it. -What? Positively. You forbid it? How much is this valley your home? Did you see those bullet holes in the walls of the tavern? Who fought off the lndians? Not you. You were always busy somewhere else fighting somebody else's fight. And now you're forbidding me to fight my own. -Get back to the tavern, girl. -Let her come along. Oh, Jim. Jim, you're a fine and generous man. All right, off with your shirts. Smear your bodies. We're lndians, you know. Well, off with your shirt. lf you travel with us you travel like the rest of us. How sly. How very sly. We'll need your long rifle. -Here's your weapon, M'Cammon. -Thanks. Some of you boys see that Janie gets home. They didn't come out here. We'll have to split up, Jim. Delawares. They've gone upstream. Mac, you take the right bank, l'll take the left. l want him alive. Jim, 20 lndians a day has always been my minimum. Don't leave me at 19. l'll never be able to hold me head up again. Come on, we'll get the water out of him. Oh, darn, Jim, laddie. They trade muskets and trade tomahawks. -Everybody all right? -All right. All here. Gather up the rifles and the powder horns. English cartouche box. What regiment is it, Tom? Why, that's Colonel Brady's regiment. He's supposed to be out on the Ohio making treaties. He said they wiped out Brady and the men. We teach them everything, don't we, Tom? His Excellency, Governor Penn, will see you tomorrow. Thank you. What is the meaning of this intrusion? l sent word l'd see you tomorrow. What we've got to say can't wait till tomorrow. -Why, how dare... -Our apologies, Your Excellency, -we're Conococheague Valley men. -l see. Frightful tragedy, frightful. This is General Gage, in command of His Majesty's forces. We've come to request Your Excellency to forbid trade with the lndians, and to ask military protection for the valley. l understand and sympathize with you, but l have judged it consistent with the good of His Majesty's service to order all available troops westward to meet the lndians on their own grounds. While they murder us on our grounds. We're carrying out a military policy designed to guarantee the permanent security of the frontier. Haven't you eyes enough to see that? We've eyes enough to see only our own dead. Colonel Brady has received the lndian chieftains... Colonel Brady will receive no more chieftains... What's that? What's that? Dead men make no peace treaties. -What are you saying? -Colonel Brady and his men are dead. Dead? Their heads split open with tomahawks made by white men. ''A proclamation. From this day all persons whosoever they may be, ''are forbidden to trade with lndians. ''Anyone failing to heed this warning, does so at his own peril. ''The Valley of the Conococheague is forthwith taxed 1 per capita ''for the erection of Fort Loudoun, and the maintenance of His Majesty's troop ''to be permanently stationed there for the protection of said valley. ''John Penn. God save the King.'' This is the reward of aiding the mother country with her trade. Warehouses filled with goods. Goods that cost us hard cash, fetched 3,000 miles from England. Must we endure it? What's the army for, if not to protect business? And what's government for, if not to protect business? Certainly not to interfere with it. Gentlemen, you still do business with the army, don't you? lt will take 20 years for the army to buy up the supplies we have on hand, and furthermore, there's no profit in it. l wasn't thinking of that. You'll have a military permit to take goods through to the outlying forts, won't you? Yes. Now, if a shipping clerk made a mistake, and sent a few wagonloads of trade goods through with the military supplies, they'd be traveling under the protection of a military pass, wouldn't they? -Barmaid, barmaid! -Yes, sir. Another for each of us. All right, boys. Get out the musket balls. Fifty keg of musket ball for Fort Pitt. Fifty keg of musket ball for Fort Pitt. Right. Put the musket balls aside. We load them on the top. l'll kill the man that drops a keg of that rum. -This is it, sir. -Give the order to halt, Sergeant. -Company, halt! -Company, halt! A tavern? Their magistrates and commissioners meet in a tavern? Yes, sir. Most every place in the outlying sections, the tavern's sort of community public house, -government quarters, newspaper... -Accompany me inside, Sergeant. Yes, sir. l'm Captain Swanson. Who's in charge here? Magistrate Duncan and Magistrate Morris, they're