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Post by Colonel-Commandant Snowdon on Jun 25, 2014 14:36:31 GMT
Snowdon sat in his office at British Headquarters in New York, since the taking of the City his little specialized unit had seen little action, but he suspected that was on purpose. General Howe had consulted with him, and the other command staff, before taking his regiment into the battle at Peekskill. He didn’t decide to field Snowdon’s Bloody Dragoons; as such he had stayed back. It was only a little after noon, but he still poured himself a Brandy and added a chunk of ice. One of the benefits of being an Officer and a member of the Peerage was that even here in the ass end of the colonies he could still get ice. He sipped at it absently, while he stood over a map of New York. The map had miniatures representing the various units and their approximate current location. He lifted the blood red horse that represented his unit and cursed as he put it back down on Charleston.
“I should be there right now, if it weren’t for that damned fool Cornwallis. He believes himself infallible in the field of tactics & strategy. But he still lost us Charleston. Damn him…” Snowdon cursed as he downed the last of the brandy. He stood up then and walked out to the balcony of his office and looked out over the North River. He hated the view, it was so dank and supressing, it reminded him of London. Charleston on the other hand, had reminded him of his Home in Wales. Perhaps he could convince the King to offer it to him as a Land grant should they successfully quell this ‘rebellion’… He laughed out loud then as he said it, rebellion; he had seen better resistance out of the Indians. They at least rallied behind a single banner and had a unified armed force that actually threatened the British Hold over India, these Americans were little more than farmers with pitchforks, petulant children who were left to themselves for too long, and came up with the false notion that they were Free from the rule of the King. If he and others like him had been here to keep control, this would never have happened. He turned disgusted by the site before him. This backwater colony of upstarts, this is where he choose to distinguish himself. He wished that the Germans or the French would rise up and he’d be called back to deal with a real force. He grabbed his dress hat and stepped out of his office, immediately his Batman snapped to attention. He was an attractive enough colonial, but far from being worth more than the body toy he really was.
“Come Reginald, I am going out on the town.” He announced as he passed the boy with little more than a second glance. He refused any other retinue as he marched down the street towards the Ranelagh Gardens.
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Redcoat
Mar 28, 2015 13:41:31 GMT
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Post by Danny McPherson on Jun 25, 2014 16:13:34 GMT
It was a fair day in the city, New York had that feel about it. Like even though the streets were full and the buildings tall and close, a fresh breeze was want to spring up off the waters that lay to the East and make everything feel new and good again. Danny gazed in wonder at the place as she exited the home she had been staying in, until she realized what a country bumpkin she must look like. Instead, she focused on where she was going, down to the Ranelagh Gardens to find a certain Major-General who was in town for a few days before he returned to his posting at Quebec. Danny had never met Guy Carelton, but she had heard great things of the man.
With that in mind, she had spent all morning cleaning herself and her uniform for her presentation. every button on her ensign's uniform sparkled, and her sword swung happily in its polished scabbard at her waist. it was the only weapon she kept on her today, for it would seem extremely strange to walk into a British headquarters armed to the teeth. Her Kentucky Rifle was left in her room, along with her Scottish dirk and sghian dubh. She had thought briefly about taking the pistol her fellows in Boston had given her, but changed her mind and left that as well.
"Right, I ken it's around here somewhere..." she said to herself, looking around an intersection. Her eye caught sight of a finely dressed Colonel walking briskly with a batman at his side. "Och, he must be headin' there as weel!" and off she made to follow him.
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Post by Colonel-Commandant Snowdon on Jun 25, 2014 16:27:59 GMT
Ever the consummate soldier, Colonel-Commandant Snowdon made it 3 blocks from the British Headquarters, when he got the feeling he was being followed. He quickly got his surroundings, discreetly checking the rooftops and then used the windows and other reflective surfaces to surreptitiously look behind him. He caught site of what looked like a British Soldier in step about 10 passes behind him. He… no she… he would guess from her gait and the wear her uniform fit. Well not unheard of was still a damned bit odd. He knew of no batman or retainers in the service of any of the General and Command staff that he dealt with regularly who were female. He caught a glimpse of brass on the woman’s chest… and certainly none of those had female officers in their command cadre. He calmly and smoothly continued his parade down Broadway towards the park. As he entered the park, waving briskly as he always did to the gate attendant, he slipped quickly down a blind path that allowed him to overlook and easily spring on the woman before she could pass him. As she entered the park, just passing the gate he stepped out from behind the bush and walked up beside her.
"Ensign, why have you been following me?"
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Redcoat
Mar 28, 2015 13:41:31 GMT
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Post by Danny McPherson on Jun 26, 2014 0:41:37 GMT
Danny could not help but let her gaze wander again at all the sights on the street they walked down. New York definitely had a different feel to it than Boston. perhaps it was all the Dutch and German settlers that had lived here before the English came, but to her it seemed newer, more modern. even the cobbled streets were better built. A few times she lost track of the man she was following, but soon had him again thanks to the two bright red coats he and his servant wore, and the fact that he paraded rather boldly down the street.
