Pistoleer: Invasion

by Smith, Skye

  Daniel had Burt's mighty voice call back, "Come out of hiding with your weapons above your head and then lay them on open ground and step back from them."

  "Nay, we'll not put down our weapons. We will not be left to your mercy,” came the reply.

  Daniel shouted back, as much to his own men as to the carters, "Who do you think I am? Prince Rupert? I don't make war on carters and porters. Surrender with no tricks and you can walk on to Wantage and get out of this weather.” Men began emerging from behind the carts. They did as they were told and lay down their weapons in a pile in open ground. Weapons, hah, it was a pitiful display. Whips, knives and hooks, with an occasional ancient blunderbuss, and a dragon or two. Pitiful.

  Daniel walked towards a man big enough to pull his own cart and asked, "What is in the carts?"

  "Loot from Marlborough. Cloth mainly, and wool. Food. No silver or treasure. That was in the cavalryer's saddle bags."

  "Any powder or shot or muskets?” Burt asked suspiciously.

  "None of it. It all went to Basingstoke with Lord Grandison."

  "Cap'n did you hear ....” Burt began.

  "Shush. Let me do the asking,” Daniel cut him off brusquely. "When did Grandison leave for Basingstoke?"

  "Yesterday, but he'll not be there yet. He was to circle south around your army by way of Andover. He may be in Andover by now, but not Basingstoke. Them nobs will be all warm in front of a roaring fire with hot wine in one hand and a hot woman in the other. Bugger Digby for leading us north across the downs into this storm."

  Some of Daniel's men were poking through the carts and as they did so they were shaking their heads. The cargo was valuable, but bulky. He blew on his whistle and yelled out, "There's nothing more for us here. Mount up! Lets be gone from this ridge before that storm hits."

  "What about their weapons?” Burt asked.

  "Them ain't weapons, Burt. Them is tools of their trade,” Jake replied.

  "Leave them in peace. Back to your horses men and mount up. We are away,” Daniel called out to the men on foot all around him, and then he waved to the men of the original charge were looking on from the mouth of the gulley and finishing up reloading their guns. He rode towards them, and when close yelled, "Come forward and keep us covered while everyone retrieves their horses!” As the two halves of his force exchanged duties, he dismounted and led his horse up through the gulley to get his looker back up to high ground. As soon as he had a view all around he began searching through it or any sign that Digby may have circled around to surprise them. Nothing was moving save the wind in the bushes.

  Down below, his company were too cold to worry about thieving bloody bolts of cloth, so all of them were leading their horses back up to the ridge to join him. The carters did not wave their thanks for sparing their lives, but then you couldn't blame them. They had just lost the use of their cart horses, and they had little chance of recompense from Charlie, or his generals, or his lords. Without horses they were out of business, so Charlie's army would likely confiscate their carts. They were ruined men who now had some hard choice to make on this miserable night in late November.

  Jake caught up. "Where to now?” he asked.

  "Back to Newbury, and fast else we will be caught out by this storm and freeze to death,” Daniel replied. He was not exaggerating, for the wet snow that was now threatening was far more dangerous than the dry snow that fell at colder temperatures. It not only made the roads treacherous and forced horses to a walk, but it soaked man and beast to the bone and froze them to the point where they couldn't walk. "We have to get messages to Colonel Waller and to Colonel Urrey, and fast, but I'll not ask any of these lads to take them. They are cold and weary to the bone and their horses with them."

  "Why a message to Urrey?” Jake asked. "It is Waller who will be sending a company and horses to capture these carts."

  "Because Urrey is marching into a trap. Lord Grandison and a royalist regiment may be waiting for him in Andover."

  * * * * *

  Waller had left his pup of a captain in charge of the garrison he had left in Newbury. At the time it was probably a good enough decision, for he certainly did not want to be dependant on the pup out in the field if it came to a fight. For Urrey and his men, now marching into a trap at Andover, Waller’s decision could now cost them all their lives.

  "I have sent out messengers to both Colonel Waller and to Colonel Urrey,” the pup told an amazed Daniel. "What more can I do?"