in charge. Glad to meet you, gentlemen. l'm sure we shall get on. May l say how grateful we are to have you and your men, Captain? Your gratitude belongs to the Crown, Mr. Magistrate. We're all servants of His Majesty. Now, as to provisions, Sergeant McGlashan will weekly requisition our needs. You'll be given army certificates redeemable in cash. -That ought to be satisfactory. -We'll be happy to accommodate you, sir. All provisions delivered to the fort are to be in prime condition. Any attempts to supply provisions of inferior quality will be met by severe rebuke. Severe rebuke. Do l make myself clear, gentlemen? You don't know us, sir, otherwise you wouldn't be saying that. You will notify me each week when the provisions arrive. -Yes, sir. -l will make the inspections myself. That's all, gentlemen. Why, the uppish gamecock. -l demand that man's arrest. -On what charge? The man was in contempt of court. You're not sitting in a military session, exchanging prisoners now, Captain Swanson. For which l'm grateful. l rather resent the army gambling on exchange and losing. This is a civil court. And l advise you to keep that kind of a tongue in your head. Jim, Captain Jim ! Them blackguards has took up the trade again. They come through Shippensburg this morning, three wagons. -You mean with trade goods? -Yes. They wouldn't dare, they wouldn't dare. With the King's proclamation on the door of every inn and every magistrate's house. -lt must be army goods. -lt ain't. l seen them. lt's paint, knives and hatchets and powder. You'll turn them back, of course. Are you sure of your information? Sure of it? l tried to reason with them. They said, ''Get the devil out of the valley if you're scared of lndians.'' -Why weren't they stopped at Carlisle? -Stop them? They've got a military permit signed by the Commanding Officer in Philadelphia. You must be mistaken. lf the goods are under permit, they're military supplies. l ain't mistaken. Are you implying that my commanding officer is corrupt? You'd best mind your tongue. He's implying nothing, but for us to let those goods go through would be committing suicide. l'll arrest any man that interferes with a military permit. Then you're going to let the goods go through? My orders were to protect the frontier, and to teach a wholesome respect for the Sovereign law and His Majesty's forces. Those orders will be carried out, even if l have to declare martial law. And to think we asked for them. The swine, the crooked swine. We'll stop them ourselves. lf it's force you're thinking of using, you'd best forget it. -You'll end in hanging. -Then we'll hang. At least we'll die with our scalps intact. Calhoon, l think you could do with a drink, -as can Mac... -Aye. ...and the Professor. M'Cammon and a few of you other boys, come to my room. Janie, bring some hot toddies. Looks like it's going to be a cold night out. We've work to do. -Ready? -Aye. Aye. Blankets off. Each man 10 feet apart. Shoot over their heads. Get rid of that blanket. What's the matter with you? -Are you drunk? -You're choking me. Janie, what kind of a joke is this? lt's not a joke, Jim. lf you're going to hang, l'll hang with you. That's the least you can let me do. Ah, the female MacDougalls were all famed for their tenderness. The lass is fair daft about you, Jimmy. All right, men. Hold it! Steady down these horses! Listen to me! Take these loads out in the clearing and pile them all in one place. And be fast about it. Take whatever government property you may be carrying and clear out. Get out! All right, boys. Pile the rest of this stuff up, boys. We're going to light a little fire of our own. Get all the stuff out of all those wagons. l don't think the government is going to like very much this destruction of their property. Come in. -Sorry to disturb you, sir, but... -l'm Callendar. l pack train for Poole and Simmons, Philadelphia. -Charmed. -We contract army supplies. Go on, get on with it, get on with it. A pack of blasted settlers, dressed like lndians, attacked my train and burned the army goods. Army goods? There's a cartouche box. That's all that's left. The shot's melted down, the powder is... -McGlashan, call out the squad. -Yes, sir. -Nearly murdered me and my men. -Rabble, cutthroats, criminals! Destroy His Majesty's goods, will they? l'll teach them the meaning of the King's name, if l have to write it across their backs with a lash! Look alive, men. -Quick, get