Broken Trail by Jean Rae Baxter

fight in the mountains. We were sitting ducks. But he wouldn’t budge. He told the men, ‘I’m on Kings Mountain and I’m the king of that mountain. God Almighty and all the rebels of Hell can’t drive me from it.’”
    â€œThe British sent me to warn him. I arrived in time, but I never had a chance to deliver my message. The soldiers wouldn’t listen. They mocked me.”
    â€œIt wouldn’t have made any difference if you had given your message to Major Ferguson. He had already decided to make a stand on Kings Mountain while we waited for reinforcements.Once he made up his mind, nothing could change it.”
    â€œI saw what happened. I was hiding with my friend in a clump of junipers on the hillside when the rebels sneaked up. They had good cover behind the trees.”
    â€œOn the plateau we had no cover. We had to go out in the open to shoot. When we fired down the hill, our shots went above the rebels’ heads. They charged over the top and mowed us down. Ferguson was on his horse, wearing that checkered hunting shirt over his uniform, galloping all over the battlefield, blowing his silver whistle.”
    â€œI heard the whistle.”
    â€œAfter he fell, we tried to surrender. Two of our men went out waving white flags. The rebels shot them down. When we raised the white flag again, they finally stopped shooting. They told us to lay down our weapons and sit on the ground. As soon as those Over Mountain men saw us sitting there defenceless, they went crazy. They’re devils, not men. Even the regular soldiers were out of control. They stripped Major Ferguson naked, along with Virginia Sal, and threw them into the same grave. While all this was going on, I lay on the ground and played dead. I’d had one bayonet stuck in me already and didn’t want another.”
    â€œI heard them yell, ‘Remember Waxhaws!’ What did that mean?”
    â€œWaxhaws is where Banastre Tarleton’s troops massacred rebel soldiers who were trying to surrender. That’s what they say. Major Ferguson’s men weren’t there. Whateverhappened, we never did it.” He shook his head. “You say you were hiding with your friend. Who was he? What happened to him?”
    â€œHe’s a Cherokee, and he guided me to Kings Mountain. His name is Red Sun Rising. Nothing happened to him—I mean, he wasn’t killed. He left for home the morning after the battle. I reckon he’s back in Chickamauga by now.”
    â€œChickamauga! That’s where the diehards live. Dragging Canoe and his warriors are ready to fight to the last man rather than give up one more inch of their land.”
    â€œRed Sun Rising is ready to die with them.”
    â€œIf we’d had some of those Chickamauga Cherokees fighting alongside the Loyal Americans, the last campaign might have ended differently.”
    â€œThey could have taught Major Ferguson how to fight in the mountains… supposing he would listen. Red Sun Rising said the Loyal Americans were making a big mistake if they thought no one could defeat them on Kings Mountain. And he said that
before
the battle.”
    â€œTurns out he was right.”
    In his mind Broken Trail he saw the bodies lying on the battlefield and the wounded being marched away. He said, “I went to Kings Mountain because I wanted a rifle, but I found my brother instead. That’s the one good thing that came of it.”
    Silence fell. From Elijah’s steady breathing Broken Trail realized that he had slipped into a quiet, restful sleep.

Chapter 14

    IN THE MORNING Broken Trail took Elijah’s undershirt and coat to the stream and washed them in the clear water, pounding them on a rock to remove every bit of blood. After bringing them back to the maple tree, he draped them over a bush to dry, close enough to the cavity’s entrance that he could pull them inside if he heard anyone approach. That scarlet coat with its