  "What more?” Daniel seethed. "My men are frozen and exhausted, but they are still capable of manning this garrison. Rally your own company. Get them provisioned and mounted. Ride, man, ride to Andover and help Urrey."

  "Urrey has far more men than I,” the pup argued. "It would be a hard and dangerous ride that will not change his circumstances one bit."

  Daniel had to stop himself from bashing the bugger's head against the wall. "Bull shit. When your sudden arrival is reported to Lord Grandison, he must assume that you are the advance scouts of Waller's army. He will break off any battle, disengage from Urrey, and fall back to a defensible position. You're arrival could very well save Urrey and his regiment."

  The pup looked towards his two equally young ensigns, but pointedly ignored the glare of his own sergeant. "My order's from Colonel Waller were clear and explicit. I am to hold Newbury at all costs in case he is forced to retreat from Marlborough."

  "There is no one to retreat from in Marlborough,” Daniel seethed. "Digby has marched north to Oxford and by now Grandison will be positioning himself for a surprise attack on Urrey in Andover. You must get your men on the road, now, tonight. You want to be close to Andover by first light."

  "On the road ... now!” the pup raised his voice, but just a little. He did not like the way that the eyes of this tall fair captain had seemingly turned color from blue to grey. "In the dark, out into the storm, along roads that my be controlled by Lord Grandison. I will not, sir. I will not."

  "The road south is in good condition all the way to Andover, and Grandison is on the Basingstoke road not the Newbury road. The storm is already to the north of us and the snow is melting quickly. Ride man. Earn yourself a commendation, and ride."

  "And be drummed out for not following my orders and endangering Waller's grand plan, and for endangering my men. I will not sir,” the pup replied defensively, but then continued in a softer voice. "Captain, exhaustion is written all over your face. Go and eat and warm yourself and sleep. In the morning you will have a clear mind and we will discuss this further."

  It was a dismissal. This idiot son of some rich nob, this flouncy child, was dismissing him. He glanced over at the sergeant. The man's head shook just slightly as he looked down at the floor. Daniel literally kicked the door open and yelled out into the adjoining room, "Jake, rally the men! Once they are fed and warm they are to swap their horses for fresh ones and we ride south. Tell them to grab up every blanket they can find to use as horse cloaks. We ride south to Andover to save Urrey's regiment."

  * * * * *

  * * * * *

  The Pistoleer - Invasion by Skye Smith Copyright 2013-15

  Chapter 3 - Saving a regiment in Andover in December 1642

  "We're too late,” Jake spoke the obvious. He couldn't feel his bum or his legs any more, and he was wondering if he had strength enough left to raise a pistol, never mind aim it steadily. Twenty miles they had ridden. All through the night with nary a break to stretch their legs or to work the kinks out of their backs. And after all that torture, they were too late. "The white flags are raised. They are in parley. Urrey will be begging for terms."

  Everyone nodded in agreement. It was obvious to all of them what had happened. Urrey must have set up camp outside Andover not knowing that Grandison was in the area. Grandison would have had men in the town already, and they would have spied on Urrey and would have known the lay of the land and the camp. Urrey wouldn't have stood a chance against a surprise attack in the early morning gloom. That said, he must
have raised his white flag early, for there were damn few corpses to be seen.

  "It's finished then,” Jake continued. "Grandison must have a thousand men down there, and we are but two hundred.” There was no answer from his captain. "Danny, did you here me? We're too late. We must get out of here before they come after us. We're in no condition to fight. Danny, Danny?"

  Daniel turned to one of his scouts. "Hand me your parley flag and find another one for Burt."

  "You mean to surrender, sir?” the scout recoiled. "But we can still get away."

  "Not yet. Not yet to either option. First I must go and deliver Colonel Waller's kindest regards to Lord Grandison."

  "Waller,” the scout sputtered as he handed over his white flag on a stick. "Waller will have barely left Marlborough. His regiments won't reach here until tomorrow."