him. -Aye, he's one of them. l'll brook no escape. You can still see the black paint behind his ears. That's dirt. l never wash behind the ears. Let go! lt's a girl! Hold her. The man that loosens her receives 30 days' bread and water. Who were the others with you? What were their names? Just like that. You'll wear the seat out of those silk britches before l talk. Janie! What did you take her for? -For destroying King's property. -She's destroyed no King's property. McGlashan, clear this rabble. You'll not take the lass to Fort Loudoun without a warrant. By the living Jehoshaphat, l'll blow out your heart. You'll do what, you treasonable dog? Disarm them. Now, shall we get on to the fort, McGlashan? Yes, sir. Company, halt! What do you mean by halting the King's men with an armed mob? We want those prisoners, Captain. You took them without warrant. -There's still English law in the valley. -They're British and freeborn. lf they're to stand trial, it will be before 12 of their peers, not before the likes of you. l've an idea they'd be court-martialed for treason, is that true? And suppose it is? Suppose l send them to Carlisle for court-martial, what will you do about it? We'll do this. We'll be forced to fire on you. No, Jim, Mac, we'll go with them. Move the prisoners to the rear and fix bayonets. No. Perhaps you'll understand we mean to have those prisoners. l'll release them only to your magistrate under the condition they stand trial for treason. l'll see that they stand trial. Release the prisoners. Release the prisoners. Will you promise to stop the traders? You have this promise, that any man who interferes with a military permit will make the acquaintance of the hangman. Shoulder your firelocks, quick step, march. We'll sew up this valley so tight, a cricket can't get in or out without our say-so. No. Turn back. The valley is closed. Turn back. -Stop. The valley is closed. -Stop. Turn back. -The valley is closed. -Stop. Turn back. The valley is closed. Turn back. Turn back. The valley is closed. Turn back. ''Men of the Conococheague, ''you are to come to MacDougall's Tavern ''and fill yourselves with liquor and swearing. ''There is a large bounty for everyone, military goods. ''We'll have Captain Swanson whipped or hanged.'' Don't you think this is a little obvious? You gotta make it plain. Them people are thick-headed. ''We may do as we please for we have the law and government in our hands. ''Any bounty captured must be spent in our town, ''the only town tolerating drinking, swearing, Sabbath-breaking, ''and any outrage we have a mind to do. ''Signed, James Smith and his Black Boys of the Conococheague.'' Well, it should convince the Governor he's dealing with rioters and rebels. They've blockaded the valley. No word can get through except what they choose. They wouldn't dare treat His Majesty's troops with such indignity. They've no respect for law. Their magistrates are with them, leading them. Have Magistrate Duncan come in. l've called their magistrate to Philadelphia. Magistrate Duncan. This gentleman informs me that you've encouraged and protected rioters in the Conococheague Valley in their illegal and disorderly proceedings. There have been no illegal nor disorderly proceedings. Burned my goods. They burned my goods. The pack train was illegal, Your Excellency, contrary to your proclamation. There's what's left of the military supplies. Does that look like trade goods? This gentleman has been misinformed. They were not government goods. Were government troops fired upon? Not one shot has been fired against the royal garrison, Your Excellency. l swear those goods were lndian trade goods. More than that l cannot say. More than that l will say. My pack leader managed to evade the blockade. Callendar. Where's that advertisement? These were found nailed to the trees all through the Conococheague Valley. The one you have in your hand was taken from the wall of MacDougall's Tavern. Sound reason for everything they've done, indeed. Bloody-minded cutthroats! May l see it, sir? There's something queer about this advertisement, mighty queer. No Conococheague man ever did this. l find it disagreeably necessary to apply to General Gage for the assistance of His Majesty's troops. Reinforcements will be ready to march in a week. l demand military escort for my supply train. You shall have it. You will issue a warrant for the apprehension of James Smith. You will