PART V: ONE TIN SOLDIER
Pennsylvania
September 1784
"Mister President," Heyward bowed to the court in the surprised silence that marked his passing. "I apologize for being late."
Jefferson searched his face, confused. "Quite all right, General. Do you feel well enough to continue?"
"Quite." He stood, composed but reserved, even stern.
"General Heyward," John Jay of New York rose. "The officer in charge of your person led us to believe you had fallen ill last night. A fit of nerves."
"A fit of conscience!" Spaight agreed.
Tom turned and regarded the North Carolina delegate. "My conscience is clear." To Jay: "A fit of nerves? No, sir. It's true I didn't sleep well." He smiled then. "I suspect it was the food."
A loud guffaw from the crowd. His guard, a young soldier, grinned.
"Very well," Jefferson said. "Mister Adams, are you through with Captain Jones?"
"I haven't had a chance to question him since Mister Pinckney tore his evidence." Adams waved the papers as a reminder.
"Then if General Heyward will have a seat we can continue."
Heyward nodded at the captain and sat next to Philip Waymouth, folding his arms.
The Massachusetts delegate leaned close. "You sure you're up to this, son?"
"We need to win if we're to deal with South Carolina," Tom replied quietly.
"That's true, but..."
"Why wait?"
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Virginia
"James," Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia shook his hand. "Welcome home. How did you find Charleston?"
"Hot," James Madison was a small man, with slightly inset eyes as if he didn't eat quite enough and a stern expression. "Whatever possessed them to build a city in the midst of a mosquito infested swamp I cannot fathom. The sea provides no relief, and the people, these 'Carolinans'...they've looked over their shoulders ever since the incident with General Allen."
Henry poured them both a drink. "Have a seat. You look quite fagged out. Don't stand on ceremony, man. We've known each other far too long."
Madison smiled tiredly and accepted the drink. Henry sat across from him in his lush office.
"You spoke with Moultrie?"
"I did." Madison closed his eyes, composing his thoughts. Henry straightened. That couldn't be good.
"And what did he say?"
"He spoke very strongly concerning General Heyward's trial. He didn't come out and say it, but I believe if Congress votes against him..."
"They can't," Henry interrupted. "The Articles are perfectly clear."
"He thinks they might on this or that technicality. If they do, I think he plans to part company."
"Well, he certainly has the right. I think it would be disadvantageous to do so."
"Further he strongly implied North Carolina would follow." Madison finished his drink and held his glass in both hands. "He asked me to represent that if the northern states plan to dominate Congress and cannot be counted to keep their word, we would be well to follow as well."
"And join their Federation?"
"Quite."
Henry nodded. "This isn't the first time South Carolina's meddled in our affairs. Wasn't it Ed Rutledge who thought we should divide the state in two for an extra vote?"
"Yes. Their concerns seem much alike."
Henry grinned. "Maybe it's the swamp air."
Madison considered. "Perhaps, though it must be represented that the people of Norfolk, or..."
"I jest, James." Henry drank. "General Steving visited me two days ago. He learned of your mission and wanted to speak."
Madison vaguely recollected the artillery general that first led, then was superseded by Thomas Heyward. "How is he?"
"He does well. I think he enjoys retirement. He seems most concerned with our relations with Carolina, however. He represented any entangling alliances with them would harm Virginia's sovereignty. Certainly North Carolina has all but submitted."
"Yet," Madison replied, "even if they appear to be in bed on political matters, North Carolina retains her autonomy. It must also be said I've spoken to many that feel, now that England has been bested twice, there's no further purpose of a union. Let us come together against European threats, certainly, but otherwise go our seperate ways."
"I've argued similar," Henry nodded. "I believe the union has a purpose. It gives us a permanent means of resolving disputes between each other without resorting to war. It allows joint action when dealing with the Indians. It allows free trade, and provides a common defense against tyranny. Still, it must be remembered that Virginia is sovereign. Our word is law, not Philadelphia's. Their secrecy appalls me, and Mister Jefferson's letters are opaque."
Madison straightened. "So we will add our voice to Governor Moultrie's if he breaks?"
"I believe we must consult the House. As you say, opinion is divided and it would be ill to exclude them. I admit Philadelphia causes me uneasiness, but I am very much concerned that if we were to join this Federation we would only exchange one tyranny for another."
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Pennsylvania
"Thank you, Captain Jones." Jefferson waved his gavel. "You may sit down." He glanced at Charles Pinckney. "Yes, sir?"
He stood, pale except for red knuckles that gripped his desk. "I move Captain Jones's testimony be stricken!"
"Seconded," Spaight growled.
"Yet again, Mister Pinckney seeks to block the truth!" Adams called.
"That's enough," Jefferson warned, pointing his gavel at the lawyer. He turned to South Carolina: "Why?"
"His testimony is entirely speculative. He did not see Carolinans in Georgia, and so..."
"We have the Savannah paper, Mister President."
"British lies," Pinckney sniffed. "Nor did he see this alleged Indian abuse. Rumor, and even if that rumor proved true I will again state that South Carolina is not to be tried. This concerns General Heyward's conduct."
"Mister President!"
"
Mister Adams," Jefferson frowned. "What is it?"
"South Carolina's conduct is involved whether Mister Pinckney wishes it or no. It goes to the heart of our explanation for what occured. I also note he has not explained how General Heyward could be supporting the British cause when they threw him on a ship and tried to transport him to Halifax!"
"Speculation," Pinckney replied. "Captain Jones is merely repeating what General Heyward told him. If Britain did do that it would be kidnapping, and arguably an act of war."
"So what is your answer?" Adams retorted. "He agreed to go then decided he'd rather swim?"