  Daniel took the flag, and waited until Burt was also handed one. "Burt, while I deliver Waller's greetings to the officers I want you to use that fine voice of yours to put some hope back into Urrey's men.” He almost lost his grip on the flag stick, because his fingers didn't seem to be working properly. "The rest of you, organize yourselves into scouting parties of twenty each and spread out along the horizon towards the Winchester road, and make sure you are seen. Don't charge, don't fight. Just look like scouting parties and stay out of harms way."

  Daniel moved closer to Burt so he could tell him more of his plan. Each man unpinned the two blankets that were draped, one over their back and the horses back, and the other pinned to both shoulders to drape forward. The wet wool dropped in sodden piles to the ground. The rest of the company did likewise. The blankets had saved their lives. Wool still warms you even when wet, and more importantly the blankets had kept the heat of the horses from being blown away by the wind, so instead it had risen up to warm the riders. Now the blankets lay on the ground adding their steam to the morning fog rising from the last of the quickly melting snow.

  Burt gave him the nod when he was ready and then each of them raised their white flag. Daniel turned his horse towards the large canopy where the discussion of terms would be underway. Burt started out behind him, but instead of following him directly towards the canopy, he veered so as to ride along the edge of the camp. Urrey's men were still hiding behind the hurried and makeshift barricades they had thrown up so that Grandison's cavalry could not charge unabated through their camp. They stood up to see who the two new riders were, but they left their weapons low, or did not carry them at all. Facing them, Grandison's men were so confident of a good outcome, and of keeping their health, that they had dismounted and were laughing and talking amongst themselves. Such was the relief in tension on both sides that the truce had brought.

  Burt’s great voice boomed out behind him, but Daniel ignored it and continued riding at a steady pace towards the officer canopy, unwavering no matter who challenged him.

  "Hold yer weapons up with pride!” Burt yelled to Urrey's men but his great voice also carried his words to Grandison's cavalry. "Colonel Waller and his whole blessed army are but a mile away up the Marlborough road. My captain has been sent to give Lord Grandison the chance of an honorable surrender to save his men from a sure slaughter."

  Daniel noticed the men from both sides looking towards the horizon where the Marlborough road came in from the north west. The merry talk amongst Grandison's men turned into hurried exchanges. They must have seen the ten large scouting groups spread out along the horizon. Only a large army would have so many scouts in advance. Only an army that was nearby would have so many groups of scouts moving so close together. So far, so good.

  At the canopy it took all of his strength and determination not to stumble and fall as he dismounted. He straightened his back and urged his knees and ankles to cooperated, and then marched into the company of the colonels, saluted sharply, or what he hoped was sharply, and clicked his heels - which sent pins and needles shooting up his ankles. "I bring advance greetings from Colonel Waller, and he hopes that you are all still well and healthy and wonders when and where he can be received to discuss the terms of Lord Grandison's surrender.” Enough said, he did a short bow and then stood to rigid attention in the way of a subaltern in the regular Dutch army.

  Urrey stared at him like he was insane, but eventually signaled him to stand easy. "It seems that the fates have intervened, William, and they have in mind a different outcome for this day that the one we had planned,” Urrey told Grandison. "Will you answer the good captain or shall I?"

  "You have no say in this, John, for you have already surrendered on my terms. I will hold you to your word that neither you nor your men will partake in any battles for at least a month,” Grandison stated this softly before turning to the filthy and exhausted looking pistoleer captain and asking, "How did Colonel Waller get here so quickly? The last report I had was that he was marching on Marlborough?"

  A slow smile came to Daniels lips. Here was a chance to cause some trouble for that viper Digby. "It seems that Colonel Digby has decided to change sides, yet again,” Daniel lied. "He met Waller on the road and offered him a train of carts loaded with cloth and food, so long as his own men could keep whatever was in their saddlebags and go their way. Your whereabouts came up in the bargaining process."

  "Then why wasn't John forewarned of this?” Grandison asked cagily. "We caught him quite by surprise."

  "I can only assume that Waller's original messenger did not make it through your own scouting patrols,” Daniel quipped, while wondering what did happen to the messenger that the pup captain had sent here from Newbury. He should have arrived hours and hours ago.