lend your assistance in discovering and apprehending all persons who may be concerned. l issue no warrants against Jim Smith or any of the valley men. -Jim? Where's Jim? -There he is. Jim, they're issuing a warrant for your arrest. You've got to leave. Governor Penn himself is issuing it. And General Gage is sending reinforcements in a few days to put down the insurrection. -You must go, Jim. -No. Those traders will do anything to hang you. And Gage has promised them military escort for their pack trains. Callendar will probably rush through a train before the reinforcements arrive. He'll be afraid to wait with too many soldiers about. He will that, if he's carrying lndian trade goods. -Well, we'll let the train through. -Let it through? Jim, are you crazy? What is it, Jim? What are you thinking about? We'll use him as bait for a trap. lf Fort Loudoun becomes a warehouse for illegal goods, its commandant is done for. lt'll be proof that he's unlawfully conniving with traders. We'll prove we're not rebels. We have him now. He's taken the bait. Tell the valley men to come to MacDougall's. Jim Smith wants you to come to MacDougall's! Jim Smith says, ''Come to MacDougall's! '' Jim Smith says, ''Come to MacDougall's! '' Jim Smith says, ''Come to MacDougall's.'' -Come to MacDougall's. -Come to MacDougall's. -Come to MacDougall's. -MacDougall's. Come to MacDougall's. James, there's your search warrant, and it's all in order. You'd better come along to serve it. Just a minute, men. M'Cammon, Calhoon, Stewart, Lewis and Janie here are out on bail. We promised the Captain they'd be tried for treason. Now it isn't beholden for men out on bail to be appearing before a fort making demands. lf you think it'll be hurting you, then l'll stay. That won't be necessary, Tom. We'll try you immediately. Jim, you can appear for the defense. l'll choose a jury, and if it isn't to your liking you can object. The prisoners over there before the bar and the jurymen down here on this side of the table, as l call off your names. Burke, Callahan, Brown, Reynolds, Allison, Bouquet, Forbes, Spears, Josephs, Owens, Grant, Pierry. -Jim, have you any objections? -No objections. Gentlemen, what is your verdict on Tom Calhoon? Not guilty. -John M'Cammon? -Not guilty. -Stewart? -Not guilty. -Lewis? -Not guilty. -Janie McDougall? -Guilty. -What? -Guilty as charged. MacDougall, the court charges you to lock your daughter in the wine cellar until the court has time to pass sentence. -You... -Come along, lassie. The moment you began whispering, l knew it was some filthy lndian trick! l think you'd best forget him. He's bad medicine for lasses. Mac, what, what's the matter with me? Why does he treat me like this? Janie-wanie, you called him right, lndian. To him a squaw belongs at home. l hate him. Aye, and if you're like your mother, you'll break your heart with your hate. Go on with ye, you MacDougall, you. Something must be amiss. They let me by. They've no stomach for firing on troops. They had the look of cats that had just swallowed a flock of birds. They're all about the fort, sir, close to 300 of them, armed. -Shut and bolt the gates. -l've already done that, sir. Order full garrison on the wall. What do you mean by coming here with that rabble? ln the name of public safety, we want permission to inspect the trader's goods stored in your fort. You've a rare appreciation of public order with an armed mob at your back. l have a search warrant to inspect the goods. The goods are under my protection. l've orders from General Gage. Here, do you see this? That's General Gage's own order. What more do you want? Here, do you see this? lt's the King's proclamation. We want to see the goods. Nothing short of that will satisfy the people around here. You'll inspect no goods in my care. l've my orders. lt might be as well to remember, this road is not a military road. And while we're talking, you might get it through your head. We built your fort. We'll not have it used against us. Now, will you let us in? l will not. You're using our fort as a storehouse for illegal goods. According to the King's proclamation, you're a criminal. And we'll deal with you as a criminal. Back, boys. Be back, boys. We'll kill every mother's son of them, the dirty rattlesnakes! Come on, let's get him out of the road. McGlashan, those men were under a flag of truce. -Arrest the man who fired that shot. -Yes, sir. Don't jiggle him so