When she saw the Gardens, a sigh of relief escaped her lips and she straightened and dusted the uniform she wore in case anything had shifted before walking past the gates-man. Suddenly the man she had thought before had been a Colonel, but now realized with a flush of embarrassment, was in fact a Brigadier General, was beside her. And with an ever so small hint of annoyance asked her why she had been following him.
Danny flushed again, trying to hide the reddened cheeks by looking at her toes as they walked. "My apologies, General, I didnae mean to bother yae. It's only, Ah'm new to the city as of last night and have a rather important message to pass along to Major-General Carleton, and was told I could find him at the Gardens, but I wasnae sure where tae go. yae looked as if yae were heading in the same direction, so I followed my instincts." She explained, before adding another hasty "Sir!" in case he had missed her recognition of him before.
When she was confident the flush had drained from her face she looked up again, not into his eyes, no, never directly into an officer's eyes, but just enough to attempt a guess at who or from which regiment the man was from. From the cut of his uniform, she guessed a cavalry unit of some kind.
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Post by Colonel-Commandant Snowdon on Jun 27, 2014 2:46:47 GMT
Snowdon listened as the Scottish woman spoke; he immediately grew concerned about her family origin, having so passionately destroyed the Jacobites in his past. He should want to ask her about it. He also remembered the rather mediocre Sir Guy Carleton and how is mediocrity had him sent home from the Battle of Hastenbeck, and how his own recommendation kept the man from active service for over 3 years, not to mention that Sir Guy Carleton had been the young Major who refused to shoot a wounded Jacobite. The two men still hated each other, perhaps he should see what exactly this girl had to say to the General, and perhaps steal her for his unit. They could always need a drummer… assuming she could ride.
“Tell me where in Scotland are you from? And are under the command of Sir Guy Carleton?”
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Post by Ronald Norris on Jun 27, 2014 5:16:14 GMT
It was a hot, sticky June, something the young Yorkshire ensign wasn't used to. In fact, he vastly preferred the winter for the specific purpose of snowball fights with his friends. This was definitely NOT winter and he did NOT like it one bit; how could his cousin Lizzie even put up with this heat? Burlington this time of the year was stifling! At least he wasn't in the stupid wig! It bafffled him to no end to see men sweating like pigs in fleece wearing those stupid things on their heads. Ron was smart, though, and refused to wear them! He doffed his hat and smoothed his hair back and wiped the sweat from his brow before continuing making doodles in his sketchbook, the charcoal getting all over his hands-- not that he cared. He was doing a perfectly delightful sketch of a squirrel eating a piece of bread he laid out for it when he saw men in red going by. He figured it was time to look lively so he hopped up and saluted,
"Sir!" WOOOOOWWWWW! A colonel!! And look! Another ensign! He waved to the boy about his age and found it difficult to hide his excitement from meeting new people to talk to. Maybe this ensign can play ball with him; maybe the colonel has really neat stories to tell, "My name's Ronald Norris, sir! Pleased to meet you!" he grinned before turning to the other ensign, "And you! It's a pleasure to meet you, too!" he realized he was getting perhaps a little too hyper and mentally took a step back and took a breath, "Forgive me, sir," he said to the colonel, "I've just recently been deployed and I've never held a commission before, everything is so new here and it's just grand."
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Redcoat
Mar 28, 2015 13:41:31 GMT
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Post by Danny McPherson on Jun 27, 2014 14:27:25 GMT
Danny bit her lip as he asked his first question. He seemed too young to have been a soldier during the rebellion of '45, but perhaps his father or a brother had been in the army, these high class officers always had some sort of legacy to live up too...
"Ah'm from a glen just south of Inverness, Sir, oot of most's way, yae've probably never heard of it." A bit of Scottish pride nudged at the back of her mind and she added "In the Highlands" before she could stop herself.
The second question was harder, though not as embarrassing to answer as the first. "I'm not under Carelton, not as of right now. I was sent up from Boston by General Gage, before Howe replaced him, and afterwards I think Ah'm supposed tae folow him up North and attach myself tae General Burgoyne or St. Leger. Ah'm meant tae be a scout and messenger for them that need me, due tae my tracking and sharpshooting abilities."
It was then that another Ensign came up and jumped into the conversation, literally. Danny had never seen anyone so full of energy. She happily sank back out of the limelight and let the General gaze at this Ronald Norris instead. she still hadn't looked at his eyes, but his gaze was unsettling nonetheless. When the lad acknowledged her, she only nodded, then held back a snort of laughter as the lad explained his excitement. Typical Englishman, or Loyalist, whatever he was, thinking that killing men who wanted to be free from unfair government was 'just grand'. She hoped the General would dismiss her so she could search for Carleton; her message was rather urgent after all...
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