“Well, there’s an actual government there now. It’s a British-controlled government, but it is functioning and attempting to serve the people. I went to the property office to file a document and get some papers.”
“What papers? Is something else wrong that I need to know about?” Milly queried.
Robert smiled mischievously and shook his head. “No, my dear. Nothing is wrong. In fact, I think something has been made very right.”
Milly stared at him. She was thoroughly confused.
Robert grinned broadly as he removed a set of crisply folded papers from the leather bag that hung on his side.
“Frank, these are for you.”
Now Frank joined Milly in looking thoroughly confused. “For me? What are they?”
“These are papers of protection that declare you to be a free man. Freedom papers. I’ve named you and Simeon and Anna, since the law considered all three of you to be my property. You’ll need to keep these with you at all times when traveling away from home.”
Frank stared at him wide-eyed. “Mr. Robert, I don’t understand.”
Robert leaned toward him. “Frank, you’re a free man now. You are no longer a slave, nor will you ever be again. I have released you from any and all legal attachments to me. No one will ever own you again.”
Huge tears began to well up in Frank’s eyes. The tears in his right eye overflowed and streaked down his shiny brown cheek. Nanye-Hi wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
“Well, say something, Frank!” Robert urged.
“I don’t know what to say. You and Miss Milly have always been kind to me and made me feel like I was part of the family. You’ve never treated me like the other white folk seem to enjoy treating their slaves.”
“Well, Frank, we’ve always considered you to be a part of this family. But now you have a family of your own. You’re a man … a good man. You have saved our lives and helped care for us for many years now. This was the least that I could do.”
Frank hung his head low. He began to actually sob. “So what do I do now? Do I have to leave?”
“Frank, you can do whatever you want to,” encouraged Milly. “You’re completely free. Free to leave. Free to stay. Free to wait until you know what you want to do. Just free.”
Lewis punched Frank in the shoulder. “I sure hope you don’t leave. I don’t know what I’ll do without you.”
Frank chuckled at Lewis and then looked into the eyes of his smiling wife. She kissed him on the end of his nose.
“What is your desire, husband?” asked Nanye-Hi. “What do you want to do?”
“I want to stay here with my family.” He looked at Lewis and then at Robert. “After all, I am a Hammock, aren’t I?”
Robert slapped both hands on his knees in approval and joy. “I was hoping you would say that. Because I have another set of papers for you.” He reached into his bag. “This is the land claim of our dear friend Christopher Chandler, God rest his soul. The magistrate in Augusta assigned the lands to me because we have custody of his infant child. And I have, in turned, signed over his one hundred and fifty acres to you … if you want it.”
Robert placed the papers in Frank’s hand.
“It’s my land?” Frank asked in disbelief.
“Yes, Frank. Your land. I have the deed right here. You just need to sign it. Of course, we neighbors will have to work together to make ends meet for quite some time, I suspect.” Robert smiled broadly.
“I believe you’re right,” Frank responded.
“So what do you say, Frank? Shall we be neighbors?”
“No, sir. I like being family better.”
Robert stood and reached his hand down to Frank and helped him to his feet. “Well, then, I guess all I can say is, ‘Welcome home, Frank.’”
And they hugged. Former slave and master. Now neighbors. Now family.
***
Robert sat at the dinner table with Frank and Lewis and a rather distinguished-looking guest. Robert shook his head vigorously.
“I don’t know, Colonel. Things have been mighty quiet this past month. And you’re asking a lot. I had to swear my oath to King George and England a month ago. If I take up arms again, it’s a death sentence for me, pure and simple. They’ll hang me. Cornwallis has declared it in writing. If I go to war against England again I will get the gallows with no mercy.”
Colonel William Candler slapped the side of Robert’s knee. “But, Robert, if we win this fight none of that will matter! Augusta is ripe for the picking. The Tory Colonel Brown has been slow in receiving support and men from Cornwallis. He has less than three hundred men to defend the town. We can run them out of upper Georgia once and for all, and maybe turn the tide of the war here in the South!”
“What about the Indians? I hear there are hundreds of Creek Indians flooding into Augusta for some big meeting with Brown. It doesn’t matter how many troops Brown has if he has the Creek Nation on his side.”
“They don’t matter! They are a rabble, at best, and undisciplined. They’ll run into the swamps and fields the moment they see our mighty army approaching,” assured Colonel Candler.
Robert mulled the idea over. “And you say Colonel Clarke is in on this?”
“Yes, Robert. Most definitely. The assault is his plan and he will be in overall command. Elijah is back in Wilkes County recovering from some battle wounds in South Carolina. He is actively recruiting men for the army. He plans to attack next month, and he wants to have an army of 1,000 men when we move out. I will command the Upper Regiment of Richmond County. I know you’re in Wilkes County, but your place is right here along the county border, so I thought that I would go ahead and recruit you. I need some good men with fighting experience in my regiment.”
Robert stared at the colonel. He was impressed by the man’s enthusiasm, but unsure of the reality of his claims. He turned to Frank, who had been sitting quietly and listening to the conversation.
“What do you think, Frank?”