much, lads. l'll put a torch to that fort myself, if l die doing it. That was no army musket, Tom. lt was a long rifle. That's right, it couldn't have been a soldier. lt was one of Callendar's men. l never even shot an lndian in the back. Jim, we'd better ride you back to the doctor. No, we gotta take that fort before reinforcements get here. We must have the proof. Then let's charge them. That's what they expect. Their muskets won't carry this far, our long rifles will. So we'll fire on the fort, and keep firing. ln shifts. One shift will rest while the other keeps firing. They won't dare go to sleep waiting for us to charge. But we won't. We'll just keep firing. Jim, could we no kill two or three of them maybe? There'll be no killings, Mac. Don't you think you'd better get back to the surgeon, Jim? Give the order to fire. -Full garrison on the wall, sir. -Keep your men ready, Sergeant. Tell them to hold their fire and watch for the assault. Yes, sir. Hold your fire, and watch for the assault! Sergeant McGlashan. Yes, sir. Tell the men to get to the bottom of the barricade where the logs are the thickest. Yes, sir. And tell them that the first man that falls asleep -gets 20 lashes to keep him awake. -Yes, sir. Stay awake, men. Stay awake. They'll attack the moment you fall asleep. Stay awake. Come along there. Wake up. Wake up there. Wake up. Sorry, sir. -That's all right, lad, just stay awake. -Yes, sir. Two hour shifts today. -How's Jim? -He's all right. Let's keep going. Come on. Two hour shifts today. We need more powder and ball. l've got 50 kegs at the tavern. -Take 20 horses, men, and go get them. -Aye. Good morning, lass. Did you have a good night last night? You men do it well, tormenting a girl. -You must be born with the gift. -Now, now, lassie. Jim Smith and the magistrate's put you here for your own safety. The powder is through there, lads. -Mac, is a fight on? -Aye, a grand fight. l killed 20 of 'em me self. A great pity you can't scalp them. lt's no civilized to scalp white men. Put some vigor in it, lads. Jim Smith's waiting. Jim Smith. Put those kegs down. Are ye crazy? We're running short of ammunition. Tell Jim Smith to get it somewhere else. This is my powder and it stays here. Now, put them down. Just as things were going our way. You'll be run out of the valley. Well, maybe l will, but l'll be here long enough to see that, that white lndian hanging from a gallows. Now, now, lassie, that's no way to be talking of a man who's half dead from a soldier's bullet. -Oh, no, Mac, no. -Aye, Janie, aye. lt'll be a miracle if he lasts out the day. lf you've let him be killed, l'll shoot the lot of you, every last man of you. Heave ho, me lads, heave ho. Jim ! -Where's Jim? -Right there, by the fire. Jim ! Darling, darling, darling. How did you get out? Do you think anything would keep me? Do you think l'd let you die alone? Die? Who said l was going to die? Mac said so. Oh, it's only in the shoulder, but if you're really set, l might die... You wouldn't be doing that if l wasn't just a little bit helpless. Now, what kind of a fool would l be, if l didn't take advantage of my opportunities? Let's look at that. Go away. lf he's a bit warm, it's that kissing business, not the bullet. A white flag! Hold your fire. A white flag! Jim, Jim. The white flag. First we want the trade goods. Second, he and his men are to get out of the valley. We asked for them here, now we don't want them. They're to git. Yes, sir. And they may keep their weapons. They agreed, Jim. Heads up, lads. Heads up. Show this rabble our heads are up. Open the gates. -Give the order to march, Sergeant. -Yes, sir. Squads right, march! Forward, march! Captain Swanson. Company, halt. Jim Smith would like words with you. The goods are in the fort. There's one thing we want you to understand. We're law-abiding men. There is one thing l do understand. You're a lot of blasted traitors. We whipped him ! We whipped the saucy peacock. l claim his scalp. ln the name of the law, l'll lift his scalp from his eyebrows to his shoulder blades! Mac! Let me at him. He's worse than the black lndian devil. ln the name of the law. Law-abiding men, loyal subjects. Drunken rabble you are, but l'll be back! l'll be back and you'll pay for this! Forward march. -Forward... -Forward. ...march! Stop where you are, Callendar. We're free to go with Swanson. You'll go with Swanson later. Get back to the fort. Listen, men, wait a