Day 354 - War Story

War Story

Matthew Ryan Fischer

“You sir, have a friendly and familiar face. Won’t you buy me a drink and I’ll tell you a tale from the war...”

Everyone had a war story. The war was barely over, and yet suddenly everyone was a solider, a hero, each with their own tale to tell. The man looked to be forty and probably hadn’t fought a day in his life. He was hardly a solider. More likely he was down on his luck and just looking for a free glass.

Samuel Clinton was one of the lucky ones. He had change to spare. He was a merchant and a trader and while the war had been hard for most shippers and fishermen, he had done well for himself because of a network of barterers up and down the coast. He was a man who was able to get things when no one else seemed able to. He was a man who knew how to make a profit off such a skill. Samuel didn’t mind spending some of his money on the returning “heroes.” There was enough to go around.

The “soldier” was Abraham Townsend, a self-professed favorite son from Vermont. Samuel bought them both something to drink, but no sooner had they begun, Abraham’s drink was dry. He had a shocking thirst and capacity to put back drinks. Samuel quietly checked his money purse to make sure he would be able to keep such a night going.

“A war story… I promised a war story and you shall receive one. But not just any ordinary one. I shall tell you a very special tale. A secret. A secret from the war that not many know. A secret that may have determined everything and set our very nation free.”

Samuel suddenly had a new fear – the fear of being forced to hear tall tales. Men liked to brag; drunk men especially. All of a sudden everyone was a patriot and had done their duty, which usually included embellished feats of radical valor. It appeared that Mr. Townsend was going to turn out to be just as brave as every other man currently telling such similar nightly tales. Samuel was sure that he was going to claim responsibility for having started the revolution and for winning it all on his own.

The evening, it seemed, was going to be a colossal waste, except perhaps for the beer.

But then the valiant Mr. Townsend began to tell his story and Samuel realized he was going to get much more than he expected; certainly something that could be worth the cost.

“Valley Forge was frightful. It would be worse later, but at the time, it was plenty bad enough. The camp was terrible. No one was ready. There were no supplies. We lacked food and clothing and the huts we built were flimsy at best. Sickness and death were all around. Everyone was sick all the time. We all just suffered, waiting for something to happen. It was my first year as a soldier. What did I know? I didn’t know anything yet. I just knew I was sick and cold and didn’t want to die.

“But you aren’t interested in that. You aren’t interested in hearing about what it was really like. You just want to know the glory and the story. I promised you a secret and I shall tell you. But I had to tell someone what it was really like. I had to let someone know about the suffering and the death that came. So many men died. So many – frozen and sick. Too many friends. Too many.

“The nights were long and hard and I began to spend more and more time by myself. I didn’t want to make friends. I didn’t know how long any of us had left and I didn’t want to be a burden or be burdened with more ghosts.

“I began to spend my nights awake. I began to wander…

“I don’t know why I went into the woods that night. I just had a feeling. It was strange. It was a strange night. The sky was clear and the moon was bright and it was warmer than it had been. So I went out.

“It was huge. Tall. Bigger than a man. Bigger and taller. It had dark hair all over. It was a beast. It stood and walked like a man, but it wasn’t a man. It was unnatural – a beast. I’ve never seen anything like it before or since. It was this enormous thing. Frightening. So frightening.

“I hid there and waited. I waited for it to leave. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t. Nothing prepares you for seeing a beast like that. I’ve hunted. I’ve killed plenty of beasts. But this was nothing like any of them. I… I didn’t know what to do, so I just hid.

“I was afraid it would kill me. I wanted to run, but I was afraid if I moved I would only capture the creature’s attention. And all it was doing was waiting. It stood and waited. Just like a man would do.

“And sure enough, along came some other men. Soldiers. Leaders. You won’t believe me. I wouldn’t believe me except I saw it with my own eyes. Out of the woods, along came George Washington himself. He was there to meet with this creature.

“I was too far away. I was hidden behind the trees and could only peak out at the meeting. I couldn’t hear what they said or know for sure what they did. But I saw things. Very specific things. I saw them laugh like men. I saw them shake hands like men. And I saw George Washington give that thing a gun. He gave it a gun and he shook its hand.”

Abraham stopped talking and sat and reflected while looking into his half-empty drink. Samuel was silent for a moment, thinking about the story.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Abraham didn’t react at first.

“This story – why tell me this story?”

Abraham didn’t look up from his drink, but he slowly and quietly spoke.

“I wanted you to know who and what you worked for.”

Samuel was shocked by this. He hadn’t expected this from an apparent stranger.

“Don’t be so surprised,” continued Abraham. “I know you – ‘Mr. Culper.’ I know who you are and what you did during the war. The Culper family is bigger and broader than you know. You and I could be cousins or brothers or something. We all worked for the same people and were told it was for the same purpose.

“But I saw the beast. I don’t know what sort of devil it was. I don’t know what sort of deal we made in order to win that bloody war. Maybe we’re all beasts inside. Maybe man always was one and always will be. Maybe. But certainly we are. Certainly we are now. I saw the beast and the beast was with us. Did we forfeit our souls for this? And if so, was it worth it? I don’t know what to believe anymore. Do you? Do you know? Do you know what we’ve become?”

Samuel didn’t. His hands were relatively clean compared to the man across from him. Samuel had made shipments and secret deliveries. He had bribed men, and helped plan assassinations when necessary, but he had never seen anything that compared to what this man saw. He had no idea what to make of it or what demons had truly been involved.

“I… I don’t. I don’t know.”

The two men sat for a little while longer in silence and finished their beers.