THE REVOLUTIONARY BLACKSMITH
by Jim Paw-Paw Wilson
Illustrated by Jock Dempsey and Walt Sherrill


Book II Chapter 12

30 November 1776

Today was the last muster of the year. Col. Callahan has decided not to have a muster in December. Instead, he will wait till the new year. I talked to the men of the artificer company, telling them that we will elect a First Sergeant and two more sergeants at the January muster. I had already talked to Rob, and he started circulating during breaks between drill sessions, suggesting that Baker would be a good choice for first sergeant.

We spent the morning drilling, so I and the sergeants could teach the new men. Then we spent the afternoon practicing loading and firing of the musket.

The Colonel came to me and mentioned that as an officer, I will not carry my musket. Instead, I will need to buy a sword and pistol. I hate that, I'd much rather carry the musket, but it's apparently just not done.

So I will have to talk to Master Longmire the gunsmith, about a pistol. He should have some idea of what I will need. I don't have the slightest idea where I will get a sword.

I don't think Tom has a musket so I'm going to talk to Master John and see if he would object if I give the musket that I've been carrying to Tom. I'm sure he will agree, but best to talk to him first, I think. I don't really want to part with it, so I'm not sure what to do.

I'd better start thinking about something for Dee's birthday too. Her birthday is December the 8th. I almost forgot, because I was at West Point last year for her birthday. But I have a feeling I'd better remember this year. This is going to be a little difficult, so many of our important dates are close together. Her birthday is the 8th of December, then Christmas, and our anniversary is the 6th of January.

We've been married almost a year, and it seems like no more than a few days.

Willie is over two months old. Already he reaches his little arms for us to pick him up.

Where does the time go?

Today, Tom asked me for help designing a touch mark for him. I did it as a TS inside a diamond. Everyone is asking me to help design their touch marks, and they all seem to fit in a diamond. That's strange, because Master John's touch mark is an S inside a circle. Well, actually Rob's wound up almost a circle, so I guess it's just what seems right at the time.

7 December 1776

I finally decided what to make Dee for her birthday. She has wanted some more kitchen utensils, so I made her several large cooking spoons, a couple of ladles, and a pair of meat turning forks. Rob made wooden handles for the utensils, so she doesn't burn herself so often, and I made some utensils for him to give to Reb for Christmas.

I felt a bit guilty about making kitchen tools for her for a gift, so I talked to the Master Weaver. He had a small bolt of good sturdy linen that he was asking a fair price for. It is dyed a soft green like her eyes. I offered to pay for it, but he asked if I'd be willing to make a couple of tools for him, as payment. I was more than willing to do that, for I don't have much cash. That takes care of her Christmas gift. Now what in the world can I give her for our anniversary??

Cash is a problem for all of us in the settlements right now. Many merchants are refusing to take English money, and the paper money issued by the Continental Congress is not backed by gold or silver, so people don't seem to trust it very much. Some merchants will take English money, but only the gold and silver coins. There are a few Spanish "pieces of eight" in circulation, but not many. But by bartering goods and services, we manage to get by. I have a bit more cash than I did as an apprentice, Master John pays me a fair wage. I sometimes think he pays me a bit more than he should, but with Dee and Willie to care for, I am grateful.

I did talk to Master John about his musket. He said that it was mine to do with as I chose, but he thought that I might be able to trade some work with Master Longmire for another musket for Tom. I can talk to Master Longmire about a pistol at the same time. If he has a musket I can afford to buy or that I can trade for, I will leave my musket here for Dee. That way she will have a gun in the house. Master John taught her how to load and fire it years ago.

21 December 1776

Master Longmire had a used musket that is in excellent condition, complete with a powder horn, bullet mold, and bayonet. I will make him three musket barrels in exchange. He says he can make a pistol for me, but not until after the first of the year. He has too much to do to start one now. But he also said it would not take more than a couple of days, so it should be ready in plenty of time. He also suggested that one of the cutlers in Boston might have a sword I could use. I will have to make a trip to Boston next month anyway so I will check then. He gave me the names of three different cutlers and told me where all their shops are located.

I brought the musket home with me, I wanted to clean it well. I'll cast Tom a few bullets as well, and fill his powder horn so he will be ready when the regiment is called out next time. Dee said that I should give it to him Christmas morning, just after Mass. She has made some more bed linens that she will give to Faith. Dee has also made small gifts for Master and Mistress, as well as for Rob and Reb, and both Seano and Jim. Master and Mistress always saw to it that there was something for me for Christmas, so it is only right that we do the same, now that I am a master smith. (That still seems strange to me.)

