The Prisoner

Seamus suddenly realised that he had made a big mistake. He saw French infantry either side of him and as he pulled up he saw that no one had followed him. As he turned to escape a number of the French Chasseurs rode up and surrounded him. Seamus dropped his sabre, but he was uncertain as to whether this act would save him from the Chasseurs revenge. Luckily an officer rode up shouting something in French.

The officer then turned to him and spoke in German “Any trouble and my men will gut you, slowly, so tell me who you are”

“Not thinking he knew anything important, Seamus revealed that he was a recently recruited member of the Freihusaren recruited from the nobility”

In further questioning Twyth could get anything else of use out of him so he instructed the Chasseurs to deliver him to the prison in Bruckewasser while he reported to the General.

“Hmm, not very good news Twyth” said General Bercollin “You lost a Lieutenant and four men killed and another five wounded out of a patrol of fifteen”

“Yes, but I have discovered how the enemy know what are plans are. Just before the ambush I recognised the serving wench from when we had our staff meeting after the abortive river crossing at Stonew. When challenged she rode off at speed and she was the one who shot the Lieutenant, just before those hussars came to her rescue”

Representative Laine entered the room. “I hear you have an interesting captive Captain”

“No just a hussar, but because of his status we may be able to trade him for one of our officers”

“I think not, he is an Aristo, and we need to set an example”

“Representative Laine what do you mean?” asked the General.

It is a chance to test my new equipment sent from Paris and thereby persuade our enemies that resistance is useless”

“This is dishonourable and I won’t permit it”

“In the name of the Republic, I insist”

“I will comply only if I receive a written instruction”

“Very well, Captain bring pen and paper, the execution will timed for 9 o’clock tomorrow