“Why do you care what this slave thinks, Robert? That’s the strangest question that I have ever heard,” proclaimed Colonel Candler.
“Frank Hammock is not my slave, Colonel,” Robert hissed. “He is my neighbor and friend, and an experienced soldier. That scar on the side of his head is from a wound received in the service of the United States. I hold his opinion in very high regard.”
The colonel eyed Frank with suspicion and a hint of distrust.
Frank responded, “Well, Mr. Robert, whatever you decide, I’m with you. I’m sure that I don’t have many friends or advocates among the Georgia Patriots, but at least none of them have ever beaten me or shot me like the Redcoats and Tories. So if you go, then I’m with you. It’s as simple as that.”
“I want to go with you, too, Father!” declared Lewis. “I’m old enough to serve this time.”
“No, Lewis, you are not old enough to serve in the army. Whether I go or not … I still need you here to take care of the family. And that is my final word. Don’t ask me again.”
Lewis stomped the ground, crossed his arms, and pouted quietly.
Robert ignored him and paused in anguished thought. He closed his eyes and breathed a short prayer.
“Very well, then, Colonel. If you’ll take Frank in the regiment, then I will go, as well. That’s my offer.”
“Done!” Colonel William Candler shook both of their hands.
***
The attack upon Augusta was a dismal failure. Though successful at first, the attack lingered into a four-day siege. On the fourth day British reinforcements arrived from South Carolina. The Patriots of Georgia had to flee for their lives from the British army and attempt to disappear into the backcountry. The British and Tories pursued them and punished them severely.
Governor Wright, the British administrator in Georgia, issued a declaration to his British superiors that called for the complete and utter destruction of the rebels in Georgia. He issued a written declaration:
A British colonel by the name of Cruger set out into the backcountry in search of Colonel Elijah Clarke and his men. He sent patrols in every direction to punish anyone who sympathized with the Patriots. They arrested many people, including old men, women, and children, and marched their prisoners back to the military jail in Augusta. They burned the courthouse in Wilkes County, as well as over one hundred homes and barns. They killed militiamen, plundered farms, burned homes, and drove livestock into the wilderness. The devastation was unspeakable.
***
Robert and Frank finally made it home safely after the defeat at Augusta. They had to hide in the woods for several days. The two men were starved, exhausted, and discouraged when they rode up to the Hammock home place.
Robert knew that the Hammock family would have to leave Georgia very soon. He had no idea where they might go, but they couldn’t stay on their farm. He and his family began making the necessary preparations to leave. They gathered their possessions, packed food into bags and boxes, loaded supplies into the wagon, and got ready to depart.
The worst possible news arrived on September 23. Davis Mitchell, one of the Patriot militiamen under Colonel Candler, was making the rounds in the vicinity of Wrightsborough to deliver the bad news to the citizens. He galloped into the clearing beside Frank’s cabin around mid-morning. He was breathless and his horse was lathered and almost too sick to run.
Robert ran over and grabbed the bridle of the anxious animal. “Davis, what’s wrong? Why have you punished your horse like this?”
The young man inhaled deeply and responded with one dry, scratchy word, “Water!”
Lewis and Robert, Jr., arrived almost immediately with two buckets of water. Davis took a long drink and then dumped the rest over his head. Lewis held the other bucket up to the mouth of the exhausted, dehydrated horse.
“The Tories are almost to Wrightsborough!” the man uttered excitedly.
A feeling of terror struck Lewis. He knew what this meant. They were coming after his father!
The messenger continued, “They’ve issued a decree. The families of all men who joined up with Colonel Clarke and attacked Augusta have to leave Georgia by tomorrow morning or submit to the royal government and take oaths to the king. They promised to hang all men who violated their previous oaths.” He paused and stared at Robert. “That includes you. They’re coming to hang you, Mr. Robert. And Frank, too. Your names are on their list. You folks have to leave now.”
“Are we on our own? Are there others going, as well?” asked Robert.
“Hundreds are fleeing today and heading toward the Savannah River. We’ll make our crossing near Dooly’s Fort. But you need to get there by nightfall. We will be leaving the state at first light. You don’t want to be left behind.”
The young man climbed up on his horse just as Lewis was pouring a fresh bucket of water over the animal’s scorched neck.
Robert reached up to shake his hand. “Thank you, Davis. I’ll see you at the river.”
“Yes, sir. I plan to be there this evening. Pray that I won’t get caught by the Tories before then.”
“You be careful out there, Davis.”
He nodded and spun his horse around, then headed off in a slow trot toward the northwest. He was out of sight in a matter of seconds. Robert turned around and saw the anxious faces of the members of his family. Frank stood with his arm wrapped protectively around Nanye-Hi.
Robert announced, “Well, you heard him. We leave within the hour, ready or not.”
***
Milly and the children waited anxiously near the wagon for Robert to return. He and Frank had left almost an hour before to attend a meeting of Clarke’s militia and formulate a plan for the mass exodus and evacuation from Georgia.
