Morristown- 1777

An American Short Story

    Serving as a rebel soldier was no easy task. The battles were intense, the marching tiring, and the winters rough. Many were simple merchants or farmers who knew nothing of war and combat. However, unlike the British soldiers, the Rebels had something else--something worth fighting for. Freedom is essentially something everyone desires to have. It can lead people to do many things even to a point of certain extremes. To some, nothing is too extreme when fighting for something they believe in, even death.

Morristown, New Jersey- 1777

    The rebel soldiers trudged through the snow brought by the cold winter season. Many carried muskets nearly as big as they were and most of them seemed fatigued from their long journey. Despite having the victory of Princeton fueling them many of the soldiers were thankful to finally reaching Morristown for the winter. One soldier in particular, was looking forward to their four-month stay-- William Danbury, the son of a local farmer, was happy to be returning home to his family. It had been some time since he had seen them and he wanted nothing more than to be reunited. With this in mind, William kept a quick pace and continued into the heart of town.

    William had been told General Washington and his soldiers would be stationing their headquarters at Jacob Arnold's Tavern, where several people were waiting to welcome them.  William looked around at all the familiar sites he was used to in the Morristown Green and skimmed the crowd for familiar faces. He was beginning to fall discouraged when a familiar voice filled the air. A hand clasped down on his shoulder and he jumped a little in a scare.

    "William, my boy!" Thomas Danbury spun his son around and pulled him close. Much to Williams’s bewilderment his father still possessed a strong grip.

 "Hello, father." He managed through the intensity of his father's embrace. "It's great to see you. How have you been? Killing a few Red-Coats here and there, I presume?" Thomas stepped back from his son and laughed his familiar crackling laugh, a twinkle in his green eyes.

William laughed sheepishly and pushed his hand through the mop of sand colored hair on his head, "Can't say I've killed anyone yet, I'm afraid.” Thomas laughed again, " O' course not. Come now, your Mother and sister are waiting to see you." Thomas motioned for his son to follow and they walked the familiar route to the Danbury home.

    The girl stood by the window watching the Rebel soldiers, marching down the lane, into town. Snow fell gently past the window, landing on the ground below; it didn't seem to bother them for they continued to march. Her hazel eyes gazed longingly as she inspected the face of every boy that walked past. Sarah was looking for William, her brother, who had gone to serve under General Washington. They all seemed to be walking with a peculiar spring in their step as if the victory of Princeton was fueling them.

    With the victory and successful capture of Trenton, they were now returning to Morristown, for the winter, so she would be able to see him again.  "Sarah, darling, come from the window." Sarah turned to her mother who was making tea. "Mother, when will William be here? The soldiers are returning, but I have yet to see him," she whined, sitting at the kitchen table.  "I know, dear, you must be patient. Your father went into town to get him." As if responding to a queue, Thomas opened the door to his home and pushed through, William following behind him.

    "William!" Sarah jumped up from the table and ran to the door, past her father and jumped into her brother's arms. William welcomed the embrace with an 'umph' glad to see his little sister again.

 "It's great to see you, Sarah," he said petting her soft brown hair. "I do believe you had a birthday last week. How old are you now, nine? No, eight." he pulled back and laughed at his joke and he watched Sarah's face twist into a scowl.