I've made both of the boys their first hammers. They've been using shop hammers which are fine to learn with, but a workman likes to have his own tools. They will make their own hammers in a year or so, but these will be the ones they use until then. I carved each of their initials on the ends of the handles, so they can tell them apart.

26 December 1776

Yesterday was quite a day. Master and Mistress had asked Tom and Faith to join us for breakfast after Mass. We gave them their gifts then. Master had made a vent pick and a combination tool to fit Tom's musket, and Mistress had woven a sewing basket for Faith. I was a bit surprised that Tom and Faith had also made small gifts for all of us.

When I handed Tom his musket, he looked shocked. Then he looked at me and said, "I will treat it well, and use it only when necessary, Captain." I replied, "I know that, Tom. But I wanted you to be properly equipped when the Regiment leaves." Then I added, "And you really don't have to call me Captain when we are at the shop or here in our homes." He answered, "I know that, but I am so proud to serve with you that I want to call you captain, at least when we are talking about the Regiment." All I could say was, "Very well then."

Faith kissed Dee and thanked me for their gifts. Then she said something that moved me deeply. She looked at all of us and said, "I want to thank you all for accepting us and treating us so well. My family refused to speak to me after I told them that if we had to, Tom and I would run away to get married, but now I have a new family, complete with a brother and sister."

I can't help but wonder what kind of people would turn against their own child like that? Foolish people, I guess. Don't they realize that many times, family is all we have? Perhaps having lost my own parents at such a young age makes me more conscious of the value of family. How thankful I am that Master and Mistress were here for me when my mother and father passed away.

The biggest surprise to me were my Christmas gifts. Dee handed me a wooden box, nicely finished, and very heavy. When I opened it, there were two matching flintlock pistols, a combination tool, and a bullet mold inside. The pistols are gorgeous work, the hand grips are polished black walnut, and all the fittings are polished brass or silver. Dee designed the front sights, they are little silver hearts mounted on the top front of the barrel, with a silver blade in the middle. The heart lays on the top flat of the barrel and the sight itself stands up from the center of the heart. Now I understand why Master Longmire "didn't have time to make a pistol for me until after the new year". I said something about that, and she just grinned and said, "I told him to say that, I knew you would be going to see him." She also told me that the saddle maker was making two saddle holsters for me.

At first I thought Master Longmire had cut down a musket barrel to make my pistols but then I noticed that they are a smaller caliber than the muskets. When I mentioned it, Dee told me that Tom had made the barrels for the gunsmith. Then she had me turn the pistols upside down. Engraved on the bow of the trigger guard are mine, Dee's, and Tom's touchmarks, all three entwined together. A very nice piece of work indeed.



Master John's gift was not in a box. As we were exchanging gifts, he left the room. When he returned, he had a magnificent sword in his hands. He looked at me, smiled and said, "This was Mistress Prudence's father's. He gave it to me. I have never needed it. Now I want you to have it, and to carry it for me." With that, he laid the sword, in it's scabbard, across his forearm with the hilt facing me. I drew the sword, as I knew he wanted me to do, and saluted him with it. Dee took the scabbard, from him, and said, "I will make the baldric for it, Colonel Callahan told me how it needs to be made."

Sword - wrs

I couldn't say anything, a cinder from the fire blew into my eye just then. At least that's what I tried to convince them had happened. My sword is much more valuable than I would have been able to buy. The blade is inlaid on the shoulder with a small gold Shamrock and there are six small gems mounted on the quillions. The four red gems are small rubies and the two blue stones are sapphires. The grip is ebony with a silver cross inlaid on it and the pommel is a head of St. Patrick. The hilt forms a crusader's cross with the blade. Mistress Prudence told me later that this sword has been in her family for four generations.

I will never surrender it!


31 December 1776

Joyful news! On Christmas Eve, General Washington and his rag tag army crossed the Delaware River and on Christmas Day they defeated the British at the Battle of Trenton! Our hopes are much higher now. Many people were very downcast by the defeat at the Battle of New York, so this has lifted our spirits greatly.

Dee has made the necessary alterations to my uniform. I now wear the uniform of a Captain in our Colony's Militia. The biggest difference is the yellow cockade in my hat to indicate my rank of Captain. And the Baldric for my sword is complete. Dee says that I cut quite a dashing figure in my uniform. She also said that I had better stay away from the camp followers while we are gone!

5 January 1777

This morning was a special day at Mass. Because the Regiment will be leaving at the end of this month, Father O'Reilly baptized Tom and Faith this morning, and they received their first Eucharist. They asked Dee and I last week if we would be their sponsors, and of course we said yes. So we stood with them as Father baptized them, and went forward to receive the Eucharist at the same time. In fact, Master John had asked them to sit with us in the family pew. So they didn't sit in the back of the church, as they usually do.

