Freedom Drifts

On February 14^th, General Washington spent most of his day studying maps and potential battle plans, and in the evening he wrote letters. The letters he wrote talked about freedom, and how it was very important to mankind. He wrote about how the winter was passing and there was no real disaster. He stopped and breathed a sigh of relief. However, he wasn't kidding himself, and he knew that danger and war would soon be intense.

Washington knew that the letters he sent were being intercepted by the Redcoats, and he had to seek new couriers. The boys that carried his notes were captured and then reassigned. He knew the Redcoats made military men out of his boys because during a night raid, his men recognized a few in enemy attire.

He folded several letters and placed them on the corner part of the table. The last letter he wrote was all about freedom. He wasn't in it for monetary gain or for some deep seated political reason. He wanted freedom for the colonies. He wanted all people to breathe in freedom without interruption, or conflict.

His men were considered traitors, and he was coined the cold blooded leader of the freedom fighters.

General George Washington sat down and was lost in thought. He couldn't imagine anyone more enslaved as the colonists. Freedom was still a dream, but someday it would be realized...

After weeks of confinement in the February darkness, the barge dwellers were living a different kind of terror. The Queen's Rangers kept the black men from Africa locked in a cramped space at the bottom of the barge with the supplies for the army. Most of the African men were groping around in complete darkness. Their initial feelings of anger and determination to escape had given in to despair.

The Africans huddled close together to stave off hypothermia as hope of survival kept dwindling.

Tired and hungry eyes looked up as the hatch was briefly thrown open. It proved to be nothing more than an inspection from the Queen's Rangers. At least the rangers provided some food and blankets before their hasty exit. The Africans took that as a good sign. They wouldn't be given food and blankets if they weren't intended to be kept alive.

The African men wondered what was going to happen to them once they reached their destination. They felt lost and trapped like animals aboard a seemingly bottomless black hole inside a rolling ship.

The words, slavery, or freedom never entered their thoughts, but love, hope, and family faded, and fear along with a rocky motion from the choppy seas remained.

Washington's second in command felt keenly responsible for capturing one of the Queen's Spies. They tortured him for information and they found out that the rangers were bringing across African drones to help fight and defeat the Patriots. He also learn that the drones were going to fight against their will.

The General sat down with his letters and wondered if that was an advantage or disadvantage. Another group being starved of their freedom. Who had it worse? Who indeed?

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