"He agreed to go, then fearing capture by Captain Jones he turned coat...again." Pinckney faced Jay. "Have you forgotten, sir, the treaty ending our War of Independence back in '73? The one giving the majority of New York to Canada? General Heyward negotiated that as I recall!"
Waymouth stood. "As I recall in the second war when the Southern Army completely collapsed and fled across the Savannah with General Exeter chasing them, it was General Heyward who led the counterattack."
"Oh please. You were a cornet at the time. What does a soldier know of war?"
"This from a man hiding behind the forts of Charleston Harbor!" The crowd rumbled.
"Hiding?" Pinckney snarled.
"Order!" Jefferson shouted, then glanced over. "Yes, General?"
"I would like to be heard," Tom said quietly.
"Objection!" Adams hurried over. "What are you doing?" he hissed.
Heyward rested his hand on the man's shoulder. "Thank you, but I can take it from here."
"General Heyward, I am your lawyer," he replied firmly, "and I cannot recommend..."
"I'll be all right."
Adams snarled softly but waved his hand at the witness desk and stood aside.
The crowd rumbled again. Someone shouted 'Traitor!' The constables closed ranks again.
"Please remember you're under oath, sir." Jefferson said.
Tom touched the witness desk, but instead stood in front of the president's chair and faced the delegates. "Everything Captain Jones said was true."
"So you say!" Pinckney snapped.
"That's enough," Jefferson retorted, slamming his gavel on the desk. "I want to hear what he has to say."
Tom closed his eyes, focusing his thoughts then smiled.
"You are here to find out if I left the Cherokee campaign prematurely, and whether I planned to betray this country. The answer to the first is 'yes.' The second I deny."
Pinckney muttered, but a warning look from the president silenced him.
"If I regret anything, it's that I didn't come here sooner. I've heard arguments that, rather than leaving, I should have sought a leave of absence or asked for help. Yes, I should have. I didn't because..because a friend died in the last battle. He died after trying to warn me of the danger we faced. I should have listened, but I didn't. Afterwards in my grief I rushed home to confront Edward Rutledge concerning the claims laid before me without considering protocol rather than telling General Allen to take over."
"On the way home I visited Branchville, the Indian prison Captain Jones mentioned. A thousand men in a space the size of these chambers. Not enough food nor clothing nor water. Flies and maggots feasting on the dead left to rot before their fellow man. The scent of death and waste. No chamber pots of course. The stink of despair. You would not think that had a smell, but it does. Hell on Earth. Say what you want of the Indian menace: Our worst enemies do not warrant such treatment. This made me more determined to seek out Rutledge."
"To destroy him?" Thomas Stone of Maryland asked.
Heyward shook his head. "No. To confront, and if necessary expose him. I'd learned from my own men in Cherokee Country of the food shortages caused by preventing the slaves from working and keeping men occupied with a militia that was far too large for the city to support and completely unnecessary. I didn't know he'd provoked Britain as well until just now." He paused. "I arrived in Charleston and we argued. He threatend to denounce me. I told him he'd gone mad. He..." Tom paused and rubbed his forehead, reliving their fight.
"General Heyward?" Jefferson asked. "Do you need to sit?"
"I don't remember much after that. I saw a flash of light. Heat. Then I woke up in Savannah. Anne Whiting apparently found me and thought I'd have trouble if I remained, so she drove me across the border. Doctor Lyman Hall rehabilitated me."
Some nodded at the name of their former colleague. Others frowned, remembering his angry last words.
"Yet you met with General Burgoyne," Stone pressed.
"Not quite. I met with a..." He shook his head. "I met with Burgoyne's assistant. They found out who I was and thought to get information out of me." Tom met Pinckney's glare. "I did not oblige them. They weren't satisfied and put me on a ship for Halifax."
"General Heyward," Adams said, "South Carolina alleges you caused the explosion that nearly killed Mister Rutledge. What do you say?"
Tom smirked. "If I set the explosion and ended up burned half to death, I'm a very poor assassin."
More delegates nodded. The crowd rumbled in agreement.
"If you were burned as you say," Spaight challenged, "then where are your burns?"
"They healed."
"Suspiciously well! Not a mark on your face and hands, dear sir."
"What can I say? I'd recommend Doctor Hall to anyone. Perhaps he can even cure your black humour!" Laughter. Tom smiled coldly. He'd lost North Carolina anyway, he might as well sway the crowd. He lifted his hand and waited for the noise to die down.
"That is the extent of my testimony. I cannot sway your reasoning much more than I have, so I will ask you to examine your heart. I've sat with some of you. I've served with others. You've asked after my conduct and I've answered. Now you need to decide whether my answers satisfy. You must decide whether, given what you know of me, I conspired to betray this country... or if, for whatever reason, Mister Pinckney is grasping at shadows."
The South Carolinan folded his arms.
"Shadows," Tom said. "In '73 the shadows..we..feared came from across the sea. We dealt with those and found more terror from the Indians. We bested them and turned on each other, questioning and doubting, forming secret plans to look after ourselves and our friends, and in so doing we become the very danger we swore to fight when we signed the Declaration." He glanced at Jefferson. "Your declaration."
He continued in quite another voice, almost monotone. "We have lived in fear for so long that pain has become normal. Evil has become acceptable." He looked at Adams, leaning forward and frowning intently. "It will be hard. It will take the rest of our lives, but one day we will realize there's nothing left to fear. We will stop doubting each other." To Waymouth, who paled: "We will forgive ourselves." Lastly, to Stone: "And serve as an example to the world."
Tom turned to face Jefferson. "That is why I am not a traitor. Because I believe in
our country, and with time, patience and faith, we can do anything."