The Hammock family had reached the rendezvous site late in the evening and suffered through a restless night’s sleep beneath their wagon. Now it seemed like the entire camp, comprised of over seven hundred souls, was preparing to depart immediately. The whole assembly was in an uproar. They were consumed by a generalized state of panic.
The people had a right to be concerned. The arrests and executions were continuing full-force on the frontier. The British overlords wanted blood for the attack upon the city of Augusta, and their Tory servants planned to serve up the heads of the men who served under Elijah Clarke.
At long last Milly caught sight of Robert and Frank approaching from the direction of the headquarters tent. The men were in an obvious hurry. Milly unleashed her verbal concerns the moment that they came within earshot of the wagon.
“I cannot believe this!” proclaimed Milly. “There are hundreds of people encamped here. How will we ever be able to hide such an enormous horde of people in the wilderness?”
“Over seven hundred people, to be precise, my love. And over half of those are women and children. But I don’t think that Colonel Clarke has hiding in mind. He wants to move and move fast. We’re headed north and west, going all the way over the mountains of North Carolina into the Watauga Settlements.”
“North Carolina?” Milly exclaimed in disbelief. “How long will our journey be?”
“About two hundred miles,” Robert responded.
Milly didn’t respond. She was in such complete shock that she almost stared through Robert. Her face went ashen and she began to tremble.
“Milly, are you all right?” he asked.
Her lip quivered, then she dropped to her knees and began to sob. Her words erupted from her soul in an emotional explosion. “Robert, it’s not fair! We’ve been through so much already. We have fought and killed and run and hidden. All I want is to be left alone and in peace! All I want is a roof over the heads of my children! Is that really so much to ask?”
Robert dropped on one knee beside her and drew her head to his chest, wrapping her in his strong arms. “Now, now, my love. I want that, too. Everyone camped in this field wants the same things that we do. But we cannot have them as long as King George rules us. True peace is only found within freedom, and there is no freedom when tyranny and fear are the weapons of a King.”
Lewis and Robbie walked over to their parents. “Papa, we’re all loaded and ready to go,” Lewis reassured his father. “Mama has gotten everyone fed, packed, and loaded. The little ones are all snug in the wagon. Joshua and John are keeping them busy. The horses are fed and watered. Everything’s done. We’re just waiting for your word.”
Robert looked into his son’s deep blue eyes. His look conveyed his pride and satisfaction. “You’re a good man, Lewis Hammock. And you too, Robbie. I’m lucky to have such mature, responsible boys. Let’s get mounted up and ready to move. Frank will drive the wagon.”
“So soon?” asked Milly, wiping the tears from her face.
Robert nodded grimly. “We leave immediately. We’ll make our crossing at the low water ford two miles to the west. We’ll hold on to our wagon for as long as we can, but sooner or later we will have to go cross-country. When we do we’ll most likely have to abandon the rig.”
Milly eyed him incredulously. “Robert, we have four very small children. How are they supposed to get to North Carolina without a wagon?”
“They’ll walk or ride a horse, just like everyone else.”
Milly shook her head in disbelief. “We should never have left Virginia.”
“None of that, now!” Robert corrected her. He was growing weary of her complaints. “We look forward, not backward. Everyone out here is in the same predicament that we are. The only way that we’re going to survive is to get over those mountains. Now get in the wagon and take care of your children.”
He had nothing else to say to her. He turned around and climbed up on his horse. Milly was shocked by her husband’s tone. She wasn't accustomed to him speaking to her in s
uch a way. She bit her tongue and climbed up into the rear of the wagon with the little ones.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
EXODUS
Frank snapped the reins and clucked at the horses. The wagon gave a slight jolt and the wooden frame creaked in protest as it began to move forward with its load of supplies and humans. Frank strained to his left to peer around the rear of the wagon. Just as Robert predicted, the other travelers began to follow them and head west along the river.
Robert pressed onward, completely unaware that he rode at the point of one of the largest mass evacuations of civilian refugees of the American Revolutionary War.
It was a most impressive sight. Hundreds of wayward souls made their way in a wave of humanity that progressed steadily along the wagon trail. There were a handful of wagons like that of the Hammock family’s. Many were on horseback. Those who had horses rode on the outer edges of the road.
The vast majority of the travelers were on foot. Hundreds of rifles bristled in the air, carried on the shoulders of the men and boys in the formation. They looked like the quills of a long, skinny porcupine jutting upward toward the sky.
They were almost to the river crossing when Colonel Clarke trotted his horse to the head of the column to lead the people across the river. He looked somewhat surprised to see Robert.
“Robert Hammock! I didn’t know that you were among our evacuees. I somehow missed seeing you back in camp.”
“We arrived late last night, Colonel. I attended the briefing before our departure this morning, but I was standing in the back. I didn’t say anything to you … I knew you were very busy.”
“Indeed.” He looked at the two boys riding beside Robert. “And who might these young men be?”
“This is my oldest son, Lewis, and my second son, Robert, Jr.”
The colonel nodded. “Pleased to meet you, young men. Lewis, you’re a handsome, big lad. How old are you, son?”
Little Warrior: Boy Patriot of Georgia (Patriot Kids of the American Revolution Series Book 2) Page 12