“I have consulted with Colonel Prevost, and we have decided to describe our situation to you and then make an assignment. One of my responsibilities is to collect and assess intelligence from every available source. We have some problems north of here. As you know, the Whigs and revolutionaries have put enough pressure on the port officials in Savannah to prevent their shipping supplies here to us. This requires us to import goods from much farther away or to go directly into south Georgia to purchase corn, potatoes, cattle, sheep, and other produce directly from settlers who are loyal to our Tory cause or who are willing to sell at a good profit. In addition, we must maintain the front line of our defenses at or beyond the St. Marys River against periodic excursions made against us from the fumbling militia forces of Georgia, who are also harassing Governor Wright enough that he may soon leave Savannah and return to London.

“In all these efforts this far south, we cooperate as closely as possible with the Creeks and Seminoles. Authorities in London permit Governor Tonyn to keep Indian Superintendent John Stuart stationed here or in Pensacola so that he can assist us with both trade matters and maintain an adequate military liaison with the natives. The fact is that Stuart has enough influence to ignore the governor’s directives if he disagrees.”

Brown was intrigued with this report, some of which was not generally known, and considered the major’s frankness to be a compliment, but he did not know how to guess what was coming next. He sat on the edge of the chair as he heard the major’s words.

“With permission of Colonel Prevost, I have decided to make you my personal assistant, with the primary duty of representing me outside this office and gathering whatever intelligence is available. My other duties do not permit me to leave St. Augustine except when there might be a military emergency, and this seldom happens. I need someone with unquestioned loyalty to the crown, and the memorandum you brought me from Charles Town emphasizes this as one of your unquestioned attributes, and you have some knowledge of Georgia and South Carolina, which I lack.”