minute. l'm just a driver. l didn't have anything to do with the goods. Thank you. Jim better this morning? He thinks he is, but he's not. l say we stay and fight. We've whipped them once, and we'll whip them again. Fight 200 regulars? They'll probably come with cannon. Magistrate Morris, load a wagon full of the trade goods. Take it to General Gage in Philadelphia. M'Cammon knows the south hills. You'll avoid the troops that way. But that might take several weeks. The rest of us can hide in Martin's Rock. They're 10 miles away, Jim. That cock-sparrow Swanson is with them. We'd better get started. Then we'll have to tie you on your horse, Jim. He can't hide in a cave. He'll die. l won't let him go. He's going to see Dr. Stoke. Back to the tavern, girl. Back to the tavern. Let men go about the work they've got to do. Easy, lad, let us do most of the work. When you get to Philadelphia, speak to no one but General Gage or Governor Penn. And God go with you. Come on, men, put some backbone into it. Give me your foot. Put your arm around my shoulders. Careful! -Put him in the cart, men. -Janie. -Put that gun down. -l won't. l'm not going to be a widow before l'm even a wife. l forbid you to use such talk before all these men. lt's no becoming to a female McDougall. Do you think l care what's becoming and what's not? He'll die and just because he wants to be a big, brave, loyal chief. He won't leave his men. Well, his men can go hang for all of me. He's going to see Dr. Stoke, if l have to kill you and him to do it! Well, there's something in what the lass says. She's a hysterical, arrogant shrew, and shouldn't be trusted with a lethal weapon. Take it away from her. Now, now, lassie, calm yourself, calm yourself. You wouldn't shoot your loving father, would you? The last male member of the fine line of the MacDougalls. One more step, Mac, and the fine line is finished. Wait, Janie, Dr. Stoke is 15 miles from here. l can take him through. What else do you think l want with him but to see him alive and safe? Why do you treat me like a witless child? Put him in the wagon. -Put me astride. -No, Jim, the lass is right. She'll get you through. You're being twisted about by a comely face. She loves you, Jim. Are we to be the victims of a girl's springtime fancy? -l'm going with you. -And me. You'd do best, Mac, to stay far away from Jim for a while. l'm sorry, Janie, terribly sorry. Rum and lndian fighting makes a poor mixture for the father of a young lassie. lf l had it to do all over, Mac, l'd pick you again. ''Whereas l have received information that sundry persons have, ''at several times, assembled themselves in armed bodies, ''and have in a most riotous and illegal manner ''presumed to interrupt the passage of supplies to the fort, ''l do hereby require all His Majesty's subjects ''to give such evidence as to apprehend all persons ''concerned in the leading of these riots ''so that the offenders may be prosecuted according to law. ''Signed, John Penn.'' God save the King. Disperse them and get on with it. Next prisoner. Driving his cattle into the swamp and refused to billet. lsn't he one of the scum that whipped me? lt looks like him. Put him in irons. Turn them over. -Another one. -All right, stand in line. Stand up. Put his leg irons on first. Heave ho, here we go. All right, get the other one. Stay on your feet! All right, stand over there. Come over there. Prepared to talk, gentlemen? l want James Smith. The man that tells me where he is, wins full pardon. lf you'd serve your King with one-tenth the loyalty you serve that treasonable dog Smith, you wouldn't be in jail this moment! Jim, Jim Smith! Jim ! He's not here. l know he's here, Janie. l've got to see him. -He's not here. ls he, Doctor? -No, he's not here. -Jim, Jim Smith, it's Anderson. -Shut up, you blasted... -Will Anderson! Will Anderson! -He's not here, l tell you. -Shut up! -You looking for me, Will? Jim, they've got half the valley in irons. No warrants, no trials. Just a trader's word and you're in chains. They're even paying off men that ain't had nothing to do with it. You just don't have to like them to find yourself accused and convicted of riot, arson and armed robbery. l'll be right down. Dr. Stoke said you're not well enough to go. lt's finally come. l knew it would, and now's as good a time as any. lt's been so pleasant here, Jim. l sometimes even thought that... They think more of money than they do of men. l