American Made: Rise of a Rebellion

Chapter Four

Jack wasn't sure if he was ready for this. He sat there at the table rubbing at the barrel of his Pennsylvania Rifle that is laying across his lap. He sat at a table next to the front door, with Captain Parker, Parker's cousin Jonas, and Gabe. Gabe was sound asleep with his head resting on the table, since it was nearly four in the morning. Parker told the boys to try to get some rest, but Jack was too excited to try.

"Are you all right young Anderson?" Caption Parker asks Jack with his raspy voice from across the low-lit tavern table.

"Yes sir, I've just never been a part of anything like this before sir," Jack replies with his eyes still on the rifle.

"You don't sound like your ready boy." The other man at the table snorts.

Parker glares at his cousin. "Now Jonas, he looks like he's ready to me."

"Sir, do you think they are still coming? It has been a while since Mr. Revere and Mr. Dawes came to you with Mr. Hamilton and warned us about the regulars leaving Boston." Jack asked, looking out the window now. The night will soon turn to dawn now. He wondered if his brother would even notice that he didn't come home last night.

"I am not sure my boy, but don't fret for if they come we have nothing to hide. We are merely going to stand by and make sure they don't burn down our homes while looking for the things we simply do not have." Parker explains. He hands his empty cup to Jack. "Now would you mind filling this up for me, my throat is feeling quite dry."

"Those bloody redcoats won't stand a chance against us. I pray that they come because I've been itching for a fight going on five years now. Ever since those bastards beat that boy and shot all them folk in Boston." Jonas says before he takes a big gulp of his ale.

"Easy now Cousin that was resolved in the court of law," Parker replied hoarsely.

"To hell with that, and to hell with the King," Jonas shouts as he raises his cup to the air waiting for others to do the same. Some did, but most were too much in their thoughts to have heard it.

"The king had nothing to do with the shooting, and you know that." Parker retorted.

"Well, that may be but I'm still bloody happy that they had that lovely protest in the harbor." Jonas laughs before taking another swig from his cup.

"You and I both know that was just a drunken rabble not thinking straight." Parker coughed. "Are you going to get that drink for me young Andrews?" He asks once more. Jack was just so entranced into their conversation that he had already forgotten.

"Sorry, sir." Jack apologized as he got up with the cup. He tries to make his way through the packed Buckman Tavern full of militiamen, most of them just looking into their drinks. No one truly knew what was to take place in the following hours.

On his way back from the innkeeper, Jack glimpses a man on a horse galloping up to the tavern. Jack hurries to Captain Parker to hand him the cup. When the door swings open, Parker turns to see one of his scouts, Thaddeus Bowman, barge through the door.

"Sir, I got trapped behind the regulars on my patrols." Bowman finally gets out while trying to catch his breath. The man is dust-ridden. "I tried to get here sooner but I couldn't manage."

"That is all right, lad. Now tell me, where are they now?" Parker calmly asks.

"They are already passing the rocks, sir." The rock that he speaks of was the marker that they all agreed on in which when the regulars passed it, the men of Lexington would get ready to meet on the center green.

"Damn, that only gives us a little time, Diamond sound the alarm," Parker says, looking over at his young drummer boy. The boy, still barely awake, stands up with his drum and performs the long roll to muster the militia to form up. Gabe shoots up, grabbing his musket.