Revolution (Hamilton)

Pleasure to make your acquaintance

1776

I ride towards the city, a place where I can surely find shelter and a job. As we get closer to an inn in New York, it occurs to me that I have no money. I ride on anyways, seeing as I have no other option. We come to a halting stop, I dismount Dust. Looking trough the saddle bags, I find a small amount of money. It seems like there is enough to buy two overnights in the inn. There is also enough food to last me for days, however I plan on finding a job as soon as possible. I think about what could possibly do, I could work in an random store, but they would want my fathers or husband permission for me to work there. I would love to work in politics somehow, but again you need to be a man. What about joining the revolution, I'll disguise myself as a man. They need all the manpower they can get so they won't look into me as much. Yes I quite like the last option. I make my way into the inn, putting Dust safely away in the stables first of course.

'I would like to book 2 nights please'' I say smiling politely. ''Of course Sir.'' He replies, aha my disguise is already working. I gloat until the man starts looking me up and down. I quickly smack the money down on the desk. ''Thank you, now which room is mine'' I roared, making my voice sound heavy. Inside my nerves are wrecking, but the man seems to be intimidated by my little show and quickly takes my money and shows me to my room. Once inside the room, I take of my undershirt and try to tie it around my waist and breasts, so I look more like a man. After half an hour of messing about with the material, I finally find a way. You can barely see that I have breast now! I do a little dance and take an apple out of the bag Ann made me. Sitting down on the bed I think about how she might be doing. I take a bite out of my apple, chewing on the sweet fruit.

Best case scenario she shot my whole family and somehow got out alive. Worst case scenario she didn't shoot anyone and she is de- I decide to shake that last thought and just believe she is doing alright, she got out and is roaming somewhere. Maybe she will come to New York too and I might be reunited with her. I eat some more food, while I think about what that would look like.

The next morning I get up bright and early, putting on the shirt to hide my breasts again. This time I get it right within 15 minutes, a new record. I go down the stairs of the inn, looking around for the clerk. He is in the same place he was yesterday evening ''Could you tell me where I can sign up for the revolution'' I bellowed in the deep voice again. ''Right down the square Sir, there will probably be a line by now''. He replies, pointing towards the door.

I walk towards the square, the clerk was right. There are already two lines, one full of women who want to be nurse, the second full of men, who want to fight for this land. I join the second, considerably larger line. I silently wait for the line to move forward, men in front of me joking and jolly. After about half an hour in line, it's finally my turn. I step forward towards the soldier sitting in front of a desk. ''Name and documents please'' He says, extending his hand. ''Stephen Sampson'' I reply in a heavy voice, giving him my brothers documents. He scribbles something down, the blue ink matching his uniform. ''Right, we leave for camp tonight. Get back to the square in time and wait for your name to be called'' he replies, looking up from the documents. I see him giving me the same look as the clerk earlier and I feel the nerves coming back up. ''Thank you sir. Maybe I can finally get a girl after my service'' I joke, trying to make his suspicion go away. He laughs along with me, the look suddenly disappearing out of his eyes. 'phew' I think to myself, walking back to the inn.

I spend the next hours counting down the hours and minutes, talking courage into myself, until it's time to go to the square. I walk downstairs and collect Dust. They can always use an extra horse in the army, can't they? When we get to the square there are a lot of people already there. Men get inside a wagon, horses in front of it. I wait patiently for my name to be called ''Stephen Sampson?'' I step forward, gently pulling Dust along with me. ''Can I keep her with me?'' I ask in a deep voice. ''You may, you can ride just behind the wagons, in front of the experienced soldiers'' the clerk says, already looking down back to the documents in his hands.