Hetalia: The Fifty Stars

Chapter 15: The Night Riders

Kentucky. The 15th state is mainly known for its finger-licking good fried chicken and horse races, but the state is also known for growing tobacco as well. After separating from Virginia to become his own state, he inherited her talent to produce tobacco. The bluegrass region's rich soil allowed the state to capitalize on the cash crop's growth up until the 20th century.

By the beginning of the 20th century, monopolies had dominated various industries across the country. One such monopoly included the American Tobacco Company. The A.T.C. was able to sell their tobacco products for cheap, competitively beating out local farmers who couldn't risk lowering the price of their tobacco without going broke. Such struggling businesses ended up in the hands of the A.T.C. who were able to buy their businesses and farms, thus grow bigger while local farmers suffered.

Furious with the monopoly's malicious practices, some of the local farmers in Kentucky and Tennessee rounded up into militant group known as the Silent Brigade or Night Riders. They committed various acts of destruction and violence for a brief period of time against those who refused to join their cause. For farmers who refused to cooperate with them, the Night Riders would destroy their crops, machinery, livestock, and warehouses. They even captured towns in midst of their civil unrest. From 1904-1909, the Black Patch Tobacco Wars was one of various conflicts that involved local businesses and laborers protesting against the rise of corporations. Although a serious conflict, Kentucky and Tennessee took this with a grain of salt, and had "fun" defying the greedy tycoons from controlling their tobacco.

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There it was. The first flames to set alight in the dark night. A strong breeze blew over the crops, waving off the scent of burning, toxic leaves that would make an addict go wild. Even though it was only the two of us, we did more damage than we expected. Sure, the farmer of this property was going to be pissed, but it was all for a good cause. I think...

"Hurry up, Kent! We need to burn this last row before the cops show up!" Tennessee hollered from his horse as we galloped with our lanterns through the rows of tobacco crops.

"Where to next after this?" I called as I threw my torch into the field, setting ablaze a column of tobacco to wither and droop within minutes.

My fellow state rejoined me at the back gate. Just in time, we heard shouts from what I guess came from farmer. Hopping off my horse, I rushed to push the gate open, allowing our horses to pass through without hassle. Tennessee went ahead as I hurried back onto my horse. Sat up on my leather saddle, I held the reins, and whipped Viceroy to gallop ahead. I glanced back at the farm, catching a hefty man in his late forties in front of the flaming fields. He raised and shook his meaty fist at us, aggressively stomping his feet against the ground in a stream of curses coming out of his grizzly beard.

'He'll be okay,' I thought to myself. 'He'll lose money either way... At the very least, he won't lose to a business tycoon...'

I rode after Tennessee into the night, tracking his dimly lit lantern in the dark forest. Galloping down a winding path, we rode through acres of oak and elm until we made it back to a dirt road. There was a commotion not far behind us. We didn't waste time splitting up. Tennessee went west, and I went east. Afterward, I put out the fire in my lamp. From that point onward, I rode in the dark, taking various short-cuts and alternate routes in the dark.

At one point, I halted my horse in the brambles of the forest. I waited, carefully listening to the sounds of the forest. The owls hooted. The raccoons tittered. The crows were silent. The clopping hooves were not heard. I finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Good boy." I patted Viceroy's neck.

Viceroy shook his head as though he was saying, "You're welcome."