  "That dog Digby,” Grandison said as he stamped his fist on a table hard enough to jump the ink pot and spill it over the signed terms. "I never did trust him."

  "Nor I,” Daniel replied. "Not since he was caught in women's clothing trying to escape from Kingston-upon-Hull. He changed sides that time too."

  Grandison looked back towards Urrey. "I will hold you to your word John. We are still under a truce, and I expect your men to keep that truce as my men withdraw.” He then began yelling orders to his officers to mount up and prepare to ride.

  "Ride to where, your lordship?” one of them asked. "To Basingstoke or to Winchester? We have a garrison in each place. Do we continue on our mission to relieve Basingstoke?"

  "Winchester,” Grandison told him without much thought. It didn't need much, for the road to Winchester led south away from Waller's army. "Our garrison at Basing House is under siege, so if we ride there we would be caught between their besiegers and Waller's main force. Winchester it is, and we leave immediately. Have the heavy cavalry form up to be the rear guard for the slower men."

  A moment later Daniel found himself alone with Urrey and his captains. He spied two parchments on the table, likely two signed copies of the terms of surrender which had just been agreed upon. While pretending to stretch his legs, he moved closer to the table hoping to catch sight of the words. It was not a smooth movement as his ankles were not co-operating, and so it caught Urrey's attention. Urrey snatched up both copies, crumpled them in his fist and threw them into a brazier of hot coals, where they flared bright for a moment.

  Daniel had been stretching sideways trying to see the words, and now he lost his balance and had to lean against the main pole of the canopy to stop himself from falling over. It was a strain for him just to keep his eyes open. The surging energy which had rushed through his veins in expectation of confrontation, was now ebbing away and leaving behind a feeling of giddiness. From outside he could hear a growing noise as men and horses were roused, and orders were shouted throughout a thousand men.

  Urrey and his captains had pulled away from him and were discussing something in whispers. Daniel didn't care. It felt so good to close his eyes. This drowsiness lasted until one of Urrey's personal guards from outside the canopy made an entrance, or rather, was half thrown to the feet of the huddle of officers. A squat solid man entered on the falling guard's heels, and tol
d him, "Sorry lad, I didn't mean ta bump inta ya like dat. I just got finished a night of hard riding so my legs warnt warkin' proper like.” Meanwhile two other guards had caught up to Burt and each had grabbed one of his elbows.

  "Leave him be,” Daniel told them in an overly loud voice. "He is with me.” The guards did not let Burt go but the words did save them from being smashed together by the brawny miner. "What do you have to report Burt?” Another captain was about to make an issue of Burt's presence, so Daniel told him, "You will, of course, recognize Burt Miner - Colonel Waller's powder man attached to his personal staff."

  Burt's great voice seemed to echo underneath canopy roof of sailcloth duek. "Grandison's pullin' stakes, Danny. They're out'a here, and they've left our side with their weapons. Oy, Colonel Urrey. You should order your men to give chase. The king's men are retreatin' fast, an' it wouldn't take much to turn it into a rout."

  "Though I doubt it is any business of yours,” Urrey replied snootily, "If you must know, my regiment is still bound by the conditions of a truce. True, the circumstances have changed radically, but our actions are still dictated by the truce."

  "Wha'd he say?” Burt asked, with a blink and big snort of snot. He'd heard the words just fine, but he didn't know them as English. Not his English anyway.

  "Neither side can fire so long as the white flags are up,” Daniel interpreted.

  "Then take the bloody white flags down,” Burt said with a shrug. His booming voice had one of the captains moving towards the guards at the door to give the order.

  "Leave the truce flags up,” Urrey called after his captain. "Colonel Waller's regiments are more than capable of catching and defeating Grandison without us. As the commanding officer, I will keep to the conditions I have agreed to in the truce. As a gentleman, my word is my bond."

  Burt stared at Daniel, who was slumping further and further down a post. "Y'ain't told 'im yet?"

  "I was waiting until the king's men were mounted up and riding away."