We had Tom and Faith, Master and Mistress, as well as Rob and Reb to breakfast after Mass. There isn't room at the table for that many, so we just fixed plates and sat wherever we could find a place. Dee and I had gotten Faith a Rosary, and Tom a small Sunday Missal. It's in Latin of course, but also has the English translation with the Latin. So that will help him with his reading as well as being a spiritual comfort when we are away. And I told him that I would help him with reading and writing while we are gone. Dee told Faith that she and Mistress would teach her how to say the Rosary.

Rob surprised me. He had made two beautifully carved Crucifixes. One for Tom and Faith's house, and one for ours. Master and Mistress did not give Tom and Faith anything, but told them that from now on, they will sit with us at church, as a part of our family. Master mentioned that what Faith had said at Christmas time had meant a great deal to him, and he wanted to affirm their place in our family of faith.

6 January 1777

We have been married one year today. It's seems very strange to me. In some ways, I feel like I've been married all my life. Yet in other ways, it's as if we have only been together for a few days. Dee is a different person every day. Living with her is an adventure. An adventure that makes every day new and exciting, and yet warm and comfortable.

I never could think of anything to give her or make her for our anniversary, so I wrote her a little note, trying to express all of that. As I left for work this morning, I laid it on the table. She was nursing Willie at the time, so she didn't see me. When I came home for lunch, I got a big hug and a kiss. She said she had cried when she read the note. I started to apologize for making her cry, and she laughed at me. I don't think I'll ever be able to tell when she is crying happy, or crying sad.

10 January 1777

Well, Tom is a father! He woke Dee and me up in the middle of the night to tell us that Mistress Prudence was on her way to his house and wanted Dee to join her.

So, I took him into the kitchen, made a pot of tea, and dosed his with a large tot of rum. He seemed a bit calmer after he drank about half of it.

Just as we were sitting down to drink our tea, Master John joined us. He looked about half asleep, as I'm sure I did also. Of course Tom was wide awake.

So three useless and lonely males spent the rest of the night drinking tea, and talking about everything under the sun. At one point, I asked Master John, "Why is it that all babies are born in the middle of the night?"

He laughed, and replied, "They aren't, Will. But sometimes it does seem that way."

When it was time to go to work, he left for the shop, but told me to stay with Tom and keep him company until the baby was born.

Just a couple of hours later, Dee came in with a big smile on her face, and said, "All right, Tom. Your wife would like to see you and I suspect that you would like to see your son."

Tom left a hole in the air as he went out of the house!

Dee and I fixed breakfast, though she did have to stop once to change and nurse Willie. After I ate, I went on to the shop. I told master and the boys that it was a boy, and Master said that when Tom came to the shop, we'd take him to the tavern, as they had taken me when Willie was born.

20 January 1777

Saturday was muster, and next Monday we leave. Colonel Callahan reported to the colony that we are ready. They communicated that to the Continental Congress and General Washington. For the time being at least, we are posted back to West Point.

I held the election, and as I hoped, Sergeant Baker was elected as the First Sergeant. John O'Daire and Patrick Mac'Cadain were elected as the other two sergeants that we need for platoon sergeants. Sgt. O'Daire will be the platoon sergeant of the 1st platoon and Sergeant Mac'Cadain will be the platoon sergeant for the 2nd platoon. After we get to West Point, I'll copy down the complete company roster. I want to be sure that I have all of mens names memorized very soon. Master John says that it is very important for me to be able to address each of the men by name. He says that it helps to instill pride in them, and I can understand that. Fortunately I have always been able to remember names easily.

I talked to Tom and Rob Saturday, and yesterday we all three talked to Master John. We decided that in the event of an alarum from the church bell, that Dee and Faith and Reb will all go to Master and Mistress's house. Their house is closer than Reb's parents, or Rob's., Seano and Jim will go there also. That way there will be enough people to defend the house and each other.

26 January 1777

Tomorrow we leave. When we left last time, we knew that we would be coming home at the end of the year. This time, we don't have that assurance. The regiment has voted to stay till the end of the war. Colonel Callahan has arranged with the colony that we will NOT be a part of the Continental Army. We will continue to be a Colonial Regiment, working with, but not under the command of General Washington. Colonel Callahan has visited General Washington, and they knew each other from the French and Indian affair, and they get along well. I don't really understand that command structure, and Master John says that it is very unusual, but that seems to be the way it is going to be. Of course, things may change later.

Dee is trying to be brave, but I have found her crying three different times this week. Each night, she clings to me like she will never let me go.

I don't want to leave. . .

To be Continued ?

Colonial anvil with iron rose (c) 2001 Jock Dempsey

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