said, l sometimes thought that you thought... No more trading with lndians. Jim, Jim, please don't go. Don't let me have to stay behind and die inside of me. Troops sit in forts and the settlers die. Let us get up to save ourselves, and they move fast enough. All right, go ahead. Go ahead, l don't care! Get shot or hung from a scaffold! We've obeyed the law, they've broken it. You've always torn and twisted the heart out of me. l've loved you from the first minute l can remember, and you've brought me nothing but misery. Well, l didn't expect much more, so l asked for nothing, and l'm not asking for much now. You fool. You cruel, merciless fool. Come, magistrate, join the fun. What are you men going to do? We are going to stand the red coats on their thick heads. Your stomach's got to be right to take a whore. They've gone to report to the fort. We'll give them a half-hour start. They are all drunk at McDougall's, bragging that they are going to take the fort. McGlashan, take a squad and bring those men here. Yes, sir. Nine men are going to take the fort. And nine drunks are going to take the fort. The garrison's all asleep. The gate's open. There are only three sentries on the wall, this side. The guard's away across the parade ground, by the kitchen. They're getting the morning rum ration. lt's grand rum. l could almost taste the smell of it. The guns are stacked together, full 40 paces nearer to the gate than what they are. All right, when we run, run crouched in the mist. Put down those muskets. Come on down and join the party. Calhoon, stand at the barracks door and keep them inside. Shoot the first one that shows his head. Find your commandant. Tell him if there's one move, l'll blow daylight through these men. Yes, sir. Mac, open the guardhouse. Get those prisoners out here. Will, get the flints out of those muskets. Now, Corporal, find your blacksmith and fetch him here. Yes, sir. All right, lads, all right. That's the last one, Mac. Let me do for him, Jim ! Let me do for him once and for all! Why not add murder to your traitorous acts? You'll never learn, will you? You'll never learn to know us. Take him to his quarters. We'll give him back his fort. That's a mistake, Jim. l said we'll give it back. All right, men, you can return to your homes. And leave those muskets here. Nine men. Only nine men. Nine men. Nine men! You'd best give up. We've got you now. One move and you're dead men. The boldness of the swine. He's dead. Now we have got you, Smith. You've murdered him. We'll see you hanged for that. You killed him. My shot went wild. You fired and he fell. That's murder. So that's it. Tie him to a horse. We'll take him to jail in Carlisle. Get the stiff one. We'll bring him along, too. What shall l do? They'll tear the jail down. Well, can't you reason with them? You're the jailer. But it's a mob. Can't you do something? Well, l can talk to them, but they aren't going to like these. Briggs, Briggs, come here. Bring your chisel. Take these irons off. l've got a wife and children. Please, tell them l'm on your side. Here, Briggs, here, here. Right over here. Hi, Jim, hi. Just hang on. We'll get you out. Mac, much obliged to you and the boys, but it'd look bad if l ran away. lt'd look like l was guilty. Best way you can help me is to break up. They're planning to take you back to the fort and court-martial you. They want you out of the way. We've done everything according to law up to now. Make way. Law? What law? This kind of law, the law of bayonets? l say burn the jail down. Burn it down around their ears! Aye! Men! Men! l'll talk for Jim Smith. l know what he thinks. He doesn't want anybody to get fired on by the soldiers. But if any of us were in there, he'd go in and get us, soldiers or no soldiers! Janie, hold your tongue. Tell them, Professor, tell them for me. Men, we've fought and won, but in winning we've lost something. ln defending one law, we've come to despise all law! And if you go on like this, we'll destroy the very thing we fight for! Men, disband. Go home and let me stand my trial. -Bring in the accused. -Yes, sir. Bring in the prisoner. You may remove that barbarian from the courtroom. -He's a witness. -Remove him. Step out, you. Now, laddie, l was only clearing my throat. lt's the right of every free-born Scotsman to clear his throat if he's a mind to. l clear mine a wee bit noisily perhaps. Now, do not push. Do not push, laddie. Any lout