The colonel was at ease and spoke as a superior to a new recruit. “Pratt, I ought to tell you that on both sides of the river we don’t have more than two hundred men who are willin’ and able to fight. We’re facin’ strong British troops downriver and northward in Carolina and have an even worse problem with the son of a bitch Brown and his Rangers. We spend most of our time either at home protectin’ our families or hidin’ in the woods, and we’re still learnin’ how to fight.”

“Well, I’m willing to learn like the others.”

The colonel made Ethan wait for an answer. Finally he said, “You can report to Captain William Few, and I reckon he’ll be glad to have you.”

The two men didn’t shake hands or come in contact, but nodded to each other as a sign of mutual agreement.

Ethan found Few and reported as directed by Clarke. Unlike the colonel, Few was an educated and well-mannered man, soft-spoken and polite, who drove his men by his own example. Few loaned Ethan a British infantry manual, which contained many marginal notes and stricken-out sentences, mostly related to close-order drill. He then told Ethan he could return to his homestead, gather personal belongings, take leave of his family, and then plan to spend what time he could spare with the militia unit.

“Like you, a few of our men still have homes and stay there when they can. Most of these are within this small area above Augusta that we’re able to defend. You’ll be the only one from the Quaker settlement. It is important to have some outposts intact to demonstrate Whig strength to the Indians and to settlers whose loyalty wavers, to provide information from as wide an area as possible, and maybe even to produce food to be shared with those who are committed to full-time military service. Unless we’re assigned a mission, these part-time men in our company will get together two or three days a week for training and so we can share information with each other. The next time will be early Saturday.”

“Well, I’ve come prepared to stay and will not be going back home for a week or so. My intention is to spend all my time in the company while I’m studying the manual and learning what else I can on the job. I have a good rifle and ammunition, and expect to trade for a better horse when I can find one. My land is all prepared and ready to be planted, and my wife can take care of the livestock until I can sell most of it. I’ll come on the assigned days, do the cultivating in between, and you can call on me whenever I’m needed.”