The Loyalist: A Story of the American RevolutionBarrett, James Francis
History
The Loyalist: A Story of the American Revolution
Barrett, James Francis
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction
This man Anderson was ingenuous. The most striking characteristic about
him, that towards which and in support of which every energy and every
talent had been schooled and bent, was an intrepid courage. A vast and
complicated scheme of ambition possessed his whole soul, yet his
disposition and address generally appeared soft and humane, especially
when no political object was at stake.
During the four or five months spent in the city, he had made a host of
friends among all classes of people. His agreeable manner and his
fluency of speech at once gained for him the confidence even of the most
phlegmatic. No man was endowed with more engaging qualities for the
work, if it may be assumed that he was engaged solely in the recruiting
of a Tory Regiment from among the supporters of the Whigs. Everything
seemed to declare that he was associated with the work. And because he
was associated with it, it progressed.
The names of several who had yielded allegiance to the opposite side
were in the hands of Stephen. The Major of the new regiment was a
Catholic, John Lynch. So were Lieutenant Eck, Lieutenant Kane, and
Quartermaster Nowland. These were at present in New York, whither they
had journeyed soon after the British occupation of the city. Of the
hundred-odd volunteers, who were supposed to constitute the company,
little could be learned because of the veil of secrecy which had from
the very beginning enshrouded the whole movement.
Pressure had been brought to bear on several, it was discovered, with
the result that there was no alternative left them but to sign the
papers of enlistment. In this Anderson had been materially aided by the
Military Governor's intimate knowledge of the fortunes and prospects of
the bulk of the citizenry. To imply this, however, was one thing; to
prove it quite another. For whatever strength the accusation might bear
in his own mind, he could not forget that it was still a mere suspicion,
which must be endorsed by investigation if the people were to be
convinced. And Stephen was unprepared to offer the results of his
investigation to a populace which was too indolent and hasty to
investigate them as facts and to discriminate nicely between the shades
of guilt. Anderson was loved and admired by his countrymen and more
especially by his countrywomen. Everything, it seemed, would be forgiven
his youth, rank and genius.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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