who feels the need of airing his spleen at the expense of the Court's decorum will find himself dining on bread and water. Proceed. -You're sure he's the same man? -He made no pretense about it. His attitude throughout was a contempt for authority. He was openly seditious. l object. The defendant is on trial for murder, not for treason. lt is our intention to establish a connection between the two. He fired on His Majesty's troops, destroyed army supplies, interfered with the King's messengers, released prisoners held by us for court-martial. The pack-train leader. Ralph Callendar! Raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm that the evidence you shall give in the case now in hearing shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? l do. Did you hear Tom Calhoon offer to turn King's evidence against James Smith? l did, sir. When Tom Calhoon said he was going to Philadelphia to swear to the Governor about Jim Smith's treason, Jim Smith shot him dead. l tried to stop him but Jim fired that shot so sudden and unexpected. And he was Tom Calhoon's best friend. Your witness. Can you identify this, Mr. Callendar? That there is the shirt that Tom Calhoon was wearing when Jim Smith killed him. There's the bullet hole. Can you identify this? That looks like the gun he shot him with. Now, how far would you say Jim Smith was standing from Tom Calhoon, when you say he shot him? About four feet. He just put the gun up against him and shot him. About that? You're certain of all else you saw, why aren't you certain of this? That's how far it was, l'm certain. May l have the Court's permission to make an experiment? An experiment? l should have thought the facts were sufficiently plain to speak for themselves. Well, why try my client at all? Why not just hang him and be done with it? Oh, all right, proceed with the experiment. All right, Janie. ls that young person loading that weapon? That young person is a dead shot. There's no cause for alarm. l shall be personally responsible for any acts committed here. Get on with it. This is decidedly irregular and smelly. How many more of these detonations are we to endure? Just one. You will note the shot fired at 20 paces carries a clean hole. That fired at six inches is deeply studded with powder burns. You will also notice, gentlemen, that the shirt Tom Calhoon wore carries a clean hole with no evidences of a burn. Gentlemen, that shot was fired by some other in the crowd, someone else standing many paces away. Order, order. Will you permit a scoundrel to go free? A scoundrel who leads treason and sedition and defies England? ls there to be a stench in this courtroom that will linger for centuries? l protest. -The man is innocent of the crime. -You are under arrest, for revealing your decision before a majority vote. Captain Swanson. Captain Holmes, place Mr. Poole, Ralph Callendar and the drivers under arrest for breaking the King's proclamation and transporting illegal trade-goods. Captain Swanson, you'll retire to your quarters. -l'll talk to you there. -Yes, sir. l am a soldier, sir. They could have been carrying the murderer of my own father, if they'd had a permit for it. l would have defended him with my life. There is such a thing as understanding, Captain. -Yes but... -l know, l know. We haven't taught soldiers to soften themselves at understanding. We'll probably suffer for it. Well, l've ordered the release of Jim Smith. And l'm sorry, Captain Swanson, but l must relieve you of your command. You'll report to Philadelphia and prepare to leave for England. Yes, sir. -Goodbye, Jim. -Bye, Jim. -Bye, Jim. -Bye. Sure you don't want to go, Mac? Those Tennessee hills are big, wild and away from the crowd. There'll be you and me and Professor and our surveyor friend. Mac, are you thinking of leaving me? This is your home, Jim. You'll be back, l know. Make it soon lad. We'll miss you. Thank you, sir. Well, Janie, even the worst of enemies must part. Don't forget us, Jim. Don't ever forget us. Not for one small minute. -Now, lass. -l'll do my own talking. There's so much for a man to do that there's no time for, well, other things. But if there was time, l mean, if l was inclined, l mean... lt wouldn't be any other woman. Only you. -Bye, boys. -Bye, lad. Janie, where are you going? With my man. You've the skirling blood of the... lf she ain't a contrary female MacDougall! |
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